Ricany Castle by Konstatin Busek - Ricany, Czech Republic - Paintings Then and Now on Waymarking.com

The construction of Rícany Castle was probably initiated by Ondrej of Všechromy, the founder of the noble family of Rícany. This aristocrat was a devoted adherer to King Premysl Otakar II. At first he was appointed the King’s personal valet with the function of serving food and from 1260 he acted as the senior valet. Such a political position also needed a corresponding representative seat which initiated the construction work on the castle (1260 – 1270), probably built on foundations of an older wooden fortress. Rícany is first mentioned in written records in 1289. Later a village of the same name was established in the area under the castle.

Rícany Castle belongs to the most significant examples of Czech castle architecture of the last Premyslovites era. The castle was constructed at the time when half-wooden aristocratic castle settlements were being replaced with more substantially built Gothic style castles and therefore it is an example of the oldest stone castles in our country. The castle, with an approximately oval ground plan, stood on a wide promontory. It was protected by a not to high drop-off, a massive two floors high rampart, and from three sides also by an ingenious system of ponds and, opposite to the town, there was also a deep ditch with a levee. In the centre of the castle two, partly preserved buildings – a ‘donjon’ and a palace, dominated the castle due to their height. Almost the whole of the courtyard front wall has been preserved together with one of the traversal walls of the main palace, in practically their original height. At the beginning of the 15th century Rícany Castle was the seat of the Roman Catholic aristocrat, Diviš of Rícany, who was an active opponent of the Hussites. In November 1420, an army lead by Jan Žižka started to besiege the castle. The Hussites did not destroy the castle but manned it with their own army. The castle then remained in the ownership of the Prague people until 1485. The Rícany family never returned to their castle.


The author this painting is Konstantin Bušek (8 January 1861 - 8 November 1938), Czech draughtsman, carver and publicist. He drew mainly Czech castles and old town architecture in Prague, Písek and Tábor.

Website of painting. Exact URL of painting is required: [Web Link] Artist: Konstantin Bušek Date of Your Photograph: 06/06/2022 Medium of Painting: pen and ink Date of Painting: Not listed

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