Rýzmburk is a striking gothic castle ruin perched above the village of Hrad Osek, tucked into the forested hills of the Krušné Mountains. It's a fantastic spot for anyone who loves scrambling through crumbling stone walls and imagining the medieval sieges that once played out here.

The castle sits atop a rocky spur at 525-550 metres above sea level, surrounded by dense woodland that offers cool shade in summer and a blaze of color in autumn. The views over the surrounding hills are lovely, and the atmosphere among the ruins feels wonderfully mysterious, especially when mist settles into the valleys below. In winter, snow dusting the old walls gives the place a fairy-tale quality, though the paths can get slippery so tread carefully.

• From Osek — red-marked trail, approx. 2.5 km, easy to moderate difficulty
• Cycling route no. 231 also passes nearby

• The castle has been protected as a cultural monument since 1964
• The ruins are fragile — in 2024 more stonework collapsed in the castle core, so visit with caution
• The Vrása natural monument lies nearby, worth combining into your trip

The castle was likely founded around 1250 by Boreš of Rýzmburk, and timber used in its tower was felled as early as 1247-1262. Fun fact: scenes from the Czech film Páni kluci, in which the young heroes set out to conquer the castle, were filmed right here among these ruins.