Houska Castle: ticket prices, opening hours and the legend of the gates of hell
Houska Castle stands on a cliff in the forests of Kokořínsko, about an hour's drive from Prague. Beneath it, according to legend, lies a bottomless well that leads straight to the gates of hell. Travelers from all over Europe come here for this story.
An adult ticket costs 180 CZK, a family ticket 520 CZK (as of 09/2026, official castle website). Below you'll find the castle's history, its legends, and practical details: tickets, opening hours, and how to get there from Prague.
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What to know before your visit
💡 In short:
- The season runs from April to October; the castle is closed in winter.
- Tours run every hour, with the last entry one hour before closing.
- No train goes to the castle: only by car or bus with a transfer.
- Prices and opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the official website.
Houska Castle is not a ruin but an active tourist site with guided tours, a gift shop, and a wooden "hell" in the former carriage house. The castle itself takes about two hours. With nearby sights, the trip stretches to half a day or a full day. Most visitors get there from Prague by car or on an organized tour.
History of Houska Castle
The first fortification on this cliff appeared as early as the 9th century. The stone Gothic castle was founded in the late 13th century, around 1280, under King Ottokar II (as of 09/2026, official castle website). The location chosen for the building is strange: far from water, trade routes, and settlements. This is precisely what gave rise to the legends.
Over the centuries, the castle changed hands dozens of times. It was owned by the Wallensteins, the noble Bohemian-Moravian Kaunitz family, Countess Andrássy, and Princess Hohenlohe. In the 16th century, the Gothic structure was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. Thus the military outpost became a noble residence.
© Mirek256 · CC BY-SAPhoto: Mirek256, CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/), Wikimedia CommonsIn 1924, the castle was bought by Josef Šimonek, then president of the Škoda Works. He used it as his summer residence. Between 1929 and 1930, the building was renovated. During World War II, books and archives were stored here, and in 1999 the castle was returned to its former owners and opened to visitors (as of 09/2026, official castle website).
Since then, Houska has operated as a tourist site. Tours lead through the halls, the chapel, and the old part of the castle, telling the story of the building and its legends. This is not a museum with plaques: for most of the route you walk with a guide and listen to the story.
The legend of the bottomless well
The main legend of Houska tells of a bottomless well beneath the cliff. At its bottom, according to tradition, begins a labyrinth of underground passages, and one of them leads to the gates of hell. No one knows how to get there.
One day, the castle's owners decided to test this story. A man condemned to death was lowered into the well, promised his freedom. He had gone only a few steps when he screamed desperately and demanded to be pulled back up.
© MartinVeselka · CC BY-SAPhoto: MartinVeselka, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsAt the top, everyone saw his face contorted with terror and his hair suddenly turned white. The man kept repeating that he had seen the devil in hell, and a few days later he died. Local residents began throwing stones into the terrifying well, but the stones vanished without a trace into the depths. The castle's owner at the time, Wartenberg, spent several years sealing the well shut for good.
A chapel was later built on the site of the well. It is considered one of the most mysterious chapels in Central Europe. Visitors report feeling unwell inside, and some lose consciousness. The only way to verify this is on site, but be prepared for stuffy air and dim light.
Mysteries and frescoes of Houska Castle
Scientists attribute some of the strange phenomena to radon. This radioactive gas occurs in large quantities in the local soil. It is used to explain the sounds, voices, and moans heard near the well.
Medieval frescoes survive in the old part of the castle. They depict the archangels Michael and Gabriel fighting the forces of darkness. Nearby you can see the devil's throne and Saint Christopher above it. Researchers are convinced that these paintings did not appear here by chance.
© ŠJů ( cs:ŠJů ) · CC BY-SAPhoto: ŠJů ( cs:ŠJů ), CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia CommonsThe logic of the legend is simple: the castle's walls and towers did not protect against an external enemy but held back what was locked inside. Even when the Bohemian kingdom lived in peace, a military garrison was permanently stationed here. As if the castle were guarding something important.
Today the castle hosts historical exhibitions and costumed performances. The dungeons are off limits: entry there remains closed to this day. Separate from the main route stands the wooden "Peklo": a twelve-meter carved hell inspired by Dante's "Divine Comedy" (as of 09/2026, description of the wooden hell).
Tickets and opening hours
Tickets are sold only at the entrance; the castle has no online booking. An adult ticket costs 180 CZK, a child, student, and senior ticket costs 130 CZK (as of 09/2026, price list). A family ticket for two adults and two children under 15 costs 520 CZK. A separate ticket to the wooden "hell" costs 80 CZK, and dogs cost 40 CZK.
The castle operates on a seasonal schedule, and it changes from month to month (as of 09/2026, opening hours):
Month | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
April | Sat, Sun | 10:00-17:00 |
May, June | Tue-Sun | 10:00-17:00 |
July, August | Tue-Sun | 10:00-18:00 |
September | Tue-Sun | 10:00-17:00 |
October | Sat, Sun | 10:00-16:00 |
The 2026 season opened on April 3. Tours start every hour, and the last entry and last tour are always one hour before closing. On weekday mornings you will join a group of just a few people, while on summer weekends there are noticeably more visitors.
If you do not want to go on your own, there is a private tour from Prague with a stop at Kokořín: the "Gates of Hell" guided tour on GetYourGuide.
Tours and tickets
Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.
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How to get to Houska Castle
The castle is about 60 km from Prague, roughly an hour by car (according to the Czech Republic travel guide, 09/2026). Public transport is not convenient: there is no railway station nearby, and the nearest bus stops are near the villages of Blatce and Tubož (as of 09/2026, official castle website).
Houska Castle in Czechia
Places on the map
- Houska Castle 13th-century castle with the legend of a bottomless well and the gates of hell
By car, two roads lead to the castle: from the village of Blatce and from the village of Kruh. There is a large parking lot 700 meters from the gate, and from there you walk for about 10 minutes. Castle coordinates for your GPS: 50.4904, 14.6237.
If you are flying to Prague and do not want to rent a car, check Prague airport transfers on Kiwitaxi in advance. The drive from the capital takes about an hour.
What to see nearby
Houska stands almost in the center of the Kokořínsko nature reserve. You can cover several places in one trip: the sandstone Kokořín Castle, the romantic Bezděz, and Máchovo jezero lake (according to Transport Prague). In summer, the trip is easy to combine with swimming at the lake.
In winter, the castle itself is closed, but the surrounding area remains accessible. People come here then for walks through the forest and sandstone rocks. The trails around Houska are marked, and a loop along them takes no more than an hour.
⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
How much does a ticket to Houska Castle cost?
An adult ticket is 180 CZK, a child, student, and senior ticket is 130 CZK, a family ticket is 520 CZK, and a separate ticket to the wooden "hell" is 80 CZK (as of 09/2026, castle price list).
When is the best time to visit Houska?
In April and October the castle is open only on weekends. In summer it is open until 6:00 PM, in other months it closes earlier. The fewest visitors come in May and September; in July and August tour groups come here.
Can you visit the castle dungeons?
No, the dungeons are closed to visitors. Both the legends and the castle's own description mention this. You cannot see the "gateway to hell", but the wooden "Peklo" is shown separately from the main tour.
How do you get to the castle without a car?
There is no train service here. The bus goes to the villages of Blatce or Tubož, and from the stop you have to walk. Without a car, the easiest option is to take an organized tour from Prague or book a transfer.
Are dogs allowed in the castle?
Yes, dogs are allowed, and there is a 40 CZK fee for them (as of 09/2026, ticket prices). In summer there are many people on the grounds, so keep your pet close.
In short: what to book
Houska is a short but packed stop: an hour for the tour, an hour for the wooden hell and a walk through the forest. Arrive at opening time, tour groups start showing up by midday. If you don't have a car, take a ready-made tour from Prague with a stop at Kokořín.
- If you have a car: arrive at opening time, parking is 700 m from the gate.
- If you don't have a car: choose a tour from Prague or an airport transfer.
- If you're going for a week: base yourself in Prague and set aside one day for this trip.
hotels in Prague on Trip.com and car rental in Prague will cover the rest of the trip.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.