Boseň, Mladá Boleslav dist., Central Bohemian Region
Medieval castle ‘Valečov’ and the adjacent rock village
(14th–19th cent.)
Valečov Castle, taken from south-east.
Photo Z. Kačerová, 2014.
Medieval ‘Valečov’ Castle with two baileys and an old rock village known as ‘Valečovské světničky’ (‘Valečov Chambers’). One of the largest rock castles in Bohemia, ‘Valečov’ was founded by the Lords of Valečov in the 14th century and was ransacked several times over the course of its existence (e.g. during the Hussite Wars). The castle was abandoned in the 17th century. The rock village was used until the beginning of the 17th century by members of the Unity of the Czech Brethren (one of the Czech Protestant groups) and was then occupied by ‘rock dwellers’ until the end of the 19th century.
References: Chotěbor 1980, 1986; Sedláček 1997a; Gabriel a kol. 2007; Podroužek – Gabriel 2007; Durdík 2009.
Navigation points: N 50°30'39.35", E 15°01'31.90" (northwest).
Map notes: A – castle; B – two baileys; C – rock village; D – central rock formation with castle palaces; E – ‘old palace’; F – ‘new palace’; G–H – spaces carved into the rock; J – rock walls with blocked-up ravines; K – fortifications; L – remains of 16th century development outside the original fortified area of the village; M – remains of 19th century houses; N – neck ditch between the castle and the village. Map symbols are available in the Downloads section.
Selected fulltext articles and reports for further reading. Complete bibliographical records are available in the Downloads section as the List of publications.
Archeologický atlas Čech – BoseňChotěbor, P. 1980: Povrchový průzkum hradu Valečova, Archaeologiahistorica 5, 255–258.Chotěbor, P. 1986: Komplexní povrchový průzkum hradu Valečova, Památky archeologické 77/1, 177– 196.Podroužek, K. – Gabriel, F. 2007: Typy objektů valečovského „městečka“, Archaeologia historica 32, 211– 224.