Houska Castle, also known as Hrad Houska, is located about one hour’s drive north of Prague, Czech Republic. The castle is perched on a rock and encircled by mountains, forests, and wetlands.
Myths, tales, and mystery surround the 13th-century castle. Houska Castle is said to be the gateway to Hell. Look at this odd castle, shall we?
History Of Houska Castle
During Ottokar II of Bohemia’s rule, Houska Castle was built between 1253 and 1278. For a castle from that period, the castle is remarkably well-kept. The Gothic church, knights’ drawing room, and late-Gothic paintings are among the features of Houska Castle.
Ottokar left it to the aristocracy after his death; during that time, the castle had several owners. As a hub of administration, Ottokar II erected this castle. The management of the vast royal estates was the aim of this office.
The castle was remodeled and given Renaissance-style additions between 1584 and 1590. The castle stopped being used as an aristocratic dwelling in the 18th century, which caused it to fall into disrepair.
In 1823, it had a further renovation, and Princess Hohenlohe acquired it in 1897. It was put back up for sale in 1924 and sold to the President of Skoda, Josef Simonek. The castle is still in his heirs’ possession.
Houska Castle During World War II
The Nazi Wehrmacht occupied the castle during World War II. They held it until 1945. There are allegations that the Nazis exploited the castle for human medical experimentation. Some even assert that they tapped into the castle’s dark powers. Later, we’ll discuss their powers. But there is no proof of such.
A Glimpse At The Strange Features
Houska Castle is shrouded in a great deal of mystery. First, let’s look at the site. The castle is situated on top of a cliff and is encircled by mountains, bogs, and other natural features. Even now, getting there is fairly difficult. There are no local commercial routes; initially, it wasn’t even constructed to house people.
The castle lacks any external defenses, many of the exterior windows are fake, there is no kitchen, and the only water supply is a cistern used to collect rainwater. Hence, why was the castle initially constructed? Well, that narrative is quite intriguing!
Said As A Gateway To Hell
Houska Castle was constructed on the top of a gateway to hell. A vast, bottomless pit existed on the cliff before it was constructed. It was a significant source of folklore even though nobody knew how the hole had ended up there.
They allegedly said that at night, demonic creatures with wings and creatures that were a mix of animals and humans would crawl out of the pit and enter the village below, dragging everyone outdoors into the pit with them.
They might disclose what was in the pit in exchange for their release if they agreed to be dropped into it. The pit was used to commute convicts’ death sentences before the castle’s construction.
One such tale involves a young man who consented to be lowered into the hole. After lowering and wrapping him in robes, he began to scream out in anguish after a short while. He pleaded for another lift up.
The guards were shocked to see the man’s look once he had been raised safely: he had aged more than 30 years! He had completely white hair and a severely wrinkled face. A few days later, he passed away for unidentified reasons as he refused to talk about what he had seen.
Murals And Frescoes
A Gothic chapel is located in Houska Castle. It isn’t particularly large, but it was constructed just over the bottomless pit, seemingly to keep evil out. You’ll see something is odd here, too, when you look closely at the frescoes and murals in the chapel. The usual biblical imagery is not displayed.
The frescoes and murals depict dragons, demons, and Pegan rituals. In a chapel, these are rather uncommon! The female centaur, who is left-handed, is a good example of this. It was thought that this represented evil. This is really strange, given that the chapel was built on top of the hole to cover it.
The floor, where the entrance to Hell is located beneath, is said to be the source of screams and cries heard by witnesses. It appears that the monsters are still trying to infiltrate our world.
Houska Castle Ghosts
Moreover, “normal” spirits are found in Houska Castle. The castle halls are rumoured to be home to a creature that resembles a human, frog, and bulldog.
There have been several reports of shadow persons and poltergeist activity in the courtyard, which is also home to a headless ghost with blood oozing from his wound. More unsettling is the demonic artwork that is displayed around the palace. The castle is supposed to bring bad luck, according to some.
Summing It Up
You may check out Houska Castle to see if the spooky rumours are real for yourself because it is accessible to the general public. The tales surrounding this weird castle are just so fascinating. This should be on your list of things to do in the paranormal!
Also read: Evil, Demon Baby Boy and Girl Names and Their Meaning
