Frejštejn

Frejštejn was commissioned by the king Przemysl Ottokar II in the 13th century. The fortress is considered one of the oldest castles of Moravia. In 1286 it was conquered by the Austrian duke Albrecht I. Later it was transferred to the Moravian princes and was enlarged. In 1422 the lords Kraiger von Kraigk were rewarded for their faithful military service to the Bohemian king Sigismund during the conflicts with Lower Austria and the Hussites by giving them this castle. They committed themselves to keeping the peace throughout the territory. However, the Moravian rulers considered the Kraigers to be troublemakers and threatened to destroy the castle. Whether this really came to pass cannot be confirmed.

Beginning in 1458, Wolfgang Kraiger supported the new king George von Podiebrad, who was well disposed towards the Hussites, in his wars. Ten years later there was a war with Matthias Corvinus, the ruler of the Hungarian kingdom as well as parts of Bohemia. During the battles the castle of Frejštejn was also attacked. A public document later reported of the ‘destroyed castle Fraunštyn’. Until the end of the 16th century, it remained in the possession of the Kraiger von Kraigk family. Today the beauty of the castle ruin at the cliff above the village Podhradí nad Dyjí evokes memories of the once turbulent times.