Hukvald Castle, the ruins of which are located on two hilltops in the Palkovské Hůrek range, is one of the largest in our country. This castle fortress has a length of more than 300 m and the perimeter of the castle walls reaches a length of 800 m.
It was founded in the first half of the 13th century by Count Arnold of Hückeswagen, who was a member of the royal court of Přemysl Otakar I., as a guard fortress protecting the trade route from Moravia via Příbor and Frýdek to Poland.
Already from the second half of the 13th century, the castle was mostly the property of Olomouc bishops, although it was often built over. Its significant reconstruction took place in the 16th century, when a system of new fortifications was built and new buildings connecting the western and eastern wings of the castle were built.
At the same time, the castle chapel of St. Ondřej, which was later modified in the Baroque style. The castle also played the role of protector of the population of the Hukvald estate, especially during the Thirty Years' War.
The castle thus gradually resisted the attack of the Wallachians led by Adam of Vícko, the nine-month siege by the Danish troops of General Mansfeld and the double Swedish siege. Hukvaldy was rebuilt for the last time in the 17th century, and the castle became a massive baroque fortress.
A fire in 1762 turned the castle, which was never conquered, into ruins. Already in the 19th century, the romantic ruins of the castle were widely visited by tourists, but its appearance was marred by the reckless demolition of the walls for a cheap source of building stone.
Currently, the castle is gradually being repaired and renovated. The entrance exhibition is located at the castle, which is dedicated to its construction and historical development.
Nicely restored baroque chapel of St. Ondřeje is used for concerts. The castle tower offers a wide view of the Moravian Gate, the floodplain of the Odra River as far as Ostrava and the main ridge of the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains. The castle area is also the venue for the Janáčkovy Hukvaldy International Music Festival every year.
The jewel among the Beskydy forests of this area is the nature reserve with an area of 475 ha, surrounding Hukvaldy Castle.
It was founded as early as 1567. We owe its creation to Bishop Vilé Prusíkovský from Vacíkovo. He needed to place twenty white fallow deer here, as a gift from Emperor Maximilian I. for services rendered.
Today, the Hukvald area is inhabited not only by fallow deer, but also by mouflons, sika deer, royal pheasants and other interesting animals. There is a higher probability of seeing some of the local fauna in the early evening. The scenery is very diverse when walking through the park.
Old avenues of centuries-old oaks, lindens, chestnuts and beeches, exceptionally huge elms, maples, birches and hornbeams, grassy slopes decorated with uprooted trunks of old trunks, beautiful areas of coniferous forest - all this enchants the visitor with its unique charm. In the reserve you will also find a monument to the fox Bystrouška and a nature theater.
TIPS ON: EXCURSIONS, ACCOMMODATION, SURROUNDING AREAS OF WATER
Accommodation in the vicinity - Frýdek - Místek
Accommodation in the area - Beskydy
By the river - Lubina
By the river - Ondřejnice
At the dam - Větřkovice
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