Hukvaldy

Hukvaldy (German: Hochwald) is a village in the Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Population: 1,900. It lies 150m below the ruins of the third-largest castle in the Czech Republic, Hukvaldy Castle (Hrad Hukvaldy), and is the birthplace of the composer Leoš Janáček and palaeontologist Ferdinand Stoliczka.

Map of Hukvaldy, Czechia

The castle has been rebuilt at least five times over the last 700 years, evolving from a small early gothic castle to a baroque fortress. It was first built between 1260 and 1270 by Mr. Frank from Příbor. He was the son of the colonizer Arnold from the Huckeswagen family. When it functioned as a defensive structure the castle was never taken, probably because of its location and its massive fortress. The oldest part is an oval with many walls and a tall slim tower in the front. Above the ditch and entrance to the castle there is a dwelling building on the other side of the structure. After 1469 the castle was completely rebuilt by Bishop Tas of Boskovice. In 1762 there was a fire in the castle and it was completely destroyed. In the 20th century the castle was abandoned and it fell into ruins. Much repair has been done, but the castle is still undergoing restoration. The best-preserved structure is St. Andrew´s hapel, where many concerts take place, enhanced by the excellent acoustics. Weddings also take place in the chapel. The castle is administered by Fond Janáčkovy Hukvaldy and is open from April until October. Nearby is a park where we can see mouflons, and there is also an amphitheatre.