Sokolčí - Castle

Not far from Kaplice in South Bohemia, on a steep rocky promontory above the Černá River, there are the modest remains of Sokolčí Castle. Its origins are unclear, the first unquestionable written mention is from the second half of the 14th century, when the castle must have already had several decades of existence. The founders of the castle were apparently the lords of Michalovice (Velešín), who chose a block layout on a trapezoidal plan. The castle probably had a guarding function and in 1387 it was bought from Benes of Velešín by the Rožmberks, who annexed Sokolčí to the New Castles. There is minimal further information about the castle, its significance may have been rather economic. Already at the beginning of the 16th century it remained in ruins and interest in it was renewed only in the 19th century. In 1963 it was declared an immovable cultural monument. After the turn of the millennium, Sokolčí Castle was taken over by the association Castles on the Malše, which arranged for a building survey and the necessary conservation work. It also strives to promote it as a tourist site by participating in the Earth Road project.