Hell at Houska Castle

Hell is a hand-carved wooden mechanical display inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, specifically its first part, Inferno. Measuring twelve meters long and two meters high, it features eleven moving scenes depicting infernal punishments for earthly sins. The work continues the craft tradition of Czech nativity-scene makers while remaining remarkably unique even by European standards. Since 2014, the display has been animated, soundscaped, and hand-carved. The exhibition is housed in a former carriage house on the first courtyard of Houska Castle and can be visited independently, outside the main castle tour, without a guide.

The project is the work of three creators: Tomáš Štěpán (originator and woodcarver), Jan Kopecký (puppeteer and theatre artist, lead carver), and Ing. Miroslav Konopásek (castle custodian, engineer, and operator of the infernal mechanisms). The project was created entirely from the creators' own resources and those of their friends, without public or European funding. The exhibition is open from April to October according to castle hours: in April and October weekends and holidays only; May to September daily except Mondays (10–17 h, July and August 10–18 h). Admission is 80 CZK, which directly supports further development and refinement of the scenes.

The castle is best reached by car from Blatce or Kruh; parking is approximately 700 m from the castle, a comfortable 10-minute walk to the castle gate.