Location: 10 km (6 mi) Northeast of Mělník, Central Bohemian Region Map
Constructed: 14th century by Hynek Berka z Dubé
Tel. +420 315 695
064
Open:
May- Sept 9am- 12pm, 1pm- 4pm Tue- Sun
Apr, Oct 9am-
12pm, 1pm- 3pm Sun, public holidays
Nov- Mar: by appointment
Kokořín Castle is located approximately ten kilometers northeast of Mělník above the Pšovka river in Dokeská pahorkatina, near the village of Kokořín. It was built after 1320, probably by Prague burgrave Hynk Berka of Dubé. According to the name of the castle, part of the protected area is called Kokořínské.
In 1426, Hussite troops captured and destroyed the castle. After
the Hussite Wars, the castle often changed owners (in the 15th
century, Řitka from Bezdědice and Klinštějnová, in the 16th century,
the Beřkov family from Šebířov and Kaplířová). Since 1544 it is
listed as deserted. His fate was made even worse by the decision of
Emperor Ferdinand II. classify it among the so-called cursed
castles, i.e. castles that were not allowed to be maintained,
because otherwise, thanks to their advantageous location, they could
threaten the monarch's power.
In 1894, the Prague businessman
Václav Špaček bought the ruin, whose son Jan had it reconstructed in
neo-Gothic style before the First World War. In the years 1911–1916,
the castle was modified to its present form by the architect Eduard
Sochor according to the instructions of August Sedláček and Čeňek
Zíbrt. In 1951, the castle was nationalized or confiscated. It
became a national cultural monument in 2001; return to the Špačk
family was made more difficult, but not impossible: Kokořín was
returned in 2006.
The Kokořín cylindrical observation tower is 38 meters high. During the reconstruction, the castle palace was raised by one floor and roofed. On the corner of the palace is a sculpture of Jarmila Špačková by Josef Kalvoda and inside a painting by Julio Fischer. There is a monument to K. H. Mácha and an exhibition of Czech romantic art from the 19th century.
The castle has appeared in the following films and fairy tales:
The Princess with a Golden Star (1959, directed by Martin Frič)
The
Sinner (German Die Wanderhure, 2010, directed by Hansjörg Thurn)
The
Sinner's Legacy (German: Das Vermächtnis der Wanderhure, 2012, directed
by Thomas Nennstiel)
Crown Prince (2015, director: Karel Janák)
Hospital on the outskirts of the city, part 18.
There is no railway near the castle, the bus connection is provided
by the Mšeno – Mělník line. There is a short Kokořínský tunnel on the
road below the castle. The castle is shown, among other things, on the
KČT map 16 and has been the destination of trips since the 18th century.
Marked hiking trails lead to the castle.
In 2015, 39,072 visitors
visited the castle.
Prague's Kokořínská street, located in the north of the city in the Ďáblice district, is named after the castle.