Kašperk Castle is situated in the Šumava Mountains, about 3 kilometres from the town of Kašperské Hory. At an altitude of 886 metres, it is the highest-altitude royal castle in Bohemia. The castle was built by the Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV between 1356 and 1361. It bore the German name Karlsberg, meaning ‘Charles’s Castle’. The castle served several purposes: to guard the border with Bavaria, to protect the gold-bearing region around Kašperské Hory, and to secure the trade route known as the Golden Trail.

Notable owners included, for example, Petr Zmrzlík of Svošín and Zdeněk of Šternberk, who was responsible for extending the fortifications to include the Pustý hrádek fort, formerly an outpost of Kašperk. Today, Pustý hrádek serves mainly as a vantage point offering views of the castle and the surrounding Šumava countryside.

In 1616, the castle – by then abandoned and falling into disrepair – was sold to the town of Kašperské Hory. The town remains the owner and operator of the castle to this day.

How do you get to Kašperk?

The journey by car from Železná Ruda takes approximately an hour and a quarter. You can park at the České Domky car park; from there, it is about 1.5 km to the castle. You can also walk to the castle from Kašperské Hory; the distance is roughly 3 km.

Admission and tours

During opening hours, entry to the courtyard is free. Guided tours are subject to a charge; options include a guided tour of the castle, a view from the east tower and an interactive children’s tour for schools. Dogs on a lead are permitted in the courtyard and on the guided tours.

Tip for families with children

You can easily manage a trip to Kašperk even with a pushchair. The easiest option is to use the castle car park at České Domky, 1.5 km from the castle. You can take a pushchair right up to the courtyard. However, the castle itself is not wheelchair-accessible, so tours of the interiors and towers are best undertaken without a pushchair.