The Gutštejn castle is situated on the rock-bound pomontory over the stream Hadovka by Okrouhlé Hradiště in the Tachov district. The castle was founded around 1300 as a manor house of Lords of Gutštejn.
In 1489 died Burian The Rich, which had been highest chancellor of the Bohemia kingdom. Later his sons rebelled again the czech king and became famous in Bohemia and Bavaria as thieves and marauders. At that time the castle Gutštejn was used as a prison for captivated and kidnapped gentry.
Lords of Gutštejn owned the castle until 1549, when the castle was bought by Hanuš Elpognar of Bezdružice. In 1550s is the castle Gutštejn mentioned as deserted, after the 30years war it became a ruin.
The perimeter walls on the north, west and east side remind us the oldest history od the Gutštejn castle. The round corner tower is from the second half of the 14th century.
References:Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.