The most leaning tower in the world? Michalovice aspiring for place in Guinness World Records
As castles in Czechia open their doors to visitors, one site enters the new tourist season with the prospect of becoming a Guinness World Records holder in the category of leaning structures.
Legend has it the main tower of the Michalovice castle ruins in the Mladá Boleslav region is leaning due to a gunpowder explosion. According to measurements conducted by geodesists, it leans by 6.51 degrees, surpassing the current record holder in Germany by 1 degree. Guinness World Records has two categories for leaning buildings: manmade leaning and unintentionally leaning constructions. In the latter category, the bell tower in the German town of Gau-Weinheim in Hesse, which leans by 5.42 degrees, currently holds the world record. The tower of the Michalovice ruins thus surpasses the current world record holder by 1.09 degrees.
Anna Hammersley from the headquarters of Guinness World Records in London says that, in the category of unintentionally leaning structures, Michalovice could succeed.
Robin Povšík, a city councillor in Mladá Boleslav, says this is great news.
“We’re excited about it. We will verify everything, and if it turns out to be so, it makes sense to pursue this record, we will aim to have it entered into the Guinness World Records.”
New castle season: Barier-free Kunětická hora and Trosky known from KCD
Meanwhile, as the new castle season begins, several Czech castles have shared their latest updates. For example, Radyně Castle, located in the Plzeň Region, has its own castle warden for the first time.
“When people come here, they can experience everyday life in the Middle Ages and, above all, the story of Radyně through the centuries, from its foundation to the present day,” says castle warden Libor Šimůnek.
According to legend, Radyně Castle was founded by Radouš, an ugly boy with donkey ears, a goat’s beard, and boar’s tusks. A new Radouš Trail has been dedicated to him, starting at the parking lot and ending at the information center below the castle. It has twelve stops and is freely accessible.
At Kunětická hora Castle near Pardubice,which underwent reconstruction three year ago, smaller improvements were also carried out over the winter. For example, a roof was added over a medieval structure that serves as facilities for visitors.
This year, Kunětická hora will become a barrier-free monument. In the autumn, it will close for one day and reopen exclusively for visitors with disabilities.
Visitor numbers at Trosky Castle, best known for the game Kingdom Come: Deliverance, increased by a third last year. This year, the castle is also attracting visitors with a diverse cultural program, says castle warden Pavlína Suchomelová.
“We’ve noticed increased interest from various influencers, as well as demand for different types of filming at the castle. Many visitors come for the additional activities we offer, they play dice, for example, or spontaneously sing songs from the game.”
In addition to guided tours of the grounds, Trosky Castle is also offering a rich cultural program, including concerts and theatre performances.
Whether you are a lover of history, architecture, world records, or culture, there is something to enjoy at Czech castles for everyone!