Himlštejn is a ruined castle perched on the striking summit of Nebesa above the village of Stráž nad Ohří in the Doupovské Mountains. Its name - Himmelstein, meaning Heavenly Rock - was chosen deliberately as a counterpoint to the neighbouring settlement of Peklo, meaning Hell.

Built in the first half of the 15th century, the castle today survives mainly as the portals of two gates, fragments of a bastion wall, part of a residential tower, and remnants of palace buildings and fortifications. Wandering among these weathered stones surrounded by the forested hills of the Doupovské Mountains has a wild, atmospheric quality, especially in autumn mist or under a winter frost. The rugged position on a rocky summit also offers pleasant views over the surrounding landscape.

How to get there

• Stráž nad Ohří (railway station) - green trail marker, approx. 2.5 km, easy to moderate difficulty, the path climbs the slope of Nebeský vrch to the Nebesa signpost, from where a short marked branch leads to the summit and the ruins

Practical information

• Protected as a cultural monument since 1964
• Surviving features include the portals of two gates, a residential tower (donjon), and fragments of a bastion and fortification walls
• Elevation: 638 metres above sea level

Interesting fact: the castle's position on a summit unreachable by contemporary artillery reflects a direct response to the Hussite Wars, when defence began to take priority over comfort in castle design.