Karlův hrádek

This is the only castle built in the South Bohemian region by Charles IV. The castle was founded sometime before 1357, likely as an administrative center for the surrounding royal estates, separated from the administration of Hluboká Castle. The oldest written record dates back to 1357, when Charles IV settled boundary disputes between the Rožmberk estates and the property of the royal castle Karlshaus. In 1364, Jan of Nasavrky served as the burgrave of Karlshaus. The castle's demise dates to the 1370s; while it was still listed as functional in 1370, this was likely no longer the case by 1377.
The castle, built on a high promontory above the Vltava valley, was surrounded by a moat (with an adjacent embankment). Entry to the castle was across the moat through a gateway. The roughly triangular layout was compactly built up along the perimeter (with multiple floors) around a courtyard of the same shape; the main residential buildings included a palace and a chapel on the northern side. On the same side, a bailey adjoined the castle complex, bordered by a rampart at a distance of more than 80 meters. Nothing detailed is known about the structures in this area, though it cannot be ruled out that a small outer settlement was planned or existed here.
In September 2019, a rescue archaeological excavation took place, focusing on determining the thickness and composition of medieval stratigraphy, identifying lost structures, and examining the nature of the bedrock. This season provided the first field evidence suggesting that the 14th-century castle was not the first settlement activity at the site. A collection of period artifacts was also recovered (utility and building ceramics, fragments of stone architectural elements, animal bones, iron products, etc.). Additionally, detailed geodetic measurements of preserved above-ground relics were conducted, and modern prospecting methods were applied to gain a deeper understanding of the site for future research. Excavations continued in late summer 2021.

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