Zvíkov Castle

Perched on a rocky spur above the meeting point of the Vltava and Otava rivers in South Bohemia, Zvíkov Castle has long been nicknamed "the king of Czech castles" for its commanding position and well-preserved Gothic core, built in the first half of the 13th century. Local tradition tells of the "Zvíkovský rarášek," a small, mischievous house-imp said to guard a well inside the castle courtyard and grant a wish to visitors who know the right words to summon him, though those who anger him are said to find their belongings scattered or candles blown out in empty rooms. Guides also recount an older tale of a headless knight glimpsed pacing the ramparts at dusk, a figure locals connect to one of the castle's medieval defenders. The imp legend was popular enough by the 19th century to inspire a well-known Czech stage comedy bearing the creature's name.