Houska Castle

Unlike most castles, Houska was built with no fortifications, no water source, and no kitchen. It wasn’t built to keep people out—it was built to keep something in.

The Gateway to Hell

According to legend, a bottomless pit beneath the castle is a direct portal to Hell. Before construction, half-animal, half-human creatures emerged at night, demonic entities terrorized the region, and screams rose from the depths.

The castle was built directly over the pit to seal it forever. A chapel was constructed over the exact spot.

The Condemned Prisoner

Before the castle was completed, a prisoner was offered a pardon if he would agree to be lowered into the pit and report what he saw. When he was pulled up, his hair had turned white, he had aged 30 years in minutes, and he screamed incoherently about creatures with wings. He died within days.

Nazi Occupation

During WWII, the Nazis occupied Houska and conducted occult experiments. Mass graves of German soldiers were found nearby, along with evidence of rituals and “dimensional” research. Locals reported unnatural lights and sounds. Many soldiers went insane.

Modern Phenomena

Visitors today report scratching sounds from beneath the chapel floor, humanoid creatures glimpsed in windows, and feelings of being watched from below. Electronic equipment fails, and some experience the sensation of hands grabbing from underground.

The demonic entities seen include a headless horse and rider in the courtyard, a woman in old-fashioned dress who is half-human and half-frog, and giant black dogs with glowing eyes.

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Houska Castle is open to visitors, though many refuse to enter the chapel.