Cornštejn Castle (Zornstein) is situated at the strategic position on the western side of a hilly promontory around which the Dyje river flows on three sides, nearby an upland settlement from the Late Stone Age. Its name is derived from the German word Zorn (anger) and Stein (stone, rock), which was supposed to express the strength and solidity of the castle. It was built originally on the sovereign´s domain which belonged to Bítov Castle and which was transferred as a permanent pledge into the hands of the noble family of Lichtenburgs at the end of the 13th century. In order to fortify the forefront of Bítov Castle, protect the route connecting Bítov and Vranov and finally as a seat for his children, Raimund of Lichtenburg had Cornštejn castle built with consent from the king John of Bohemia sometime in the 1320s. It is mentioned for the first time in the document of the Moravian margrave Karel dated 31 May 1342 on the basis of which Raimund’s sons Smil and Čeněk could divide the Bítov fief with the Bítov and Cornštejn castles into three parts. In the middle of the 14th century, a dispute about the castle started between the Lichtenburgs and lords of Jindřichův Hradec but in 1363 the Lichtenburgs are again mentioned as its owners. This originally small castle with a palace and a courtyard was extended by Henry of Lichtenburg in the 2nd half of the 14th century with a bailey surrounded with a zwinger fortification. However, the castle appearance was much more influenced by John of Lichtenburg and Cornštejn who reinforced the Cornštejn fortifications in the 1st third of the 15th century with a new outer ward with economic and administrative buildings and reinforced entrance gates. At that time a new palace was also built at the north-western side of the courtyard. In 1422 the Hussites tried to conquer the castle. The power of the Lichtenburgs increased in the 1440s to such an extent that John of Lichtenburk dared to fight the neighbouring Austrians and even defy the Roman king Friedrich III. In the middle of the 15th century, Cornštejn was owned by Hynek of Lichtenburg and Bítov who refused to swear fidelity to king George of Poděbrady and with support from the Pope Pius II started an open rebellion in 1463. Logically, Cornštejn therefore became a target of the attacks by royal soldiers. Eleven months of siege of Cornštejn (1464-1465) led by the commander Oldřich Mládenec of Miličín became a political event of European significance as the defiant Lichtenburg was backed up by the Pope himself. However, Cornštejn Castle was starved out in the end, it was confiscated from Hynek of Lichtenburg and it was given as a free hold to the Kraiger of Kraigk. Wolfgang Kraiger of Kraigk repaired the castle and built some new fortifications. To the south of the castle, a modern advanced fort was built with cannon bastions. Both castle palaces were modernised. Around 1530 the castle returned to hands of Lichtenburgs, the lords of Bítov. Under their rule in 1542 the Cornštejn fortifications were reinforced for the last time upon a resolution of the Moravian Land Diet in connection with the Turkish threat. In 1576 Cornštejn got to the hands of the Streuns of Schwarzenau as a part of the Bítov domain. The Streuns stopped maintaining it and the castle became dilapidated. From the other owners we can mention the Jankovskýs of Vlašim (1617), the counts of Daun (1788) and the Haases of Hasenfels (1912). On the basis of Beneš decrees, the castle was confiscated in 1945. The current appearance of the castle is a result of its extensive reconstruction which was performed by the former Regional Centre of State Conservation and Nature Protection in Brno in the 1970s. The reconstruction was not completed and in the mid 1980s the castle was transferred under administration of the South Moravian Museum in Znojmo which now performs the most urgent redevelopment work thanks to which the castle ruins can be made accessible to the public. How to get to Cornštejn? On foot from Bítov - From the Bítov dam bridge along the road and up through the forest - 400 m. By car - From Bítov, take the 3rd class road in the direction of Vysočany, after 2 km at the crossroads under the castle turn and continue 1 km on the local road in the direction of Lančov. From Vranov n. D. take the 3rd class road to Lančov, turn here to the local road and follow it 4 km to Cornštejn. Parking directly at the castle is not allowed. It is necessary to park in the parking area in the forest and from there walk to the castle along the forest path - 600 m. By bus - From the bus stop "Bítov, Cornštejn" on the road Bítov - Vysočany walk to the castle - 400 m. By train and bicycle - From the Šumná station on the line No. 241 Znojmo - Moravské Budějovice a pleasant bicycle ride or hike over the Vranov dam - 15 km. CORNŠTEJN CASTLE Zřícenina hradu Cornštejn Zřícenina hradu Cornštejn Zřícenina hradu Cornštejn Zřícenina hradu Cornštejn Zřícenina hradu Cornštejn Cornštejn Castle is one of the most remarkable examples of medieval fortification construction in southwestern Moravia. Open seasonally Ruins of Cornštejn Castle k. ú. Bítov, Vranovská přehrada Tel: +420 604 891 875