Is that a ruin I see perched high on the rocks? That is Libehrad. It stands proudly above the Vltava River. Today we explore the remnants of Libehrad. This castle ruin whispers tales of centuries past.
Libehrad’s story began in the 13th or 14th century. Though records first mention it in 1532. Some believe the Zbraslav Monastery founded it. They sought to protect their local holdings. The monastery held rights to the Libcice church.
The Brevnov Monastery also owned land nearby. A noble founder isn’t impossible. Yet the lack of a farmyard suggests otherwise. Libehrad likely fell to ruin in the late 14th century. Perhaps the Hussite wars led to its demise. By 1541 it was already a ruin.
Imagine Libehrad in its prime. It was a small one-part castle. It had an irregular quadrilateral shape. A steep slope guarded it from the river. A ditch protected the opposite side. Behind that stood the remains of the original rampart.
Notice the small section of right-angled corner. It’s part of the wall still standing to the southeast. Building remains hint at a structure with at least two rooms. This stood on the south side. The northeast part suffered significant damage. Only a small wall fragment remains at the slope’s edge.
The construction of the Prague-Decin railway harmed Libehrad. The railway was to run along the base of the rock. But the 1845 flood forced a higher route. Blasting the rock damaged the eastern part of the castle grounds.
Legend claims that Princess Libuse founded Libehrad in 711. Her servants hunting nearby admired the rocky river view. They asked her to build a castle there. It was named Libehrad in her honor. Hajek’s chronicle says it was first wood then stone. But Vaclav Hajek of Libocan only saw the castle ruins.
Today Libehrad stands as a cultural monument. Its remnants evoke medieval times. The site sits on a prominent promontory. Locals call it Na Hradku. It rises above the Vltava’s left bank. It is about 200 meters from Libcice nad Vltavou’s northern edge. The site was separated by a prominent ditch. On the castle hill are torsos of masonry structures.