Old German, or more precisely the city Cheb's legend about the foundation of town Skalna, where also the village Vonsov belongs, tells that long-ago there was a knight hunting in the surrounding gamy woods. He got lost during the hunt, kept stumbling on great granite stones only. As late as at night he found little light afar off which he started leading to. He came to several small houses where he stayed overnight. As thanks for escaping with life and limb he called this place Wildstein and had a little chapel built there.
Later there was a castle or more likely a fortress Wildstein built at its place. The first mention of this castle is from the year 1166, the first written report then from the year 1224 when the Waldsassen abbot Eduard talks about the buyout of tithes from Gerold of Wildstein who owned some of the manors in the surroundings of Waldsassen and Tischenreuth and who was purportedly the founder of this castle around which the village of same name originated gradually. The first owner of the castle was the clan of Nothafts.
One of the follow-up owners, the Wirspergs, added later on to Wildstein the neighbouring Plesna and Stary Rybnik. This division lasted till the 19th centrury. The most famous clan at the castle was the Trautenbergs who were living there the longest from all owners from the year 1596 to 1799. During their "rule" the castle dilapidated markedly as well as in the times when the owners changed quickly.
At the end of the first World War the manufacturer Geipel from the town Plesna bought this castle and in the year 1945 the castle was confiscated by the state and its "sensitive" care of the sights completed the destruction – the castle became a ruin where the entrance was prohibited due to its ramshackle conditions.
In the 80's Mr. Zdenek Buchtele found the ruins of the castle and with the help of a group of devotees and the financial help from the state he managed to stop the castle dilapidation.
In the year 1999 the businessman Mr. Miroslav Pumr bought the area with the castle and within only two years he managed to open the castle for the public – the first time in its long history! For this great effort he was ennobled and obtained the title of knight Miroslav Pumr von Wildstein.
Recently Vildštejn represents in the biggest perfection the extant Romanic castle in Cheb's surroundings. The name of the village which originated around the castle was in the 50's of the past century changed to Skalná.
But Vildštejn is not the only place worthed your visit. The nature preserve SOOS, the crater of the volcano at Komorní Hůrka, Cheb with its castle and "Špalíček" (The Block) or the butterfly farm Žírovice are worth seeing as well.
Later there was a castle or more likely a fortress Wildstein built at its place. The first mention of this castle is from the year 1166, the first written report then from the year 1224 when the Waldsassen abbot Eduard talks about the buyout of tithes from Gerold of Wildstein who owned some of the manors in the surroundings of Waldsassen and Tischenreuth and who was purportedly the founder of this castle around which the village of same name originated gradually. The first owner of the castle was the clan of Nothafts.
One of the follow-up owners, the Wirspergs, added later on to Wildstein the neighbouring Plesna and Stary Rybnik. This division lasted till the 19th centrury. The most famous clan at the castle was the Trautenbergs who were living there the longest from all owners from the year 1596 to 1799. During their "rule" the castle dilapidated markedly as well as in the times when the owners changed quickly.
At the end of the first World War the manufacturer Geipel from the town Plesna bought this castle and in the year 1945 the castle was confiscated by the state and its "sensitive" care of the sights completed the destruction – the castle became a ruin where the entrance was prohibited due to its ramshackle conditions.
In the 80's Mr. Zdenek Buchtele found the ruins of the castle and with the help of a group of devotees and the financial help from the state he managed to stop the castle dilapidation.
In the year 1999 the businessman Mr. Miroslav Pumr bought the area with the castle and within only two years he managed to open the castle for the public – the first time in its long history! For this great effort he was ennobled and obtained the title of knight Miroslav Pumr von Wildstein.
Recently Vildštejn represents in the biggest perfection the extant Romanic castle in Cheb's surroundings. The name of the village which originated around the castle was in the 50's of the past century changed to Skalná.
But Vildštejn is not the only place worthed your visit. The nature preserve SOOS, the crater of the volcano at Komorní Hůrka, Cheb with its castle and "Špalíček" (The Block) or the butterfly farm Žírovice are worth seeing as well.
