The ruin is located in the Kamýk nad Vltavou municipality. The original simple bailey was expanded during the first half of the 13th century into a larger and more complex structure on the order of king Wenceslaus I, however, the project was only finished during the reign of his son, Ottokar II. For many years, the castle was a favourite recreational destination for Czech kings, who used it as a hunting lodge. John of Luxembourg was the last king who frequently resided here; once his son Charles IV had Karlštejn Castle built to better fulfil the requirements of a monarch of his calibre, Vrškamýk began to be used as collateral for loans taken from members of various noble families, and by the second half of the 14th century it was deserted.