Šišov – Church, Hillfort and Manor House

Šišov brings together sacred history, archaeological traces and a historic park landscape within a compact thematic area. At the centre is the Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross: it was completed in 1781, and its tower was added in 1821. Above Šišov, the church stands at the centre of a fortified hillfort. Here, you therefore encounter different layers of time – from the church building and the former fortification to the pottery shards that document Slavic settlement from the 8th to the 10th century.

Church and hillfort as a historical focus

The church is noteworthy not only because of its age. The main altar dates from the period when the church was built and features a columned design with wooden angel figures. In conjunction with the hillfort above the village, this creates a clear cultural focus for your stay in Šišov: architecture, religious art and early settlement history belong here to the same landscape, without their individual meanings being confused with one another.

The hillfort itself is described as a fortified site above Šišov. The pottery shards found there point to Slavic settlement between the 8th and 10th centuries. This classification also makes the site interesting for travellers who, in Slovakia, are looking not only for representative buildings but also for visible evidence of older settlement areas. The church serves as the present-day architectural reference point within the hillfort.

Leidenfrost Manor House and Park on the Livina

A second focus is the Leidenfrost Manor House. The manor house and its associated park are listed as national cultural monuments under ÚZPF number 2188. The building has two storeys, is characterised by Classicist features and was built on older foundations. The combination of a Classicist form and an older structural base gives the manor house a different historical significance from the church and the hillfort.

The historic park lies east of the manor house in Šišov, on both banks of the Livina stream. Entire avenues of coniferous trees were planted along the paths, especially spruces, firs and larches. As a result, the park has a clearly designed landscape structure in addition to its listed-monument context. The open meadow areas in the park of the manor house and park of Šišov are currently used for sports and physical education activities. The historic setting and present-day use thus stand directly side by side here.

Access and cycling route

Two access directions are documented for finding your way to the manor house: from the north, you reach it via a local road, and from the south via an access road through a chestnut avenue. A cycling route also runs through Šišov. Those visiting the village as part of a bike tour can therefore also regard it as a stop along a longer ride.

If you would like to compare other destinations in addition to Šišov, you can also open Brezolupy, Pochabany, Slatina Nad Bebravou, Haláčovce, Pravotice, Borčany, Kšinná and Veľké Chlievany.

For the higher-level travel overview: Bánovce Nad Bebravou.