Z-Art 40 Trosky Castle - Two Models In One Second Edition

Trosky castle is situated on the summits of two basalt volcanic plugs. This is very unique and the silhouette of the castle is a significant landmark in Český Ráj (Czech Paradise). The castle was established between 1380 and 1390 by Čeněk z Vartenberka, who built an inner castle with two towers between the two peaks. The towers served both for defense and living purposes. On the lower peak (47 m) is the two-storey structure called Baba (Old Woman) – accessible from the Northern side, and on the higher outcrop (57 m) is the four-sided structure known as Panna (Virgin). Panna is taller and thinner and there was also a chapel in the tower. The castle had a sophisticated defense system with three rings of fortified walls and the towers of different height and the castle being located on steep rocks. It was never fully conquered. The castle had a 30 meters deep well in the yard and a water tank built in the rocks for rainwater. The defense walls were 1.5 -2 meters wide and up to 15 meters high. Behind the first entrance gate, there are remains of the burgrave and the guardhouse. A few farm animals were kept there, too. The second gate leads to the inner castle. Horse stables and several sheds were built there, and in the place where the staircase is located today, a tall wooden palace with an inner fireplace was built. On the left, there was a small gate leading to the main palace. During the Hussite wars, Trosky was a center of the pro-Catholic sides. It is therefore not surprising that in all probability the castle was never completely conquered by the Hussites or any other enemies. From 1438 onward, the robber knight Kryštof Šof of Helfenburg and his companion Švejkar settled in it to tyrannize the villagers in the surrounding countryside, which took six years until they were finally captured. After this, the castle was owned by many noble families, however, it gradually lost it significance and in 1648, it was burned to ruins by the Imperial Army during the Thirty Year´s War. aFrom the 19th century, the castle has been considered one of the most romantic places in Bohemia and there were some romantic modifications made. It was decided to build a staircase to Panna tower, however, it was not completed. From 1925, Czechoslovakia state owned the castle and now it is managed by the State Heritage Institute in Pardubice.