Secrets of Old and New Karlštejn

A kilometre and a half southeast of Svratka rise granite rocks resembling castle ruins. An ancient Slavic border hillfort once stood here. The place is called the Petrified Château or Old Karlštejn. Great treasures are supposedly hidden here, burning on Good Friday, while many fantastic monsters haunt the surroundings. Two greedy villagers once began digging. On the third day they rolled out a chest of ducats, only to see the Devil sitting beside it. A great whirlwind lifted them and carried them over the countryside towards Hlinsko, where the Devil dropped them in Babáky village. North of the Petrified Château, separated by a ravine, stands the Kinskýs’ hunting lodge New Karlštejn. It was often deserted, and a tale arose that devils lived inside its walls and held their revels. Local people therefore once preferred to avoid it.