From Bavorov to the ruins of Helfenburk Castle

I start my journey to the ruins of Helfenburk Castle from the Bavorov train stop, following the blue tourist route and after less than a kilometre I reach the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

This church is one of the most important churches in South Bohemia and Sumava. It was built between 1360 and 1370 by Jan of Rožmberk.

The church boasts two towers, one of which is the original "Rožmberská" tower and the other, newer, dates from 1604 and was built by Peter Vlach.

On the outer part of the church we can admire the system of supporting pillars, which are decorated with gables, phyla and gargoyles, together with a richly profiled portal.

Inside the church there is a remarkable preserved Gothic vault, patterns in the windows and a pointed arch with canopies.

The main altar is the work of Jan Václav Hammer, as well as most of the carvings inside the church.

From the church, I turn off the hiking trail and continue about 5 kilometres along cycle path 1112 to the crossroads Pod Helfenburkem, from where it is about a kilometre to the castle.

On the way, I look for white fallow deer in a game preserve near the grove, and as I climb through the forest I come across a number of anthills.

Helfenburk represents the ruins of a Gothic castle founded by the Rosenbergs in 1355. With an area of 1.27 hectares, it ranks among the largest ruins in the Czech Republic.

I enter the castle from the north side, crossing the bridge over the walls and the dry moat, from where the castle is best accessible and therefore this part is the most fortified.

My view falls on the central rampart with the second gate on the western edge, the watchtower and the eastern bastion.

Through the second gate, I climb a wooden staircase to the watchtower.

This tower is 16 metres high and is probably one of the oldest parts of the castle (next to the castle palace). In case of an attack it was used as the last refuge of the castle defenders. The remains of the guard room are visible on the top floor.

After visiting the guard tower, I walk through the third entrance gate (the so-called double gate) to the upper courtyard.

On the south side there were a number of farm buildings. On the ground floor there may have been stables and warehouses, and on the first floor there were dwellings for servants.

On the right is a rainwater tank, above it a bakery and presumably a brewery were built.

From the upper courtyard I move to the centre of the castle - the castle palace.

The castle palace was a two-aisle palace with three floors and represented progressive architecture in its time. The square inner courtyard was surrounded by an arcaded corridor that provided access to the individual rooms.

The rooms in the west and east wings were connected by wooden pavilions, which were later replaced by a stone arcade with a corridor.

From the castle palace I walk through the remains of the building, whose purpose remains unclear, towards the eastern bastion, which now functions as a lookout tower.

After climbing this tower, I can see the panorama in all directions. I can see, for example, the Novohradské hory to the east, Klet' to the south, Javorník to the west and Prague to the north.

The ruins of Helfenburk Castle can also be reached from the signpost Pod Helfenburkem, where a small car park is available.

Admission for adults is 80 CZK, but payment by card is not possible at the castle.

In October, the castle is open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10 am to 4 pm. You can also visit the castle on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day during the same hours.