Located in the Bohemia / Bohemia region in the north of the Czech Republic, Sloup Castle is a 35 metre high cliff rising straight up from the ground. This is a very special place for a castle.
Table of contents
Borgen Sloup
Sloup Castle is no longer quite the castle it once was. The original castle was built in the 14th century, and since then its history has been characterised by fires, sieges and hermitages. Today it is an attraction that is open to tourists.

Slup Castle is about 4 kilometres from the town of Novy Bor, just over 4 miles from the larger city of Liberec and about 12 miles north of the capital Prague.
History from the 14th century
Sloup Castle was built in the early 14th century along a salt trade route between Meissen in present-day Germany and Česká Lípa in the present-day Czech Republic.

The castle was built on top of a 35 metre high sandstone cliff, and efforts were made to make the castle blend in with the shape of the mountain. They also built many clever solutions to make the castle difficult to capture. For example, there was an ingenious system of trenches that allowed the area around the castle to be flooded.


In the 15th century, the famous knight Mikeš Pancíř of Smojno was based here. He led war efforts against other areas, so it was not surprising that the castle was eventually besieged. In 1447 the castle was burnt down, and although it was rebuilt, it may not have been as comfortable as desired.

Sloup Castle changed hands several times, and then met its fate in 1639 when warring Swedes came marching in, burned the building and turned it into a ruin.
In the 1670s, a group of hermits moved into the castle ruins. They built new rooms and also built a chapel in the rock. Historical documents tell of several different men, including masons, opticians and gardeners.


Today the castle has been renovated into a romantic tourist attraction, which can be visited on your own or on a guided tour. Concerts are also organised here, and some people choose to get married here.

Visiting Sloup Castle
We travelled to Sloup Castle by car and only stopped to take some photos of this amazing place. When we saw that there were stairs and the possibility to get to the top, we couldn't resist. After the first staircase there is a ticket office, and if you come here during the opening hours of the attraction, you can pay a small fee to step around the entire area.

It is sometimes almost difficult to separate the mountain from the building in this fascinating attraction. Everything somehow blends together and you find yourself running from one room to another, and from one viewpoint to another. There are also plenty of narrow and dramatic stairs!






In some places you can see decorations made by the hermits who lived here in the 17th century. You can also see a replica of an original wooden statue of a hermit with a telescope.



In other places, you can especially admire the panoramic view of the Lusatian Mountains.



More to see and do in the neighbourhood
Northern Bohemia / Bohemia offers fantastic nature, plenty of breweries and lots of glassworks and glass art in the so-called "Crystal Valley". We can also recommend a visit to the nice town of Liberec, or perhaps the smaller town of Litomerice.
What to do in Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic - 15 tips
What to do in Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic? This Czech city is, despite being...
Hospital Kuks in the Czech Republic - an unusual attraction
Hospital Kuks in the Czech Republic is a slightly different attraction, in the form of a baroque hospital from...
Moravia and Silesia - road trip guide in eastern Czech Republic
Moravia (Moravia) and Silesia (Silesia) are two provinces in the eastern Czech Republic. We have travelled here...
Ostrava, Czech Republic - 13 tips for things to see and do
Ostrava, located in the eastern Czech Republic, is a city that tells the story of mining and industrial history,...
Trosky Castle in the Czech Republic - a landmark ruin
The Trosky Castle in the Czech Republic is a landmark in the Czech nature reserve Bohemian Paradise. The two...
Mikulov Castle and Central Europe's largest wine barrel
There are many fine castles and vineyards in the Czech Republic, especially south of Brno. We...
Landek Park in Czech Republic - camping and mining museum
Landek Park is a mining museum in Ostrava, in the eastern Czech Republic, and also houses a...
Unesco World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic - 14 exciting cultural heritage sites
Have you seen any of the Unesco World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic? There are currently 14 of them,...
Things to do in the Czech Republic - 40 sights and experiences
What to see and do in the Czech Republic? This beautiful and exciting country offers...
Loket in Czech Republic - castle with friendly dragon
In cooperation with Czech Tourism We have visited the towns of Becov nad Teplou and Loket, which...
Kokořín Castle in the Czech Republic - plus nature experiences
Kokořín Castle in the Czech Republic is a historic castle located in the Bohemian Paradise nature reserve. The castle is...
Trying out hot tubs in the Czech Republic - Marianske Lazne
In cooperation with Czech Tourism We finally got around to trying a real...
Stay in a castle in the Czech Republic - one night at Liblice
We have just tried staying in castles in the Czech Republic. We flew from Stockholm to...
Olomouc - a gem in the eastern Czech Republic
We had no expectations of the city of Olomouc at all. Maybe because we hadn't even heard...
Camp Sedmihorky - great camping in Czech Republic
Camp Sedmihorky is a really nice campsite in the Czech Republic. Here you can stay with good ...
Villa Tugendhat - design and fascinating history in Brno
If you visit Brno in the Czech Republic, don't miss Villa Tugendhat. But you must...
Terezin, Czech Republic - Theresienstadt concentration camp
In collaboration with Czech Tourism We have continued our motorhome trip to Terezin in the Czech Republic, for...
The spa town of Frantiskovy Lazne in the Czech Republic - the yellow town
In partnership with Czech Tourism As we walked into the spa town of Frantiskovy Lazne in the Czech Republic...
Hazmburk Castle in the Czech Republic - and Libochoviche Castle
The castle of Hazmburk in the Czech Republic is today a ruin, but despite this it sits mightily at the top of...
Mount Praděd in the Czech Republic - down the mountain on a scooter
Mount Praděd is located in the north-east of the Czech Republic and is 1492 metres high. We went up to...
The fairytale town of Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic
When you enter the gates of Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, you have to pinch...
Facts about the Czech Republic - 30 things you (might) not know
Facts about the Czech Republic! Did you know that the sugar cube and soft contact lenses come from the Czech Republic? Or...
3 hotels in Karlovy Vary - celebrity hotel, spa or boutique hotel
In cooperation with Czech Tourism Today we recommend three hotels in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad)...
Hrubá Skála in Bohemian Paradise, Czech Republic
Hrubá Skála is located in Bohemian Paradise in the north of the Czech Republic. Here you will find a...
Royal Forest Dam in the Czech Republic - a marvellous structure
The Royal Forest Dam (Přehrada Les Královstvi) in the Czech Republic is not just a dam, but a...
Handmade Christmas decorations in the Czech Republic - a UNESCO heritage site
Handmade Christmas decorations in the Czech Republic, made from blown glass beads, have a long tradition. Now the manufacturing process has...
Welcome to Štramberk - a village in eastern Czech Republic
Štramberk is a cosy little village in the eastern Czech Republic, with an old castle and...
Drinking well - in the Czech Republic the tradition lives on
In cooperation with Czech Tourism Drinking wells was something that was done in the past, both in...
Becherovka in Karlovy Vary - and a Czech meal
In cooperation with Czech Tourism Do you know Becherovka, and maybe you have even heard of...
Liberec, Czech Republic - 7 things to see and do
Liberec in the Czech Republic is the fifth largest city in the country. Here you are greeted by beautiful...

Have you visited Sloup Castle in the Czech Republic?
Have you visited Sloup Castle in the Czech Republic? Do you like this kind of sights?
Facts about Sloup Castle
- Country: Czech Republic
- Area: Bohemia / Bohemia
- Region: Liberecky kraj (Liberec region)
- Address: Ke Hradu 125, 471 52 Sloup v Čechách
- Year of construction: 1324
- Location: Located on a 35 metre high sandstone cliff
- Read more: You can find more information at Castle website.
Services and practical information
- Opening hours: June - August every day, 09-17. May and September every day except Mondays, 09-17. April and October only on weekends, 09-16 (2021). The castle can also be visited at other times, by pre-booking.
- Prices: Adults 90 czk (approximately 36 sec) (2021). Reduced price (children 6-19, full-time students, seniors over 65 years old and people with disabilities 50 czk (approx. 20 sec) (2021). If the castle is visited outside regular opening hours, the prices are slightly higher.
- Activities: Guided tours can be booked, taking about 45-60 minutes. Events are also sometimes organised, such as concerts.
- Rules: Dogs can be taken on a leash and muzzled. An additional fee of 20 czk (about 8 sec) is charged (2021).
- Toilet: There is a toilet in the car park, not in the castle.
- Accessibility: Castle Sloup includes several stairs and is not accessible by wheelchair.
Lisa says:
Wow, there are so many things worth seeing in the Czech Republic that we haven't had time to see. Gets really inspired by your reports and nice pictures.
06 October 2021 - 11:50
Helena says:
We certainly agree, there is a lot to see and discover in the Czech Republic! Glad you like our reports and pictures! 🙂
06 October 2021 - 18:59
BP says:
Cool and quirky! What a strange location for a castle, but so clever that it could be surrounded by water when needed.
06 October 2021 - 19:02
Helena says:
Very cool and different place! 🙂
11 October 2021 - 6:50
Lena+in+Wales+and+Spain says:
This was interesting!
At first I wondered if I had been there, but I haven't been. I've only seen pictures, but couldn't remember the name of the place.
09 October 2021 - 10:21
Helena says:
We also thought this was a fascinating place! 🙂
11 October 2021 - 6:51
Mr Mikael Anjou says:
Nice to have an in-depth picture of the Czech Republic, but it seems strange to introduce English names for places there. It seems a bit like undigested information aimed at unspecified tourists - we who read your texts probably speak Swedish in most cases.
Give us the Czech names (and maybe a simple translation) instead. Thanks! 🙂
11 October 2021 - 6:40
Helena says:
Thank you for your comment Mikael! We exactly understand your point, and discuss this a lot! Mostly I try to do exactly what you say, i.e. use the Czech names. Sometimes, however, there can be a point to the English ones, as they are heavily used in marketing and are what you see as a tourist. This is the case with "Crystal Valley", for example, which is the term the area uses to market itself. But maybe it was another name you were thinking of! Please clarify! We are grateful for feedback and are always trying to improve our reporting 🙂.
11 October 2021 - 6:50
Lena - good for the soul says:
It looks like a fascinating place! So much cool stuff there!
Hug Lena
27 December 2021 - 20:45