Number 5 of my “10 Global Hellgates” blog post.
In Czech Republic.
“Houska Castle is an early Gothic castle, 47 kilometres (29 mi) north of Prague, in Czechia. It is one of the best preserved castles of the period. It was built in the second half of the 13th century probably on the orders of Bohemian ruler Ottokar II of Bohemia during his reign (1253–78) to serve as an administration center from which the extensive royal estates could be managed. Later it passed to the hands of the aristocracy, frequently passing from the ownership of one to another. In 1584–90 it underwent Renaissance-style modifications, losing none of its fortress features as it looks down from a steep rocky cliff. In the 18th century it ceased to serve as a noble residence and fell into a state of disrepair before being renovated in 1823. In 1897 it was purchased by Princess Hohenlohe and in 1924, the times of the First Republic, bought by the President of Škoda, Josef Šimonek. During World War II, the Germans used the castle to perform inhumane experiments on local people or prisoners of war.” However, “was built with no fortifications, no water, no kitchen, near no trade routes, and with no occupants at its time of completion. The castle was not built as a residence or as a protective sanctuary, but was instead built because the hole was thought to be a gateway to hell. Thus, by constructing the Gothic building, they were able to keep the demons trapped in the lower level thickest walls closest to the hole of the castle.” (Source 1)
Legend: Believed to be a gateway to the underworld. A mansion was built to seal up a “bottomless pit”. The people of the nearby towns believed that this gateway allowed terrifying creatures into the countryside after sunset & were desperate to stop it & the creatures. Prisoners would be lowered down into the pit to see where it ended or if the legends were true; 1 of which was heard screaming in pain & was pulled back up & had aged 40 years & he was never the same. The above castle was built on top of it to seal the pit or gateway. The Nazis used the castle as a secret base, but also to harness the dark powers that are within the castle.
“Today, mysterious phenomena can still be witnessed inside Houska Castle’s walls. The location’s chapel was built directly on top of the bottomless pit and tourists frequently report hearing a chorus of screams blasting through the floor. There have also been numerous reports from inside the chapel regarding a creature that resembles a hybrid of a human, frog, and a bulldog.”
Sources:
1.) Image & first part: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houska_Castle
2.) Legend & Today: https://realparanormalexperiences.com/the-houska-castle-bottomless-pit
Further Reading:
weekinweird.com/2016/10/29/houska-castle-gateway-to-hell/
strangeandcreepy.com/houska-castle-the-gates-of-hell/
https://amyscrypt.com/hell-portal-haunted-houska-castle/
magicbohemia.com/2018/05/21/houska-castle-guards-a-pit-to-hell/
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