Fortress KOUTY [ Hrad nebo zřícenina hradu ]

Kouty Fortress stands on a small island in a lake that was created from an old moat. Both the lake and the island have an elliptic shape, the longer axis of the lake is only 27m and that of the island only 18m. Only a torso of massive walls up to the level of the first floor with openings for the former entrance and sections of vaulted ceilings remained of the fortress. Kouty was first mentioned in 1368 in connection with Předota and Svatomír who were members of an aristocratic family from Němčice and Sedlec. In 1394 Kouty was owned by Jarohněv Kejhák of Křečovice whose family then owned the fortress until the second half of 16th century. The original tower fortress surrounded by a moat was, at the end of 15th and the beginning of the 16th century, extended and another building was added. A description from 1546 states that there was an old house, a new house and "guest quarters”. To allow the construction of the new building, a part of the moat had to be filled in with soil. After Alžběta Benedová of Kouty (died in 1574), her daughter Eliška Voračická, who married Bořek Nepoliský of Zachrašťany, inherited Kouty. Her husband sold Kouty in 1600 to Jiřík Vít of Rzavé and in 1606 it was bought by Kunka Talmberková of Říčany. Her husband Jan of Talmberk was also the owner of neighbouring Smilkov which Kouty remained connected to. The fortress ceased to be the seat of its owners and started to deteriorate. Its walls were still standing in the 18th century and were pulled down in 1813.

UMÍSTĚNÍ

AKTUALIZACE: Václav Pošmurný (TO 03) org. 2, 20.11.2005 v 10:42 hodin