Tips for trips

The dominant of the town is on the hill Hněvín (Schlossberg)
The fortified spaces are freely accessible, observation tower, restaurant
Accessibility: on foot, by car, by bike

Most castle was built on the Chateau mountain (Hnevin). Archaeological investigation proved remains of castle already in 9th century, but the stone castle was built maybe by the Hrabisics, owner of Most, in 12th century Vaclav I. formed from Most the royal city and from the castle the seat of district administrator.

In the 13th century the castle was by Vaclav II. brought to the Branibors, in the time of disputes of Vaclav IV. with aristocracy, the castle came to the Meissens. Only in 1406 Vaclav gained the castle back. In 1459 the castle was given into the hand of Jiri from Podebrady on the base of Cheb peace contract. The son of Jiri from Podebrady Jindrich sold in 1480 the castle to Benes from Veitmile and in 1482 it was taken place in Most famous meeting of Saxony princess with king Vladislav. Here it came to settlement of relation Czechs and Saxony people from many years.

During the reign of Rudolf II on his order it were on Most castle the alchemists English Eduard Kelley and Greek Marek Mamugny. Rudolf ordered to city people to care about them well at the claims of both adventurers caused to city much cost. In 1595 Rudolf II. sold the castle to city Most.

From rather quite holding of castle and its remains the Most people enjoed upto the thirty year war. In 1646 Swedes obtained it by quile and gave to Most people great penalties and charges. For one year and half the emporer army besieged the castle but it remained in hands of Swedes. Those held it also after the concluding the Westphalian peace. The blame for its unfortunate the Most people gave to the castle which always attracted by its significance the enemies.

Emperor Ferdinand II. from that reason permitted pulling down the castle, destruction began in 1651. The castle mountain desolated, at the foot there were vineyards and gardens. In year 1879 it was stopped the restaurant, in 1889 the tower with outlook which was later destructed by great wind. In 1896 it was stated the group of friends of Castle mountain and it was begun with the construction of city with outlook. It was finished in September 1900.

Sir Edward Kelley workshop

Experiential exposition about alchemist Edward Kelley’s life in the castle Hněvín

In seven stops the visitor uncovers alchemic gimmicks and tricks which lead Kelley to the imperial courtyard. We invite you to the workshop where you can personally try disappearance of the town of Most which was forecasted by the well-known magician at the time of his death.

In the workshop you can try teleportation of its owner from place to place using time machine. As well as Kelley you can create also a wonderful woman Sirael or make philosopher’s stone which is necessary for making gold. With your own eyes you will see the life-sized magician at the moment when he writes his famous tract about the philosopher’s stone.

We will not reveal anything else from Edward Kelley’s workshop. Come and see that miracles can exist.

The author of the exposition, where the visitor can control all the exhibits by special mechanisms, is Josef Koráb who is a stage designer from the City theatre in Most.

The operator of this exhibition is Tourist information Centre Most.

Open from 1st May to 30th September.
Open daily from 11:00 to 12:30 and from 13:00 to 17:00
 
Admission:
CZK 20 adults
CZK 10 children under 15
CZK 10 seniors and people with ZTP card (severely disabled)
CZK 40 family admission

The look-out tower on the Hnevin castle

A replica of the old castle Hnevin, that since the beginning itself of its rise has served as a restaurant facility and an outing place for many visitors of the Most region, is an individual dominant of the Most city. The building complex includes as its component even the look-out tower, that was finished in September,1900, and then given solemnly to the Most city for its using. So the inhabitants of the Most city had acquired a look-out tower, from which they could have overlooked the landscape from the foot of the Ore Mountains up to the hills of the Czech Midmountains from the bird’s-eye view.

Its architectural style fully corresponded with romantic feelings of the turn of the 19th century and expressed endeavour of local patriots to bring the history of the Zamecká hora (Château Mountain) nearer to next generation (Château Mountain is the name for the hill where Hnevin is located). Its past was very rich, but the end of the 19th century found it in ruins of a former castle, accessible in a very wrong way, and not preserved. Thanks to the Town Council member Antonin Zein, step-by-step afforestation of ways leading to the top of the hill had been coming to pass, and the hill became the place of vivid interest of the Most city inhabitants again. Towards the end of the 80’s of the 19th century, there were still more voices asking for sufficiently high a look-out tower, so that it was possible to look over Siroky vrch and Ressl. The challenge to assemble a collection for building a 20-meter high tower didn’t meet due reception, and only year 1889 was a witness of the first attempt to realize it. It was deserve of Johann Franz, the carpenter master, who made the imitation of the Eiffel tower, which was the ten times reduced Paris original. The Most miniature was made of wood, its height was 25 m with 3 floors. Solemn opening took place on the 30th of October, 1889, but as early as in 1890 it was blown off and entirely destroyed by strong wind.

But the Most city inhabitants did not give up their intention to have a look-out tower on the Châteu Mountain. In the year 1896 they established the Châteu Mountain Friends Club, of which the main target was to re-build a look-out tower and to perform next building-up in places, where an antique castle used to stand, in a style loyal to history. Works were commenced by overburden of a high layer of old masonry in order to obtain the necessary building material for its building in the autumn that year. In coherence with it even masonry of an old castle, an inner castle court and the basis of a big round tower were uncovered. The basis of a big round tower served as the basis for a new look-out tower. Masonry was repaired, and as early as in the course of the year 1898 a new stone tower reaching the height of ten metres was growing there.

Its height was increased about five metres in the following year, and about next five metres in the year 1900, owing to what the tower reached its definitive height of twenty metres. Its upper part and tower roofing was performed by using glazed bricks from the fire-brick plant in Branany. The look-out space had eight windows along its circuit and a comfortable twisting stairway led into the tower. The Châteu Mountain Friends Club was fully satisfied with the construction and let a tangible proof of its activity for its followers.

But history and changes of this look-out tower do not finish by this building action. A châteu restaurant was solemnly opened in the year 1906, and in connection with this it was suggested to remodel the look-out tower and to bring in it nearer in the reminiscence style to the restaurant. It was recommended to furnish it with a plane according to so-called the Bismarck’s tower. For the reason of lack of financial means this intention was realized according to drawings of A. Schwarz as late as in the year 1911. Roofing of the look-out tower had been removed and than it was replaced with an octagonial look-out space, which was wooden along the all its circuit.

But even a time period of decadence awaited the look-out tower after years of glory. It was the results of WWI and WWII. The look-out tower was utilized for military purposes and it was still wearing out. Its deteriorated condition did not improve even in lattter years. The first perseverant reconstruction was realized as late as in the year 1969, and for now the last modifications were related to replacement of roofing, as the current one was replaced with copper.

The look-out tower on the Hnevin hill is an interesting building relic, which has already become an inseparable component of the Most city panorama.

Most has also Autodrom for car/motorcycle races, Hipodrom for horse races, Aquadrom, Golf, in-line tracks,bowling,small airport where you can try parasute sport and many restaurants and bars.

For those who prefer shopping there is a mall right in the middle of the downtown.