In the 13th century, the Gothic Vartenberk castle was built on the site of a guard castle to protect the Zittau Záhvožď trade route. The founder of the castle was probably Markvart of Březno.
In 1563 the castle was rebuilt as a Renaissance chateau which was visited even by Emperor Franz Joseph I. in 1865. In modern history, the chateau served as accommodation for holidaymakers, however, later on it was devastated by the Soviet army and on September 11 1987, it burned down.The chateau has not been fully repaired yet and isn’t accessible to the public. On the opposite side of Zámecký vrch hill there stands the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, which is connected to the chateau by linden alley. At the highest point of Zámecký vrch hill used to stand a cross. A Baroque sculpture of St. Norbert of Xanten and a Marian column with two angels by K. Steyer can be found below the castle. On the railings there are sculptures of four saints from 1726.
References:The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.