The Rožmberk Palaces of Dívčí Kámen (Menštejn) Castle and Helfenburk Castle near Bavorov Contribution to Research of Housing Culture in the Middle Ages

In the Šumava foothills, large ruins of two castles have survived, built close together by the powerful Rožmberk (Rosenberg) family in the third quarter of the 14th century as the administrative centres of the newly organised estates. Because the builders were the same, it is not surprising that the castles show similarities, particularly the core with the monumental three-part palace in the central part of the castle. Despite their rather exceptional information value and the rare possibility of comparison, the building historians have paid little attention to the two castles. This is manifested especially in the palaces as they rank among the largest and best-preserved housing structures of the time. Based on the author’s research using a new geodetical survey and dendrochronological analysis of selected elements, the presented study brings a new perspective on the palaces as construction units with many similar but also different features. Furthermore, it provides many partial findings about the housing culture at the time of Charles IV.

Keywords: Dívčí Kámen (Menštejn) Castle – Helfenburk Castle – High Middle Ages – Rožmberks (Rosenbergs) – palace – housing culture – comparison – research and documentation of the fragments of preserved buildings