Spissky Castle in Slovakia: photos and reviews from tourists. The most beautiful castles in Slovakia Castle - Cerveny Kamen

The Berzevich family estate was built on the territory of the wealthy village of Barka, which was located near the city of Kosice. Over time, this village became part of Kosice. The Berzevich Castle was built in the Baroque style in the second half of the 18th century. At the beginning of the 19th century it was rebuilt, and in the second half of the same century the palace received a neo-Gothic three-axial superstructure over the arcades. This was the favorite castle, or, as it was called in Slovakia, curia, of the landowner Berzevich. In principle, his family did not plan to get rid of their family nest, if not for the difficult 20th century, which made its own adjustments to the plans of wealthy aristocrats. But even in this case, the Berzevichs did not sell the castle, but after the First World War they rented it to Moshkovich, whose family did not let the estate become empty.

After World War II, the castle was turned into a hotel. Moreover, part of the premises was occupied by a grocery store. Subsequently, a post office was founded here, and then a grain warehouse. Before converting the palace premises into barns, the roof of the building was repaired.

At the end of the 70s of the last century, a restoration workshop was opened here, whose tasks also included the reconstruction of the old castle. However, this goal was set only in words, and no one controlled the workshop workers. Such neglect of the castle complex led to the fact that by the end of the 20th century the castle was abandoned. Probably, the dilapidated building could have simply crumbled over time if it had not been bought out in 1995. After four years of unsuccessful attempts, the Barka district administration was finally able to purchase this mansion. True, only in order to sell it profitably. Now the castle belongs to a private person.

Despite the fact that the Slavic state of Great Moravia existed on the territory of modern Slovakia back in the first millennium, at the beginning of the 10th the Slovaks came under the rule of the Hungarians, which lasted about a thousand years.

Almost all the castles and fortresses of Slovakia are connected with the history of this dominion: they were owned by the Hungarian kings and the prominent aristocracy of this kingdom.

Castles and fortresses of Slovakia are scattered throughout the country; most of them were built to protect the Hungarian borders from neighboring countries.

Spis Castle

The most picturesque and famous castle in Slovakia is located in eastern Slovakia in the historical region of Spis, 15 kilometers from the city of Levoch.

Spiš Castle is the largest in the country and one of the main national shrines of Slovakia. It is also included in the UNESCO list.

The first buildings of the castle, in particular one of the stone towers, were erected in the 11th century.

In the 13th century. The castle is complemented by a Romanesque palace and a new donjon, its walls are fortified. All this allowed Spiš Castle to successfully resist the enemy during the Mongol invasion in 1241.

Later, the fortress was further fortified and became the main defensive structure to protect against invasion by the Mongols.

In the 15th century Nizhny Grad was attached to the castle; it later became the property of the Zápolyai family, who added many new buildings to the building; it was here that the future king of Hungary, Janos Zápolyai, was born.

The castle was owned in turn by the most famous aristocratic families of Hungary: Iskra, Thurzo and Csaki.

The latter owned the castle until 1945, although it lay in ruins for a long time, having been destroyed by fire in 1780.

During the unified Czechoslovakia, restoration work began and many of the fortress buildings were restored. Nowadays Spiš Castle has the status of a national museum-reserve..

Ticket prices: 6 euros.

Center of Bratislava - Bratislava Castle

Bratislava Castle is located in the very center of the Slovak capital Bratislava.

It is believed that the settlement on the hill on which the castle is located arose several thousand years BC. During Roman times, there was a Roman fortification here, located on the border with the barbarians.

The history of the castle dates back to the times of Great Moravia, its first owners were Slavic princes.

After the conquest of the Slavs by Hungary, the building became the center of the province and the storage place for the royal regalia.

In the first half of the 15th century it was rebuilt by the Hungarian king Sigismund I in the late Gothic style. At the same time, a princely palace was erected inside the citadel.

In subsequent centuries, the castle underwent changes made by Italian architects invited by the Hungarian kings.

In the first half of the 17th century. it became the site of the coronation of Hungarian kings, since the former capital of Hungary, Buda, was captured by Turkish troops.

In the 18th century A new baroque palace, Teresianum, was built on the territory of Bratislava Castle. A little later, the castle fell into disrepair, an educational institution was located here, and in 1811 the building burned down and stood in ruins for more than 140 years.

The reconstruction of the castle took place in the post-war period, and the appearance of the 18th century was restored to it.

Operating mode: 9-17.

Devin

Devin Castle, or Devin Castle, is located on a high cliff at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers in the suburbs of the Slovak capital Bratislava on the border with Austria.

The place at the confluence of two rivers has long been of strategic importance; the first defensive structures on this site appeared in the 9th century, during the time of the medieval Slavic state of Great Moravia.

After the conquest of the Slovaks by Hungary, the fortress defended the borders of the Hungarian kingdom for many centuries. In the 15th century The Hungarians built a small Gothic castle on the cliff, to which a Renaissance building and new fortifications were later added.

In the middle of the 17th century. it became the property of the Counts of Palffy, who owned it for a century and a half.

During the Napoleonic Wars, Devin suffered greatly; in 1809, French troops blew it up, and since that time the once powerful fortress lay in ruins.

From the middle of the 19th century. the ruins of Devin became a tourist site; a century later, some of the castle buildings were restored. In 1984, the castle was opened to tourists.

Nowadays, the fortress is considered one of the national symbols of Slovakia due to its original Slavic origin.

The castle has preserved some interesting buildings and structures:

• Maiden's Tower;
• guard tower;
• a well, which was supposed to supply water to the defense of the castle during the siege;
• partially restored palace.

The castle’s two observation platforms offer breathtaking views of the surrounding area; from one of them you can even see the territory of Austria.

There is a permanent exhibition on the territory of the fortress. objects of antiquity and the Middle Ages, in the caves of Devin there are exhibitions dedicated to the history of the fortress.

Cost of visit: 4 euros.

Work schedule: 10-16 (November-March), 10-18 (summer months), 10-17 (rest of the time).

Bojnice Castle

Bojnice Castle is located in western Slovakia in the small town of Bojnice near the Strazovské Vrchy mountain range.

One of the oldest castles in Slovakia was built in the 12th century., a century later rebuilt in stone by the Poznański family, who then owned the fortress.

It later became owned by the Hungarian aristocrat Matus Csak and then became the property of King Matthias Corvinus.

In the 16th century the building was rebuilt in the then fashionable Renaissance style by its new owner Alexey Turzo. In the middle of the 17th century. Bojnice Castle came into the possession of the Palffy family, with whose name the future fate of the castle is connected.

The greatest changes to the building were made by Jan Palffy at the end of the 19th century; the aristocrat completely rebuilt the building in the spirit of the French castles of the Loire.

According to legend, Jan Palffy was hopelessly in love with a French aristocrat and tried to earn her attention in such a non-trivial way.

After the end of World War II, the fortress was nationalized and a museum was opened in it.

Bojnice Castle is called the “haunted castle”, it is believed that the ghost of the unhappy lover still haunts its walls. In honor of this, the International Festival of Spirits and Ghosts is held here every year.

From a historical and cultural point of view, the Florentine altar of the 14th century, located in one of the towers, is primarily of interest.

Besides, you should definitely see the Golden and Marble halls of the palace, the Chinese cabinet, the Marble room and other premises.

Ticket prices: 8 euros.

Orava Castle

Orava Castle is a castle located on a cliff above the Orava River near the town of Dolní Kubin in northern Slovakia.

One of the most picturesque castles in Slovakia is also one of the oldest in this country and is a wonderful example of Romanesque architecture.

Consists of three levels, the uppermost and oldest of them was founded back in the 13th century. The lower levels were built much later in the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

The first mention of the castle dates back to 1267., when construction of a stone citadel began on the site of an ancient wooden fortress. After 100 years, the zhupan, the governor of the region, settled in the castle.

For many centuries, the building became the residence of influential aristocratic families of Hungary, and the fortress itself became the most important defensive structure of the historical region of Orava.

At the beginning of the 16th century. A Renaissance palace is being built on the castle grounds through the efforts of the Thurzo family, who owned Orava Castle at that time.

In 1800 the castle burned down, at the end of the century, Joseph Palffy, who owned the Castle at this time, restored it with the addition of elements of romanticism.

Nowadays, there are several museums located on the territory of the fortress.:

• local history museum;
• ethnographical museum;
• Museum of Nature.

Orava Castle is particularly picturesque; for its location on a cliff more than 100 meters high, it received the nickname “eagle’s nest”.

The architecture of the castle attracts many filmmakers, for example, This is where the first Dracula movie was filmed.

Cost of visit: 7 euros.

Work schedule: 10-15 (November-March), 8.30-17 (May, September-October), 8.30-17.30 (June), 8.30-18 (July, August).

Lyubovnyansky Castle (Stara Lubovnya)

Lubovnja Castle is located in the town of Stara Lubovna in the north-eastern part of Slovakia on the border with Poland.

Lyubovnjansky Castle appeared in the 13th century.. According to some information, it is not of Hungarian, but of Polish origin: it was erected by the Polish king Boleslav to protect the borders from Hungary.

According to other sources, the fortress was built by the Hungarian king Bela IV in the settlements of German colonists.

As it were, in the 14th century the building belonged to the Hungarian kings, one of whom, Charles I Robert of Anjou, granted the fortress to the Frenchman Philip Druget, who was appointed supreme judge and first minister of Hungary.

At the beginning of the 15th century. As a result of the agreement between the kings of Hungary and Poland, Sigismund I and Wladyslaw II, the castle and the surrounding lands were transferred to Poland for more than 300 years.

In the middle of the 15th century. The structure, damaged during the Hussite wars, was rebuilt, new towers and bastions were added, in the 16th century. Italian architects renovated the castle premises.

From the end of the 16th century. Lubomirsky Castle was owned by the Polish aristocratic Lubomirsky family. After the first partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the castle and the surrounding area returned to the Kingdom of Hungary, part of the Austrian Empire.

The oldest buildings of the Castle are the most interesting for tourists.:

• Gothic part of the castle;
• round tower with loophole windows;
• Gothic chapel.

The museum is of great interest archaeological finds made on the castle grounds, a collection of royal jewels and objects preserved from the castle's centuries-old history.

Ticket prices: 4 euros.

Work schedule: 9-18 (May-September), 10-15 (October) daily, 10-15 (November-April, only on weekends).

Kezmar Castle

Kezmar Castle is located in the town of Kezmarok in eastern Slovakia in the High Tatras region.

Like many other castles, Kezmarski was built in the Middle Ages on the site of an ancient fortress. In 1465, the aristocrat Imrich Zapolsky received this area for use from the king, who erected a Gothic castle in the city of Kezmarok.

After 100 years, it came into the possession of the Laski family; the illegitimate daughter of the Polish king, Beata Koscielecka, who was married to the famous Polish and Hungarian adventurer and statesman Albrecht Laski, lived and was imprisoned here.

In his time, the castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. At the end of the 16th century. The building became the property of the Tekeli family, who subjected it to another reconstruction with the help of Italian architects.

At the end of the 17th century. The building was confiscated from its owners and transferred to city ownership; a warehouse, a military barracks, a city hospital and a factory were successively located here.

Since 1960 A comprehensive reconstruction of the castle began, which is still ongoing. Nowadays the castle houses a museum dedicated to the various periods of its history and the families that owned the estate.

Of great interest are:

• Hall of the Town Hall;
• rooms dedicated to the Tekeli family;
• castle chapel, built in Baroque style;
• exhibition of medieval weapons and knightly armor;
• exhibition of historical cars.

Ticket prices: 5 euros.

Zvolen Castle

Zvolen Castle is located in the town of Zvolen in the Banska Bystrica region of central Slovakia. It is located in the city center at the confluence of the Slatina and Grotin rivers.

Built for the Hungarian King Lajos the Great(Louis I in the Western European tradition) in the middle of the 14th century. in the tradition of Italian defensive architecture, it is believed that the architects were also Italian masters.

Initially, the Gothic castle did not have an important defensive role and was used as a royal hunting residence.

Subsequently, in connection with the growing Turkish threat to the Kingdom of Hungary, the castle was repeatedly completed and reconstructed and to the 16th century turned into an impregnable fortress.

At the beginning of the 19th century. The building became state property and administrative and government agencies were located here.

In 1944, Zvolen Castle became one of the centers of the Slovak National Uprising - an armed revolt of partisans against German troops and the Nazi government of Slovakia.

In the 60s of the XX century. it was reconstructed and housed the Slovak National Gallery.

The architecture of Zvolen Castle reflected numerous reconstructions and additions that took place in different architectural eras.

Renaissance towers, loopholes and bastions were attached to the austere Gothic fortress, the lower part of which has survived to this day in its original form. The central entrance and castle chapel in the 18th century. rebuilt in Baroque style.

Despite the heterogeneity of the buildings, it has retained its stylistic unity and is one of the best preserved castles in Slovakia.

The Slovak National Gallery, located within the walls of Zvolen Castle, has a large collection of paintings.

The first floor of the museum is dedicated to Gothic art, the second is dedicated to painting and sculpture of European masters of the 16th-18th centuries. In particular, there are paintings by Rubens, Veronese and other famous painters.

Work schedule: 10-17.30 (every day except Monday).

Entrance to the castle grounds is free.

Strečnjansky Castle

Strečnjansky Castle is located in northwestern Slovakia near the city of Zilina on a river cliff more than 100 meters high.

A powerful fortress on the banks of the Bar River was built at the end of the 13th - beginning of the 14th century. Matus Csak, a Hungarian tycoon and de facto ruler of western Slovakia.

Subsequently, it became owned by the Hungarian king, and then went through many owners, who rebuilt and improved it many times.

After the Protestant uprising under the leadership of Imre Tekeli at the end of the 17th century. the fortress was besieged and then destroyed troops of the Holy Roman Emperor and at the same time King of Hungary Leopold I.

For the next 200 years, the castle lay in ruins; the first restoration work began only at the beginning of the 20th century.

Reconstruction continues to this day, restored:

• citadel;
• main gate;
• main tower;
• Northern and Southern Palaces.

There is a historical museum within the walls of the fortress., dedicated to archaeological finds made on the territory of the castle.

Ticket prices: 5 euros to enter the museum, visiting the fortress is free.

Betliar

Betliar Castle-Estate is located in a national nature park near the town of Roznava in the Slovak Ore Mountains on the border with Hungary.

The original Renaissance castle on this site was built by the Hungarian aristocratic Bebek family, who owned the castle for three centuries.

At the beginning of the 18th century. Betliar became the property of the Andrássy family. Stefan Andrássy completely rebuilt it in Baroque style.

At the end of the 19th century. the building underwent another extensive renovation, adding a four-story extension and adding side towers.

The Andrássy family owned the castle until the end of World War II, after which Betliar became the property of Czechoslovakia and then independent Slovakia.

In 1985 the building was completely reconstructed and declared a national cultural monument. The park in which Betliar is located has been included in the UNESCO list of landscape gardens of world importance since 1977.

Since 1944, the castle has housed a museum, dedicated to hunting, weapons, historical castle interiors, portraits of the Andrássy family and ancient engravings.

The museum's collection consists of more than 25 thousand different objects, many of which are of great cultural and historical significance.

Ticket prices: 6 euros.

Work schedule: 10-18 (March-October). Monday is a day off; in winter it is closed to visitors.

Budatin Castle

Budatin Castle is located in the city of Zilina in northwestern Slovakia.

Founded at the end of the 13th century Matus Csak, a Hungarian aristocrat, with whom the fate of many castles in western Slovakia is closely connected.

In the 15th century it became the property of the Sunogov family, who owned it for 300 years and made significant changes to the layout and architecture of the fortress. The castle is surrounded by new fortress walls and a moat, the building itself was rebuilt in the Renaissance style.

Since the 16th century the building loses its defensive significance and becomes a classic aristocratic residence.

At the end of the 18th century. The castle was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 19th century, under the new owners, the Gakovtsev family. The building survived a severe fire, but was later restored.

After the end of World War II, like other castles in Slovakia, Budatin Castle was nationalized, in the 21st century a museum was opened within its walls.

Ticket prices: 3 euros.

Krasna Guorka (Krasna Gorka)

The Krasná Hórka complex is located near Roznava in the Slovak Ore Mountains.

A large defensive complex began to be built in 1320, the first mention of the castle dates back to 1333.

The Gothic castle, which was put into operation a century later, seemed insufficient to its owners, the Bebeks, so by the middle of the 16th century. 2 lower parts of the defensive complex were erected, which were completed by the new owners of the castle - the Andrássy family.

First of all, the castle was intended for protection from attacks by Turkish troops and their allies the Crimean Tatars. After the disappearance of the Ottoman threat, the building was rebuilt into a luxurious aristocratic residence.

At the beginning of the 19th century. he burned, in the first half of the 20th century its restoration began. After the war, the Andrassys lost control of the castle, it was nationalized and became a museum.

Castle Museum offers to visit an exhibition dedicated to the Gothic period in the life of the fortress; the second part of the exhibition is dedicated to the life of the aristocracy in the 18th century.

The local mausoleum also houses the mummy of Zsofia Seredy- the wife of one of the representatives of the Andrássy family.

Ticket price: 10 euros.

Operating mode: 8.30-16.30 (May-September), 9.30-14 (winter), 9.30-15.30 (other months).

Red stone

Castle Red Stone (Cherveni-Kamen) is located near the town of Modra in the western part of Slovakia at the foot of the Small Carpathian Mountains.

The castle dates back to the first half of the 13th century, when a powerful royal fortress was built, designed to guard the border with the Czech Republic. Subsequently, it became the property of the Thurzo family, who significantly expanded the citadel.

From the end of the 15th century. The castle became the property of the German magnates the Fuggers, who reconstructed the castle, remodeled its defense system and built cellars that were used to store wine.

The famous artist and graphic artist Albrecht Dürer, invited by the Fuggers, took part in the development of the new concept of the castle.

At the end of the 16th century. the building becomes the property of another famous Hungarian family - the Palffy family, its representatives owned the castle until the end of World War II. Afterwards it was nationalized and converted into a museum.

The collection of weapons in the castle museum is of great interest. and furniture belonging to various generations of the Palffy family.

Ticket prices: 5 euros.

Komarno Fortress

The Komarno fortress is located on the banks of the Danube in the city of Komarno in the southwestern part of Slovakia on the border with Hungary.

A defensive fortress on the banks of the Danube appeared in the 13th century., however, the modern Komárno fortress was built during the time of Matthias Hunyadi, nicknamed Corvinus (Raven) in the middle of the 16th century. Italian architects hired by Hunyadi were invited to build the fortress.

In the 17th century To protect against the Turkish threat, new bastions and walls were added to the fortress (the so-called “New Fortress”).

Unlike other castles, the Komárno fortress did not lose its significance with the advent of modern times.

By 1870, Komárno was considered the most important fortress of Austria-Hungary, its capacity reached 200 thousand soldiers. Nowadays, the fortress has been turned into a museum.

The fortress is located on both banks of the Danube, only one of them belongs to Slovakia, the second is in Hungary.

Thus, Komárno is that rare example of defensive structures that is located in two countries at once. Now the territory of the fortress has been turned into the Roman Lapidarium museum.

Ticket prices: 4 euros.

Despite the fact that Slovakia is a small state, its presence as part of powerful medieval Hungary left a large a cultural heritage that local residents can rightfully be proud of.

The castles and fortresses of Slovakia differ from the castles of Western Europe; many tourists come to the country every year to see them.

Slavic settlements appeared here only a few centuries later. By decree of one of the princes, a city was built on the ruins of a Roman fortress, the name of which, Devin, was first mentioned in the chronicles of 864.

During its long existence, the castle changed owners several times, gradually turning into a mighty fortress. But, like many military installations, Devin lost its strategic value and gradually began to become poor. The castle was finally cleared by Napoleonic troops. In the first half of the 19th century, during the rapid flowering of Slovak nationalism, there was a revival of Devin. It was made a point of patriotic pilgrimage.

But the castle was not always open to visitors. During Soviet times in Slovakia, excursions here were undesirable. The fact is that the castle is too close to the Austrian border and one Slovak calmly flew to it on a hang glider, jumping from the wall.

Today the castle has again become popular for country walks, since it was restored several years ago. The remains of the Roman fortress and the historical exhibition in the reconstructed palace wing attract the greatest attention of tourists. At the foot of the castle there is a wine-growing village of the same name, in which there are several restaurants, cellars and pubs.

Beckov Castle

Beckov Castle, located in the village of the same name in Slovakia, currently represents the ruins of what was once one of the most beautiful castles in the country. Its history began in the 13th century, when there was a wooden fortress on this site, built as a strategic post to protect the country's borders. In the 14th century, the castle belonged to King Sigismund's advisor, the aristocrat Štibor. During his reign, a stone fortress was built in the Gothic style. On the territory of the castle there was a chapel, the main decoration of which was the sculpture of the Black Madonna. The next owner of Banfi took over the castle in the 15th century and rebuilt it in the Renaissance style. After his death the castle was turned into a prison and barracks.

A terrible fire in 1729 destroyed the interior and roofs of the castle. The then owners did not undertake to restore the castle, and it gradually turned into ruins. In 1970, the Slovak Ministry of Culture declared Beckov Castle a national cultural monument. The castle ruins were reconstructed in the 1990s and are now open to visitors.

There is a museum here, which hosts rotating exhibitions on the history of the castle and the area. Various events are held on the castle grounds: costumed performances, beer and sausage tastings.

Castle - Cherveny Kamen

A 20-minute walk - and now you are standing on a hill in front of a huge building, surrounded along the perimeter by bastion towers, like guards. Construction of the castle began at the beginning of the 12th century. Until the 17th century, it performed its defensive functions, which over time ceased to be needed. In other words, in the 17th century the fortress lost its strategic importance, but its owners finally had the opportunity to take care of the interior of the castle. For this they even invited Italian artists.

Under the castle there are two impressive cellars. Such premises were usually created for storing products. However, these cellars were never used for their intended purpose - they stored the red stone from which the castle was made. This explains its name.

Depending on the month, you can visit the following events in the castle: “Craft Fairs”, “Historical Fencing Festival”, “Knight Games”.

In spring and summer, the castle hosts an exhibition of birds of prey. The collection of furniture and weapons is also interesting.

Sights of Bratislava

Most often, tourists come to Slovakia to ski or improve their health in a sanatorium. However, many admirers of historical beauty come to the country for the sake of architectural impressions: more than 170 castles from the Middle Ages have been preserved here, unfortunately in varying states. And all the buildings are different: there are luxurious palaces with Renaissance architecture, gloomy Gothic castles with a dungeon surrounded by parks, and modest cozy abodes.

In the Slovak city of Bojnice there is Bojnice Castle. The building is included in the list of national cultural monuments of Slovakia. At the end of the nineteenth century it acquired its modern appearance. Nowadays it houses a popular museum of the country.

The castle was first mentioned in 1113 in the business papers of Zobor Abbey. At first it was a wooden structure; over time, individual elements were replaced with stone ones, and the outer walls were adapted to the mountainous terrain.

King Wenceslas III of Hungary in 1302 handed the castle over to its first owner, Matus Csak, the de facto ruler of western and central Slovakia. In the 15th century, the castle was owned by the Hungarian king Matthias "Corvin" Hunyadi, who in 1489 gave the castle to Janos Corvin, his illegitimate son. Matthias loved to visit Bojnice and issue royal decrees, sitting under the tree now known as King Matthias' Linden Tree.

When King Matthias I died, the Zapolyai magnate family took possession of the castle. In 1528, Bojnice Castle was acquired by the wealthy Thurzo family. Having undertaken numerous reconstructions, they turned the original fortress into a Renaissance castle.

Next, the transformation of the castle was carried out by representatives of the Palfi family, who bought it in 1646. Two centuries later, the major reconstruction of Bojnice Castle, which lasted from 1888 to 1909, was carried out personally by Jan Palfi as an architect and designer. This is how the modern castle arose, very similar to the French castles of the Loire.

This reconstruction of Jan Palffy, a major collector of antique tapestries, sculptures and paintings, was inspired by his personal life. Palfi, who was in love with a French woman, invited her to marry. The aristocrat's daughter agreed, but did not move, since the castle was foreign to her. The building was rebuilt in the French style over the course of 21 years. During such a period of time, the girl managed to get married, but Jan Palfi remained single.

In 1939, Palfi's heirs sold the plot of land, along with the building and the hydropathic clinic, to Jan Antonin Baťa, head of the Baťa shoe concern. The Czechoslovak state confiscated Bati's property after 1945. All kinds of government institutions settled in the castle.

A fire that broke out in 1950 caused extensive damage. The country's government allocated funds for restoration. Later, a branch of the Slovak Folk Museum was located in Bojnice Castle. In addition, the romantic castle has become a favorite location for filming fairy tale films (“Cave of the Golden Rose”).

On the eastern outskirts of Kezmark is located Kezmar Castle. The first mentions are found in documents from 1447, when Jan Jiskra's garrison was located in the castle. In 1465, Imrich Zapolsky began the construction of a new late Gothic castle on this site. The castle was reconstructed in the Renaissance style in 1575. In the 17th century, the structure was rebuilt again by Italian architects.

Currently, the castle is open as a museum, visiting only in groups (minimum four people).

Near Roznava, near the village of Krasnogorske Podhradie there is Krasno Guorka Castle. Included in the list of national cultural monuments of Slovakia.

Around 1320, the noble family of Bebeks began construction of a castle, which was erected on the site of the former Gemer fortress, in which King Bela IV hid from the Mongol-Tatars. The castle rises on the mountain with the same name. Written mentions date back to 1333.

In the 16th century, the structure looked like a Renaissance fortress. The castle at different times belonged to noble Hungarian families: Mariassy, ​​Bebeki, Andrassy. In 1817 there was a fire. The Andrássy family partially restored it and founded a family museum, which opened in 1906.

According to the 1920 treaty concluded in Trianon, the castle and the surrounding territories became part of Slovakia. Until 1945, it was owned by the Hungarian aristocratic Andrássy family.

In 1961, Krasna Horka Castle was given the status of a national cultural monument of Slovakia. In 1992, the restoration of the castle was completed. Notable things in the castle are the collection of weapons, the interior of the castle kitchen, and the glass coffin of Zsofia Seredy.

In 2012, a strong fire occurred, probably due to the burning of dry grass. As a result of which the roof burned down, the museum collection was damaged. Museum staff saved 90% of the exhibits.

On the northern outskirts of the town of Stara Lubovna there is a castle Lyubovnyansky Castle. Presumably the castle arose at the end of the thirteenth century on the trade route to Poland as a border guard fortress. In 1280 it was erected by the Polish prince Boleslav, the first documentary mentions date back to 1311.

Along with other Spiš towns, in 1412-1772 the castle was given to Poland as collateral for the royal debt, legally remaining Hungarian, in fact Polish. The great fire of 1553 damaged the building, and in 1555 it began to be restored. In the 17th century the castle was again rebuilt and expanded. Currently, the Lyubovnjansky Museum is located there, the building is currently being restored.

In the Bansko Bystrica region, in the Revuca region, near the village of Muranj there is Murano Castle(or Murano Castle). Geographically, it is located in the Muranska Planina mountain range, in the national park of the same name, on Mount Tsyganka. This is the third high-mountain castle in Slovakia.

The castle was built in 1241 in the Gothic style, and is mentioned in documents since 1271. Hussite troops captured the castle in 1430. At the beginning of the 16th century, the owner of the castle was the palatine (high official) of Hungary, the viceroy of the king, the magnate Istvan Zapolyai. Detachments of Raubritter (robbers) repeatedly besieged the castle.

In 1644, Count Ferenc Wesszelenyi and his future third wife, Maria Ceszky, took possession of the castle. Over the course of the 16th and 17th centuries, the castle was rebuilt several times until it finally collapsed in 1760.

The entrance gate and part of the walls have been well preserved to this day.

In the ancient city of Nitra there is Nitrian Castle– national cultural heritage of Slovakia. It is located in the Tribeč mountain range at an altitude of 220 m and serves as the seat of the diocese of Nitra. The attractions of the castle complex are the Bishop's Palace and the Basilica of St. Emeram.

At the end of the eighth century, the Principality of Nitra began to form on the hill. The hill was protected on three sides by the river, and this was a very attractive factor for the construction of new fortifications. After the Principality of Nitra was incorporated into Great Moravia, the city of Nitra became an important administrative center, and the castle was significantly improved and expanded. The first written references, dating back to the eleventh century, describe the Basilica of St. Emeram.

The castle (by 1241 a fairly strong fortification) successfully resisted the Mongol invasion. In the 16th century, the fortress was strengthened against the Turkish invasion. A Renaissance-style palace and internal gates were built. In 1663, the Turks finally broke through the strong defenses and briefly conquered the castle.

In the 18th century the bishop's palace and the upper church were built. Fortifications, superstructures, and various reconstructions over the centuries have significantly changed the original appearance of the castle. The best preserved are the Emerama Basilica (13th century), partly the castle walls, the Upper Gothic Church (14th century), and the inner gate of the castle (16th century).

Lock Orava Castle located above Orava, on a cliff 112 m high, near the village of Oravsky Podzamok near Dolný Kubin. Included in the list of national cultural monuments of Slovakia.

In the 13th century, the castle was founded on the site of a dilapidated wooden fortification. Construction was completed in the 17th century. In 1370 it was recognized as the district castle of Orava. A palace was built on the territory of the castle in the 17th century. During the fire of 1800, the castle burned down and was later rebuilt.

After the completion of the complete reconstruction of 1953-1968, the castle houses an exhibition of the Orava Museum. The castle is open to tourists all year round, with the exception of January–March. Scenes from the early Dracula film were filmed here.

In the Štiavnické Vrhiv mountain range (central Slovakia), on the eastern slope of Mount Sitno there are ruins Sitnyansky Castle. In the 13th century it was a fortress that protected from Tatar attacks. The first written mentions date back to 1548 after royal troops took the castle from its owner, the robber baron Meliher Balazs. After reconstruction and significant strengthening in 1548-1552, the castle became an important element of the defensive system against the Turkish threat.

In 1629, the castle became the residence of the noble family of Kohari. In 1703, during the anti-Habsburg uprising of Ferenc Rakoczi, the castle buildings were captured by rebel troops and completely destroyed.

Near Spis Podhradie, fifteen kilometers from the town of Levochka, is the historical center of the Spis region, the largest castle in the country - Spis Castle. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is included in the list of national cultural monuments of Slovakia.

The castle rises on a tuff mountain 634 m high above the sea, the distance to the foot is about two hundred meters. In different areas, the castle walls are 20-40 meters high. Therefore, the castle was impregnable to enemies.

In these places, archaeologists excavated a site of the Bukovogorsk culture. The settlement of the Pukhovskaya culture dates back to the Iron Age. It rose above a rock mass surrounded by an earthen rampart on a stone frame. In the second century, such a substantial fortification was already abandoned. In the fifth and sixth centuries the Slavs came and settled nearby on Mount Drevenik.

From the tenth to thirteenth centuries, local wars rocked the Kingdom of Hungary. Spis Castle began to be built on the top of the mountain, on the site of a Celtic ashes in the eleventh century. The stone tower (11-12 centuries) became the center of the fortification complex. For that time it was enormous in size: in the center there was a column with a diameter of 3.4 meters. Wooden beams were inserted into special grooves in the column, in this way the tower was divided into several floors. In the 13th century, the tower collapsed due to weak earthquakes and has not survived to this day.

The first mention of Spis Castle dates back to 1209, at that time it was already the property of the Hungarian Crown. At the beginning of the century it was rebuilt and supplemented with a new donjon and a Romanesque palace. The castle garrison successfully repelled the attack of Batu's Mongols in 1241.

Upon his return from Austria, King Bela IV reconstructed Spiš Castle in 1242. Only the foundations of the palace and church have survived to this day. In the 13th century, during the period of ownership of the castle by Elisabeth Kumanska, Italian architects strengthened the defenses of Spis Castle. In 1312, the famous Matusz Csak tried to capture the castle buildings, but everything was unsuccessful.

In 1443, the castle was taken over by Jan Iskra, who added the Lower Castle to Spiš Castle. The castle in 1464 went to the magnate Zapolyai family. Representatives of the wealthy family erected many new buildings. Janos Zapolyai, the future Hungarian king, was born in Spis Castle.

From 1531 to 1635, the Thurzo merchant family became the owners of the castle (they traded copper throughout Europe). Alexey Thurzo bought several castles from the Crown. He closed the Romanesque gates, built new bastions, and made loopholes in the walls.

The long-standing wish of the Csak family came true in 1638, when Spiš Castle passed to them. The owners left the castle at the beginning of the eighteenth century. A terrible fire in 1780 turned it into ruins. After World War II, the authorities of the Czechoslovak Republic confiscated Spis Castle from the Hungarian Csak family. Currently, the fortifications are being restored.

Almost all castles in Slovakia house museums that preserve the history of the people from feudal fragmentation to the nineteenth century.

Most of our compatriots visit Slovakia for its ski resorts, trekking in the Tatra Mountains or treatment in local sanatoriums. But the country is famous not only for this. This ancient land contains many historical and cultural attractions. There are more than one hundred and seventy medieval castles in Slovakia alone! Therefore, the excursions will leave you with deep impressions. If you look at the castles of Slovakia on the map, you will notice that they are unevenly distributed throughout the country. There are especially many of them in the Spis region. Of course, the time of construction of the castles, as well as the degree of their preservation, varies. There are ruins of once proud feudal nests, and there are also lush palace and park complexes from the late Renaissance. This article is dedicated to Spis Castle. This is a castle inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Spissky Castle (Slovakia)

Of the country's one hundred and seventy castles, only six are included in the UNESCO list. According to reviews from tourists, both Betliar and Budmerice, as well as Zvolen, Devin and Mosovce are worthy of a visit. Somewhere there are ghosts, somewhere the glorious history of the region is frozen in stone. But the Spissky Castle castle in Slovakia is the most important. This is, as they say, “must see”, according to guidebooks around the country. He, like the Tatras, is from Slovakia and is often depicted on various souvenirs. By the way, the castle is located not far from the mountains. Climbing the hill that this citadel occupies, you can photograph the wonderful view of the white crown of the Tatras. You can also take great pictures when approaching Spiš Castle. Dolomite cliffs rise almost vertically to a height of 200 meters. The castle soars like an eagle over the town of Spisske Podhradie, hidden in the shadow of a hill.

Story

The castles of Slovakia have different origins. Some appeared as fortified villages, later abandoned by the inhabitants and turned into military strongholds. Others were built by the Hungarians as fortresses to defend against the Mongols. Still others arose as hunting lodges of barons or country villas of aristocrats. The history of Spis Castle is very interesting. The Dolomite rocks on which the castle now stands were inhabited ten thousand years ago. A Cro-Magnon skull was found here, but, much to the regret of modern tourists, the artifact was lost during the Second World War. At the turn of the era (2nd century BC - 1st century AD), the top of the rock was occupied by a Celtic settlement. Tourists claim that the ancient ramparts that surrounded the village can still be found. Later, for unknown reasons, residents moved to the nearby Drevenik Hill.

Appearance of the castle

The first monumental structure that laid the foundation for Spiš Castle itself was the stone donjon tower. It appeared at the turn of the XI-XII centuries. The tower had several floors. The lord's family lived here, as well as military guards. Tourists are shown the remains of the tower's foundations. The building itself has not survived. The tower was destroyed at the beginning of the 13th century as a result of an earthquake. But even then Europe was clearly aware of the threat emanating from the East. To protect his lands from the invasion of the Mongol hordes, the Hungarian king Bela IV ordered the fortification of the mountain and the construction of a border outpost on it. This is how the Spišský Hrad castle in Slovakia arose, which we can still see today. In particular, a palace and a round tower were built. The efforts of Bela IV were not in vain - in 1241 the Mongol-Tatars never took the stronghold.

Transformation into a royal residence

When the nomads returned to their steppes in 1243, Béla IV ordered Spiš Castle to be further strengthened. This is how the Upper Courtyard of the castle appeared with a three-story Gothic palace and a new tower called “Do not be afraid.” Judging by the style of this building, Italian architects were invited to build it. Tourists are advised not to be lazy and climb the spiral staircase to the observation deck of the tower - breathtaking views open up from there. Although tours of the Knights' Hall and the owner's rooms on the third floor are also interesting. At the end of the 13th century, the castle was owned by the regent and mother of King Laszlo IV Alzbeta Kumanska. And so it happened that the first persons of the kingdom began to live here. In the middle of the 15th century, the hetman of the Hungarian king Ladislaus, Postum Jan Iskra, ordered to expand the territory of the stronghold and strengthen it in accordance with modern technology to protect against a possible siege. This is how the Lower Yard appeared. During the Ottoman conquest, Spiš Castle in Slovakia was at the very center of events. Jan Zapolsky was born here. After the defeat of Lajos II at the Battle of Mohács, he became king of Hungary.

Excursions

Passing from the hands of one owner to another, the castle was constantly rebuilt in connection with the development of military art. In the middle of the 16th century, Spiš Castle was overgrown with mighty bastions, and its walls were cut through with special loopholes for cannons. In 1636, this stronghold passed to the Tssaki family, which owned it until 1945. At the end of the 18th century, there was a big fire in the castle. The owners considered it better to move to more convenient places than to rebuild the burned property. And in 1969, archaeologists began working in the castle, then restorers. In 1993, this was awarded the honor of becoming an object of world cultural significance. Now it houses a museum. It is, as the reviews say, interactive. Tours are conducted by knights, alchemists and princesses. And in the Lower Yard you can practice shooting with bows and crossbows. Theatrical battles and tournaments are often held on the territory of the castle museum.

How to get there

Spissky Hrad Castle in Slovakia is the largest and most visited. But from December 1 to February 8 it is closed to tourists. Its opening hours vary depending on the season. In March, the castle is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and in April until 6 p.m. It is best to come here in the summer - the museum is open until seven in the evening and seven days a week. Tourists say that tickets are sold at quite affordable prices. And on the first Sunday of the month, admission is completely free. The largest castle in Slovakia is located in the Presevo region. You can get to the town of Spisske Podhradie by train from Poprad. Buses go here from Levoč. If you come by car, you can park your car in paid parking near the museum. In the town under the rock there are many places where you can have a tasty snack, or even a substantial lunch. Tourists highly recommend the Spišský Salaš restaurant.