The Vildštejn Castle (“Wildstone”, in German Wildstein) stands on low granite rock above the Sázek Brook in the south-western outskirts of the small town of Skalná. It was founded around the year 1200 and it thus belongs to the oldest manor houses in Egerland (German name for the district of Cheb). The owners Nothafts ranked among the most reputed families of ministeriales and post-ministeriales in Egerland.
From late 13th century, the castle owners were often changed. The castle acquired its present-day appearance in the course of reconstructions carried out in the 15th and 16th century. Finally, the factory owner Geipel bought the estate before the end of World War I and his successors owned the castle up to the end of World War II. Today, the object is in private hands again. After the reconstruction, the Romanesque castle and the manor house were transforming into a tourist centre with museums, congress centre and restaurant.
Fig.: Municipal Coat of Arms with stylized Vildštejn Castle
The Castle Rock is composed of medium-grained granite, which is part of the extensive Smrčiny (Fichtlgebirge) granite massif. Most of the massif area lies in Bavaria. Smrčiny granites solidified millions years ago in depth of several kilometres and at temperature of around 700 °C. From the melt rock gradually crystallized major components: feldspar, quartz and mica. These minerals give unmistakable grainy granite structure. Place of creation granite magma lay much deeper, from 20 to 40 km, and possibly even further in the earth's interior. By the collision of two large continents - Laurasia and Gondwana - arose before about 320 million years the Variscan Mountains. In the inner there originates a rock melts which melt slowly rose into the upper crust, where solidified. To the Earth’s surface came the granite after millions of years-long denuding of overlying rocks.
Fig.: The Vildštejn Castle 100 years ago
Granite Skalná belong to the older group of granites (called granites G1) that is old about 325 million years. Granites G1 form continuous 1-3 km thick plate in the crust. The supply of magma path (root zone) lies on the Czech side of the Fichtelgebirge/Smrčiny Mts.
Fig.: The Vildštejn Castle