Vandals Smash Door of Eichelburg Forest Castle in the Krkonoše Mountains

Unknown vandals have broken the door of the historic Eichelburg forest castle in the Krkonoše Mountains. Police are investigating the incident, and the landmark has been temporarily closed to visitors, according to the Veselý Výlet information centre, which shared the news on social media.

Based on the centre's preliminary information, a group of young Dutch tourists may have been involved in the damage. While police look into the matter, a new door is being made for the castle — a process expected to take about a week — and the monument will remain closed until the work is finished.

How access to the castle works

Keys to Eichelburg can normally be rented from the information centre itself. Visitors open and close the castle hall themselves: from May to October and from December until Easter, it's accessible daily from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, with keys due back the same day by 5:30 pm.

A small fee is charged for using the keys. The main key, marked with the initials BA, is a replica of the original key to Berthold Eichelburg's tomb. The money collected goes towards maintaining and servicing the forest castle, caring for monuments linked to the Eichelburg family, as well as insuring the Eichelburg tourist route and maintaining both the castle and the Way of the Cross leading to Stará Hora (Old Mountain).

The story behind the romantic ruin

The pseudo-Gothic ruin that gives the castle its romantic appearance was built in 1862–1863 by forestry officials and workers from the Marschendorf estate. It can be reached from several directions — from Černá Hora, Temné Doly or Velká Úpa. The castle stands at an altitude of roughly 736 metres above sea level.

Social media users have expressed outrage over the incident. "I hope they find whoever did this. We've been there so many times — it's an incredibly beautiful place. How can people show so little respect for other people's work?" one commenter wrote.

Read also: Prague Castle from the inside: 9 spots on the castle grounds you shouldn't miss

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz