Zvikov Castle

The Zvikov Castle is said to be the home of the Rarasek. This is a supernatural creature of Bohemian folklore, which is described as either the spirit of a cyclone, or a domestic spirit. This creature wreaks havoc on the castle and anyone who goes inside. It causes technical problems, electromagnetic anomalies, weird animal behaviour, and dampens any fires that spring up. This creature is said to live in the ancient tower, Markomanka, which was built during the Marcomanni rule over Bohemia, in the 1st century BC and 2nd century AD. This ancient tower was integrated into the castle when it was built later and contains stones that are engraved with unknown symbols.

As if this doesn’t already make this one of the creepiest abandoned castles on this list, there’s also a legend attached to the ancient tower. Apparently, anyone who sleeps there dies within a year. So, whatever you do, don’t get sleepy when you’re exploring this site.

The exact date of the castle’s construction isn’t known, though mentions of it are found in writings dating back to 1234. It’s located at a junction between the Vltava and Otava rivers, around 15 kilometres or nine miles north of Písek. Today, this is one of the most difficult to access abandoned castles, as it stands on a steep promontory above the rivers. The castle has been partially destroyed, added to, and used for a variety of reasons over the years. It has also inspired painter and writers with its chilling atmosphere and supernatural stories.