Exploring Our Castles and Their Chronicles
Many aspects of castles and palaces can be counted reliably, such as the number of rooms, staircases, towers, gates, courtyards, and how many visitors attend. Thus, while we at Kudy z boredy are aware of the most popular castles and chateaus in the Czech Republic, other rankings are not as straightforward. Which castles and chateaus are the largest? The answer can vary based on what you consider included in the size of these complexes. Sometimes, it only involves buildings, walls, and courtyards, but very different results are revealed when gardens and separate structures like summer houses, villas, ballrooms, or orangeries are counted. In brief, identifying the biggest noble mansions is quite a complex task.
Prague Castle – a world first confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records
Prague Castle, a symbol of the Czech state and the most significant Czech landmark, has achieved its first official recognition from the Guinness Book of Records. This remarkable complex, boasting an area exceeding 70,000 square meters, is recognized as the largest continuous castle complex in the world as per the Guinness Book of World Records. Additionally, it is noted to be the largest castle still inhabited globally, outperforming Windsor in England, which measures between 45,000 and 54,000 square meters. The castle features a vast array of palaces and religious buildings showcasing different architectural styles, blending Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque designs, with modifications by the notable Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik from the First Republic era and the latest developments from around the year 2000. Furthermore, Prague Castle is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Český Krumlov Castle and Chateau
The Castle and Chateau in Český Krumlov, boasting an area of over 60,000 square meters, ranks as the second largest. Similar to Prague Castle, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring five courtyards. Historically, it served as the residence for the Lords of Krumlov, followed by notable families like the Rožmberks, Eggenbergs, and Schwarzenbergs. Within the expansive grounds and gardens, several sightseeing routes exist, with one of its standout features being the Baroque castle theater, which still possesses many well-preserved decorations, costumes, props, and stage technology.
Hukvaldy, Helfštýn and Rabí castles
Hukvaldy Castle is recognized as the largest castle ruin in the Czech Republic. Its complex spans an area of nearly two hectares and stretches nearly 300 meters along the ridge of the hill above Hukvaldy village. Slightly smaller is Helfštýn Castle, covering 1.95 hectares. This castle has a history involving several noble families, including the Pernštejn and Dietrichstein families, and its recent renovation of the Renaissance palace has earned the atelier-r several accolades.
The third largest among the castles—although it is the largest castle ruin in Bohemia—is Rabí Castle. At its peak, it was significantly larger, but currently, the expansive ruin encompasses roughly 1.5 hectares. If you chose to walk around all the buildings and walls, including the cannon bastions, you’d cover approximately three kilometers.
Other castle greats
In the rankings of the largest castles, other notable names are vying for a place in the top ten. Among these giants are Špilberk Castle in Brno, Pernštejn Castle with its restored Vrchnosten Garden, the castle and chateau in Jindřichův Hradec, and Svojanov Castle, built in the 13th century by King Přemysl Otakar II. I’m sure there are other sites that also deserve recognition in the list of the largest castles—such as Potštejn Castle, Veveří Castle, Landštejn, Kunětická hora, Pardubice Castle, or Švihov Water Castle. It’s worth noting that every ranking can be debated and no list is or will ever be universally accepted.
The oldest and highest castles
Přimda claims the title of the oldest known stone castle in the Czech Republic. It was established around 1121 during the reign of Vladislav I. and is situated at a significant height on Přimda Hill, standing 848 meters above sea level. The title of the highest castle in the Czech Republic goes to Vítek’s Castle, also known as Vítek’s Stone, located in Lipno, perched at an elevation of 1,035 meters. Not far behind are the remains of Kunžvart Castle (1,032 m), Pustý hrádek u Kašperku (920 m), and Kašperk itself (886 m). The region of high castles is primarily located in Silesia and the Hrubý Jeseník mountains, where the ruins of Quinburk and Koberštejn stand at about 900 meters altitude. A little lower than the peak of Castle Mountains (at 854 m), you can find the ruins of Fürstenwalde Castle. The highest castle in Moravia might be the ruins of Rabštejn Castle (803 m) situated in the Rýmařov area.
And how do we compare to the world?
The largest castle, palace, or chateau in the world is likely China’s Forbidden City, encompassing a total area of 720,000 square meters. Close in size is Turkey’s Topkapi Palace (700,000 square meters), followed by Romania’s Palace of the Parliament (330,000 square meters), the Polish castle of Malbork (around 250,000 square meters), Vienna’s Hofburg (240,000 square meters), the Russian Winter Palace (233,000 square meters), the Louvre in Paris (210,000 square meters), and the palace of the Sultan of Brunei Istana Nurul Iman (200,000 square meters) located on the north coast of Borneo.
