Pirkstein Castle is one of the most recognizable fortresses in Warhorse Studios' beloved historical RPG, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, serving as a homebase for protagonist Henry while the story is anchored in Rattay, but it's also a real-life landmark of Bohemian medieval history. Pirkštejn Castle is a 14th century Gothic castle situated in the Posázaví region of Central Bohemia. It's changed hands a bunch of times in the 675 years since its construction and suffered significant damage due to a fire in the 15th century, peasant revolt in the 17th century, and general neglect, but it still stands, weathered as it is, in defiance of the decaying effects of centuries gone by.
Preservation efforts, funded by private donations, local parishes, and European governments, began in earnest in 2025, with an aim to restore the castle's iconic bell tower, which had been in "critical condition" according to two of the key organizers. Today, Warhorse Studios announced that it's chipping in $65,000 toward restoring the castle thanks to a recent Steam sale.
"During Steam's Medieval Fest, we pledged to donate $1 for every copy of KCD sold," reads a tweet from the official Warhorse Twitter account. "Thanks to you, our incredible community, we've donated over $65k towards the preservation of Pirkštejn Castle. You made this possible. From both Warhorse and Pirkštejn, thank you."
Kingdom Come: Deliverance has always been a series with a heavy focus on historical realism, and its story, world, and characters are made stronger and more captivating by the real-life events that inspired them. Warhorse definitely deserves its flowers for putting its money where its mouth is and giving back to Bohemian history in such a big way.
According to an official Bohemian tourism webpage, there are actual trails surrounding the real-life Pirkštejn Castle "inspired by the iconic game from Warhorse Studios," so it's clear the love is mutual between the game's developers and whoever's on the Central Bohemian tourism board. You love to see a symbiotic relationship that benefits pretty much everyone, from history nerds to people who play games to game developers to government officials trying to get people to visit their country. Henry would be proud.