Tallinn, Estonia
1322
Tallinn, Estonia
1407-1410
Tallinn, Estonia
1597
Tallinn, Estonia
1718
Pärnu, Estonia
1797
Kuressaare, Estonia
18th century
Keila-Joa, Estonia
1831-1833
Kuressaare, Estonia
1654-1670
Tallinn, Estonia
1874
Pärsti, Estonia
1855
Vihula, Estonia
1782-1785
Roosna-Alliku, Estonia
1786
Narva, Estonia
1688-1691
Sangaste, Estonia
1879-1883
Padise, Estonia
1780
Helme, Estonia
1907-1912
Hiiumaa, Estonia
18th century
Vihula, Estonia
1753
Rakvere, Estonia
1670
Harjumaa, Estonia
1810-1813
Střekov Castle (Schreckenstein) is perched atop a cliff above the River Elbe, near the city of Ústí nad Labem. It was built in 1316 for John of Luxembourg, the father of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, to guard an important trade route to Germany. After changing hands several times, the castle was acquired by the Lobkowicz family in 1563. Its strategic importance led to occupations by Imperial Habsburg, Saxon, and Swedish forces during the Thirty Years' War, as well as successive sieges by Austrian and Prussian armies during the Seven Years' War.
Although Střekov Castle was heavily damaged during those conflicts and abandoned as a military installation by the end of the 18th century, the 1800s saw many poets and artists visiting the castle, drawn by a new trend of interest in romantic ruins.