Karlsfried Castle

Forgotten Karlsfried Castle

Just a few kilometers from Oybin, there once stood a powerful fortress guarding the trade route, the so-called Jablonska, connecting Upper Lusatia and Bohemia. It was built in 1357 by order of Emperor Charles IV for the purpose of collecting customs duties and is named after its founder. Karlsfried also served as the seat of the Lusatian landvogt.

The city of Zittau had held the castle on lease since 1364. During the Hussite Wars, Karlsfried was unsuccessfully besieged for the first time in 1421 by Jan Žižka, but was conquered and burned after a second Hussite siege in 1424. Nearby Oybin was more fortunate, having resisted the Hussite raids and not suffering the same fate.

After the destruction, Karlsfried gradually fell into disrepair, although it is still mentioned in sources. The castle came into the ownership of Zittau and was gradually dismantled for construction in nearby villages. In 1721, another demolition took place and the stone was used to build a church in Zittau. From the once important castle, only inconspicuous remains overgrown with greenery have survived to this day, as a silent reminder of the former imperial fortress.