National Monument of Culture of the Czech Republic (registration number 123 NP from 1962 [1] )
| Castle | |
| Kotnov Castle | |
|---|---|
| Hrad kotnov | |
 View of the tower and the Bechina Gate | |
| A country |  Czech |
| City | Camp |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Founder | Přemysl Otakar II |
| First mention | Year 1370 |
| Founding date | XIII century |
| condition | Ruin |
| Site | husitskemuzeum.cz |
Kotnov Castle ( czech. Hrad Kotnov ) is an almost completely ruined medieval castle in the city of Tabor in the South Bohemian Region , founded in the 13th century and rebuilt in the 15th century by the taborites . It was significantly destroyed during the fire of 1532 , after which in 1612 - 1613 most of the castle buildings were rebuilt into a brewery. To the present day, only one castle tower has been preserved, and the Behinje Gate adjoining it. In 1962, the castle, along with the adjacent ехehinje gate, was listed as a national cultural monument of the Czech Republic .
Castle history
The original fortress on the site of the future Kotnov castle was erected by the order of King Přemysl Otakar II in the 3rd quarter of the 13th century . The fortress, like the whole village, was simply called the “fortification” ( czech hradiště - Gradište) and was part of the defensive system of castles and fortresses, which covered the whole territory of the kingdom. The founder of the fortress was probably Vitek IV from Klokot (Vitek from Gradište), the son of Vitek I from Prčice . After the death of King Premysl Otakar II Gradishte, it passed into the possession of the lords of Usti , who also belonged to the Vitkovic family. The first written mention of the castle refers to the year 1370 [2] [3] [4] .
Since 1420, when the local settlement became the center of the Hussite movement , having received its name Tabor, and was rebuilt, the Kotnov castle underwent a significant reconstruction. The reinforced castle lost the value of the social center and became part of the impregnable fortification system of the city of Tabor [4] .
After the Hussite Wars, the strategic importance of the castle fell. As a result of a fire in 1532, the castle was severely destroyed, after which it was used as a city prison. In 1612-1613, most of the castle buildings were rebuilt into a brewery. During the substantial modernization of the production process in the 2nd half of the XIX century , the reconstruction of the remaining castle buildings for the industrial needs of the brewery was continued. In 1908, with the expansion of the brewery, the entire eastern wing of the castle was rebuilt into industrial buildings. Only one tower remained from Kotnov [2] [3] .
Archaeological research
After 1989, the abandoned area of the castle was transferred to the private property of Portfolio Praha as , in 1993-1994, large-scale archaeological surveys were carried out in areas not occupied by the brewery buildings, covering an area of 2,500 m². During the excavations, the main stages of the historical development of the castle were established and a general idea of its form and appearance was formed. However, the final results of the excavation could not be achieved because an important site occupied by the building of the Renaissance malt house, in the place of which was one of the cylindrical towers of the castle, remained inaccessible for research. Additional archaeological research was conducted in 2002–2004 [5] .
Castle Description
According to the latest research, the castle had two cylindrical and two quadrangular towers, which almost did not protrude from the walls surrounding the castle, which significantly weakened their flank fortification functions. The cylindrical tower that survived to the present day during the Hussite Wars was strengthened and adapted to the location of an artillery battery on it. Currently, a viewing platform has been set up on this 25-meter tower, and the tower itself is under the jurisdiction of the Hussite Museum of Tabor . The castle was surrounded by a moat and a double row of walls, the outer one of which was lower than the inner one and served as the first line of defense of the garrison [2] [6] [3] .
Behin Gates
The medieval Bechinian gates, which remain from the city wall, adjoin the remaining tower of the castle, unlike the castle, which have survived to this day almost in their original state. The construction of the gate was begun in 1420 during the fortification of the city of Tabor by the Hussites . At the end of the XIX century, under the direction of Yosef Motsker , the gate was reconstructed in the style of high Gothic . Currently, a permanent exhibition entitled “The Life and Occupation of Medieval Society” is operating in the inner Gothic premises of the Bekhina Gate [3] .
Notes
- ↑ National Institute of Monuments of the Czech Republic / Location : South Bohemian Region (Czech) .
- ↑ 1 2 3 Vyhlídková věž Kotnov .
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Bechyňská brána a věž Kotnov .
- ↑ 1 2 Historické události a táborský hrad .
- Che Archeologický výzkum táborského hradu v letech 1993–1994 .
- ↑ Hrad Kotnov .
Literature
- Menclová, Dobroslava. České hrady. Díl první . - Praha: Odeon, 1972. - 451 S.
- Menclová, Dobroslava. České hrady. Díl druhý . - Praha: Odeon, 1972. - 551 S.
Links
- Archeologický výzkum táborského hradu v letech 1993–1994 . Tábor — Kotnov: výzkum on-line (geo-cz.com) . Doc. PhDr. Rudolf Krajíc, CSc., Vedoucí archeologického výzkumu na hradě Kotnov (2004). Archived March 16, 2016.
- Historické události a táborský hrad . Tábor — Kotnov: výzkum on-line (geo-cz.com) . Doc. PhDr. Rudolf Krajíc, CSc., Vedoucí archeologického výzkumu na hradě Kotnov (2004). Archived March 16, 2016.
- Hrad Kotnov Neopr . Oficiální web města Tábor . Město Tábor . Archived March 16, 2016.
- Hradiště . Hrady.cz // Hrady, zámky a tvrze v Čechách, na Moravě a ve Slezsku - Jižní Čechy (June 11, 2003). Archived March 16, 2016.
- Vyhlídková věž Kotnov Neopr . Husitskemuzeum.cz . Husitské muzeum v Táboře . Archived March 16, 2016.
- Zdeněk Vybíral. Bechyňská brána a věž Kotnov Neopr . Oficiální web města Tábor . Město Tábor . Archived March 16, 2016.