The high, densely wooded hill beside Potštejn Castle is called Velešov, supposedly after Veles, the pagan god of herds. Legend says that a castle once stood here long ago and was later turned into a Templar monastery. Its inhabitants raised fish in the many ponds then surrounding the site and sold them to local people. Historical sources, however, date the castle’s foundation only to around the mid-fourteenth century, by the heirs of the notorious robber Mikuláš of Potštejn. Count J. A. Harbuval Chamaré later searched for treasure here too, and in the course of the work the last remains of the buildings were finally destroyed.
Location and map
- Place
- Potštejn - Hrad
- Municipality / starting point
- Potštejn
- District / region
- Rychnov nad Kněžnou
- Country
- Czechia
- Distance and direction
- 10 km S of Rychnova nad Kněžnou
The link searches for Potštejn and its surroundings. The sources do not establish the precise point of this legend.
Approximate location · municipality or area search. The distance comes from the sources, not a currently calculated route.
Sources of the original atlas Tajemná místa · page 269
This legend preserves a folk tale. Its motifs do not constitute evidence of supernatural events.