Mokřice Castle near Jičín in Eastern Bohemia
The Architectural Form of the Noble Residence Based on Excavation Documentation From 2013 and 2016 and Archaeological Re search Conducted in 2024

The study evaluates archaeological research at Mokřice Castle (Jičín District) in Bohemia, conducted in 2013, 2016, and 2024. It describes the findings from excavation probes. Based on the dating of discovered materials, the castle was founded in the late 13th century. It con sisted of the castle core and a bailey, with other settlement and production components in its vicinity. The castle’s oval core (45 × 35 m) was surrounded by a brick perimeter wall, about 3.5 meters wide at the base and 2.5 meters wide above ground. The destruction lay ers within the core vary from 3 to 4 metres. Based on stratigraphic evidence, the castle was likely destroyed by a rapid fire, probably associated with the conquest of the castle during the 1420 s, as indicated by archaeological findings. The core’s structure included at least one brick building next to the wall in the western part, which served as a forgery workshop when the castle was destroyed. Other buildings were situated in the core’s southern and northern sections. Inside, there were one or two rooms heated by tiled stoves. Given their size and position, the three turrets on the southern side of the fortification wall seem more decorative or static rather than primarily defensive. Additionally, brick structures in the outer bailey have been identified: one features a vaulted cellar, while the other, measuring 15 × 14 metres, may have been a multi ‑story residential tower. The lack of fire damage in these buildings, compared to the castle’s core, suggests they were used later, possibly after the castle’s main section was destroyed in the mid‑15th century.

Keywords: castle – High Middle Ages – archaeological research – architectural form – castle’s core – destruction