Krivoklat Castle
A royal hunting castle deep in forest, with a Gothic chapel and a great hall that escaped later rebuilding.
Updated 19 October 2026
Krivoklat sits on a spur in the middle of the forest west of Prague and it is one of the best-preserved medieval royal castles in the country, largely because it was never modernised into a comfortable residence: the Premyslid kings hunted from here, Charles IV spent part of his childhood in it, and Vladislav Jagiello rebuilt it in late Gothic around 1500, after which it declined into a prison and a store, which preserved it. What survives is a great hall with a ribbed vault, second in size among Czech secular medieval halls only to Vladislav Hall at Prague Castle, a chapel with an original winged altar and carved figures of angels holding instruments of the Passion, a round keep, and a library and hunting collection added in the nineteenth century by the Furstenbergs. Prisoners held here included the alchemist Edward Kelley. The forest around is a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
History
Křivoklát was founded in the 12th century and belonged to the kings of Bohemia. Under Ottokar II a large, monumental royal castle was built here, later rebuilt by King Wenceslaus IV and then enlarged by King Vladislaus II. The castle burned several times, was turned into a harsh prison and slowly deteriorated. In the 19th century the Fürstenberg family became its owners and had it reconstructed after a fire in 1826, and they owned it until 1929. Today it is a museum, with collections of hunting weapons, Gothic paintings and books (Wikipedia, Křivoklát Castle).
Highlights
- A late Gothic great hall - second in size only to Vladislav Hall in Prague.
- A chapel with its winged altar - and carved angels holding the Passion instruments.
- A round keep - climbable, over the forest.
- Furstenberg collections - the library and hunting material added in the 1800s.
When to go
April to October. Half a day.
Things to know
Guided tours only, on set routes and times; the longer route is not always running. Seasonal opening with a short winter season. The village is small and parking fills at weekends.
Nearby
The Krivoklatsko biosphere reserve surrounds it; the Berounka runs below.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q1012808, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Krivoklat Castle
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A refillable water bottle - Many cities have public fountains; save money and plastic. Find on Amazon
- A light layer + compact umbrella - For museum air-con and a sudden shower. Find on Amazon
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