Castles of Slovakia

Slovakia can be called “the Land of Castles”. There are regions in Slovakia like Spis district where you can see lots and lots of castles of historical value. Nowadays tourists come from different countries to see the sights of Slovakia and they like to stay in castles.

There are castles in Slovakia for different tastes: they are high and low, with ghosts and with nice cosy yards, gothic and renaissance, legendary and deserted.

If you like gloomy stories, Chakhtitsky Castle will be for you. There is a legend connected with this place about “the bloody countess”, Alzhbetha Baphora known as the bloodiest murderer in the history of mankind.

One of the most picturesque castles in Slovakia is the castle known as “the Red Stone”. It is situated in the region of the Small Carpathians in the west of the country. Besides its architectural value this place is famous for its very beautiful landscapes in the vicinity of the castle.

There is a unique castle in Beckov on the bank of the river Vag. It was built in the 13th century and rebuilt for the following 14- 16th centuries. It was besieged by the Turkey troops in 1599 and seriously damaged in the fire in 1729. Nowadays there are only ruins of the famous citadel on the hill of 100m high.

The pride of Slovakia is Spissky Hrad. It is mentioned in the list of the UNESCO World Heritage. The castle and the fortress at the same time in Spis is the largest advanced post in Central Europe. The castle together with the capital cap ( which was the residence of Slovakian bishops in the Middle Ages ) and the church of Zhegra of the 13th century constitute the common architectural ensemble.

There is a castle practically in every big city in Slovakia. There is a Bratislav Grad in Bratislava, dominating above the capital of Slovakia like a gigantic table which has been turned over. The castle in Trenchin gives the city the atmosphere of King Arthur’s epoch. There are also castles in Banska Bistryca, Zilina and Nitra.