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Valdek is a castle ruin in the municipality of Chaloupky in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The name is probably derived from two German words: Wald (the forest) and Eck (a widespread part of places' names, meaning rock formation).
The castle was built around the middle of the 13th century (first written mention comes from the year 1263) by an aristocratic Buzic family. In 1623 it was described as abandoned.[1] Passing centuries left only ruins, dominated by a still standing large round tower (bergfrit), built during the second half of the 13th century.
In 1926, the area around the castle became part of the Military training area Jince. The castle itself was still accessible (except during manoeuvres). After 1950, no access was allowed. After 1989, it became possible to visit the castle again but tourists were not allowed to stray from the road to the castle.
References:The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.
Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.