CONŠTEJN CASTLE
Village of Bítov – Vranov Dam

Cornštejn Castle (a.k.a. Zornstein), surrounded by magnificent landscape of Podyjí (the Dyje River  Valley), stands on a strategic location, not far from an Eneolithic fortified settlement. Though in ruins now, it still shows what a lofty medieval residence and fortress it once was. The Dyje River, now heaved by Vranov Dam, flows around the castle in a big meander. The name of the castle is derived from German Zorn (anger) a Stein (stone). So the name was to express the castle’s strength and firmness. It was built on royal demesne land which was subordinated to Castle Bítov and which was pawned and later granted as a fief to the noble family of Lichtenburg. In the 1320s Raimund of Lichtenburg, King Wenceslas II’s  favourite,   decided to strengthen the security of Bítov Castle and the road connecting Bítov with Vranov Castle by building a new castle – Cornštejn. After all, Raimund’s sons had to be provided for as well. According to the instrument issued by Moravian Margrave Charles on 31^st May 1343, Raimund`s sons Smil and Czenek were allowed to divide their father’s domain with Bítov and Cornštejn castles. This is the first written mention of Cornštejn we know of. Originally a small Gothic noble residence with a tower-like palace, a courtyard and a high enclosing wall (enceinte) gradually developed into a large medieval fortress. In the latter half of 14^th century Henry of Lichtenburg built a pre-wall around the whole castle and in the first third of 15^th century John of Lichtenburg erected another palace and an outer courtyard with a new ring of curtain walls with gates. In 1422 the castle was besieged by the Hussite troops. The Lichtenburg Family had become very powerful by that time. John of Lichtenburg even dared to wage war with Austrian lords and oppose to Holy Roman Emperor King Frederick III. In the middle of 15^th Cornštejn belonged to Hynek of Lichtenburg who, supported by Pope Pius II, denied allegiance to George, King of Bohemia, and stood up to him in 1463. In turn, Hynek was declared a traitor and his fortress Cornštejn was assaulted. However, Cornštejn could not be stormed in a few days! The siege lasted eleven months in the end! For Hynek, the power of Pope Pius II turned out to be of no avail. King George punished the lord of Cornštejn and confiscated the castle from him. Cornštejn was subsequently granted to Wolfgang Krajirz of Kraig who reconstructed the castle and built some up-to-date fortifications reflecting latest trends in warfare. Both palaces were modernised as well. After 1526 the castle got back into the hands of the Lichtenburgs who still owned Bítov Castle. In 1542 the Moravian Estates ordered that Cornštejn be repaired and improved so as to withstand a possible Turkish assault. Fortunately, the Ottoman army never made it to southern Moravia, and Cornštejn was spared. However, the time of medieval castles was over by the late 16^th century and there was no need to maintain vulnerable Gothic fortresses any longer. After the Lichtenburgs died out in 1576, the new owners – Streuns of Schwarzenau, preferring Bítov to Cornštejn, abandoned the castle and may well have got all roofs removed (so as not to pay tax). Thus Cornštejn began to fall into ruin and none of the noble families that owned the castle after the Streuns (1617 the Jankovskys of Vlašim, 1788 Counts von Daun, 1912 the Haases von Hasenfels) could change anything about it. In 1945, pursuant to the decrees of President Edvard Beneš, Cornštejn was confiscated from the Haases and nationalised. Since 1987, Cornštejn has been administered and maintained by the South Moravian Museum in Znojmo. The castle ruins have been stabilised, repaired and open to public. 

Tel.: +420 515 282 211, during the tourist season + 420 604 891 875

Öffnungszeiten: Juli–August, Mo–So 9.00–17.00

E-Mail: znojmuz@znojmuz.cz