The Košumberk Castle

Nowadays, Košumberk Castle is predominantly the ruin of a gothic castle which was established at the beginning of the 14^th century. Only part of the burgrave’s house, which now houses the Castle Museum, has been preserved. The castle was first mentioned in 1312. The Lords of Chlum renovated it in the late gothic style at the end of the 14^th century. After a fire in 1573, the castle was repaired in the renaissance style. A Czech Brethren school which educated young Protestant aristocrats (including the later famous warrior, Albrecht von Wallenstein) was established in Košumberk in the second half of the 16^th century. In 1684, Košumberk passed into the ownership of the Jesuit College in Hradec Králové. At the end of the 18^th century, the castle is mentioned as having been abandoned and it gradually transformed into a ruin. After the dissolution of the Jesuit order, the estate was administered by a church fund and it then passed into the ownership of the Thurn-Taxis family in 1826. Now, it consists of the torso of the square tower, part of the palace walls, the gate and the remnants of the fortifications. The castle is currently owned by the town of Luže.