Malé Horky: Malkov Castle and Local History

Malé Horky is a destination whose local history is closely connected to Malkov Castle. The landscape, ownership history, and a former main road offer different ways to explore the history of the place. For your trip planning, this focus provides a thematic overview: you can consider the castle grounds, the connection between Malkov and Malé Horky, and the historic route separately. This distinction keeps the focus on Malé Horky without equating the village’s history with Malkov’s geographic location.

Malkov Castle: Location and Historical Context

Malkov Castle stands on a prominent spur above the Strenický potok; a neck ditch marks the boundary of its grounds. A spur is a projecting section of terrain, while the neck ditch demarcates the castle grounds. This highlights two distinct aspects: the location above the stream and the boundary marked by the ditch. Earthworks from a castle remain at Malkov, which lies between Strenice and Krnsko. This geographic context complements the close historical connection to the history of the village of Malé Horky without treating the two place names as interchangeable. The shape of the landscape and the demarcation thus provide two specific aspects through which the castle can be understood historically.

Ownership and Former Routes

The connection between Malé Horky and Malkov is also evident in their ownership history. In 1548, Malkov and the Malé Horky farm passed to Jan following a division of the estate. After this division, the owners of Malkov, who called themselves the lords of Malé Horky, changed frequently. The owners’ title refers to the place name; the division of the estate mentions Malkov and the farm. In 1574, Malkov Castle was described as abandoned. Ownership history and the castle’s condition can therefore be considered as distinct historical questions: one concerns the owners and the farm, the other the castle in 1574.

The former main road offers another historical perspective. It ran from Nymburk through the Strenické Valley, via Malé Horky, Pětikozly, and Katusice to Bezděz, and continued across the border to Žitava. This sequence of places puts Malé Horky within a broader historic route that extended beyond the village as far as Žitava. The road thus adds a spatial connection to the local history: while ownership records concern individual estates and owners, the former road linked several named places. Its classification as a former main road is an essential part of this historical perspective.

A Former Inn in the Village

A former coaching inn still stands in Malé Horky and is now used as a house. It is house no. 1, belonging to Mr. Čamler. Its former function and present use belong to different periods in the history of the same building: the coaching inn is part of local history, while its current use as a house represents a different function. Alongside the castle, farm, and route, a specific house also emerges as part of the history of Malé Horky. Malkov is associated with the castle and its location; house no. 1 is associated with the former coaching inn in the village.

Discover more destinations: Strašnov, Chocnějovice, Bradlec, Krásná Ves, Chudíř, Domousnice, Vlkava, Kobylnice

For the broader travel overview: Okres Mladá Boleslav.