Vítkův Hrádek (Vítek´s Castle)

The highest situated castle in Bohemia (1053 m above sea level) with the largest surviving residential tower offers splendid views of Šumava, Lipno, mountains of Nove Hrady and in good weather also the Alps in Austria. It is no wonder that the castle became a romantic inspiration source for various painters and writers such as A. Heyduk and A. Stifter.

Because of the guarded border zone and the built military observatory, the visit to the castle after World War II was not allowed until 1990. The castle was open to the public after 60 years in 2005 on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of A. Stifter's birth.

Vítkův Hrádek is situated on the right side of the Lipno Lake above the Sv. Tomáš village, 6 km from Přední Výtoň and 7 km from Frymburk. It was founded in the middle of the 13th century by the Vítek of Krumlov as the administrative center of the colonized territory and as a guard castle of the trade routes from Austria to Bohemia.

From 1948 until 1989, Vítkův Hrádek was used by the army, it was uncontrollably derailed and was sent to the village Přední Výtoň in a state of emergency. In 2004, extensive reconstruction was commenced, and soon Vítkův castle was welcomed by the first visitors.