Lelekovice, Brno-Country distr., Southern Moravia Region

Medieval castle Lelekovice

(from mid-14th cent. to the beginning of the 15th cent.)

Presentation of the defence walls and a tower.

Presentation of the defence walls and a tower.

Photo A. Knechtová, 2015.

The deserted medieval castle of Lelekovice has been systematically studied. The first written record stems from the mid-14th century, and already at the beginning of the 15th century, it was referred to as deserted. An archaeological excavation of almost the entire castle was undertaken in 1984–90. Traces of a preceding 11th-century settlement were found and we were able to describe the gradual development of the castle, which in the first building phase had the shape of an oval upper ward surrounded by a curtain stone wall (today, preserved on the south and south-east side) with a tower and a gate. A four-room residential building was situated by the north-western curtain wall. Later, the castle was divided into three parts according to their different owners. The castle lies on an educational trail named ‘Through the Land of the Poňávka Stream’, in a territory protected as a natural reserve.

References: Unger 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2006; Samek 1999; Plaček 2001.

Navigation point: N 49°17‘27.77“, E 16°34‘46.82“ (entrance from the Poňava street).

Map notes: 1 – Church of St Philip and St Jacob; 2 – castle; 3 – lower ward; A – stone fortification wall; B – prismatic tower; C – four-room residential building; D – residential building in the lower ward. Map symbols are available in the Downloads section.