Castle & fortressBratislava & Western Slovakia

Biely Kameň: the White Stone castle ruin in the Little Carpathians

Biely Kameň (White Stone) is the ruin of a Gothic castle on a wooded hill above the town of Svätý Jur in the Pezinok district, in the Little Carpathians north-east of Bratislava. It is a national cultural monument that is freely accessible on foot, a quiet hidden gem for walkers and for anyone looking for castles near Bratislava.

A castle named White Stone lies hidden in the woods above a wine town near Bratislava: it was a seat of the counts of St George for centuries and is now watched over by volunteers, who stabilise its crumbling walls.

WhereWooded hill above Svätý Jur (Neštich district), Pezinok district, Bratislava Region, western Slovakia

TypeGothic hilltop castle in ruins, a national cultural monument

Best forWalkers, castle explorers and anyone who likes quiet ruins away from the crowds

Getting thereOn foot from the centre of Svätý Jur along marked forest paths; the castle lies about 1 km from the town

The history of Biely Kameň Castle

The story starts across the valley. In the 9th century a hillfort stood near the later Neštich district, and in 1209 the territory of Svätý Jur passed to the Hont-Poznan family, who made the old fortress their seat. By the middle of the 13th century the large hillfort was no longer a suitable residence. The family, which now used the title of St George and later split into the branches of Svätý Jur and Pezinok, built a new stone castle on the opposite side of the valley. Tradition names Count Abraham I as the initiator, and the Tatar raids of 1241 and 1242 are seen as the spur for building it.

The first written record of Biely Kameň dates from 1271, when it was taken during the campaign of King Ottokar II of Bohemia into the Kingdom of Hungary. At the end of the 1280s the army of the Habsburg Duke Albrecht I attacked it, and in 1385 it was captured again in the campaign of the Moravian margraves. In its early days the castle had a main residential tower, a palace, farm buildings and a wall above a dry moat. In the second half of the 14th century the great-grandchildren of Abraham I rebuilt it in Gothic style and added an outer castle, which created a well-fortified fortress with several towers, larger storerooms and an extended palace with a chapel.

An inventory made in 1412, when property was divided between the two branches of the family, describes the castle: two towers, a large one in the middle and a smaller one, buildings in two rows along the long sides of the courtyard, and a chamber, a palace and a chapel with a cellar below. The inner castle had a single gate on the north-east side, topped by a bastion, with a bridge across the moat. Local noble families kept Biely Kameň until their male line died out in the 16th century. King Ferdinand I then took it over and leased it to one of his military commanders, expecting an Ottoman advance, but inspections in 1554 and 1560 already found it in considerable disrepair.

In the 17th century the castle belonged to the Pálffy family, but the long overdue repairs were never made, particularly after the owners built themselves a mansion in Svätý Jur. The castle served as a prison and as a store for wine, food and tools. After Crimean Tatars, raiding in the service of the Ottomans, devastated Svätý Jur in 1663, it was abandoned for good. It became a cultural monument in 1963 and a national cultural monument in 2002, yet only a few heavily overgrown remains survive. Since 2020 the volunteer association Castrum Sancti Georgii has worked to stabilise the walls and conserve the ruin.

Curiosities about Biely Kameň

The name means White Stone in English. It became the standard form only in the 1980s, and the castle is also known as the St George Castle (Svätojurský hrad) and the Neštich mansion.
The castle replaced an older hillfort from the 9th century that stood on the opposite side of the valley, near the Neštich district.
Ceramic water pipes connecting the castle with the town of Svätý Jur have been found on the site.
The bastion above the north-eastern gate was popularly called an erkel.
An inventory from 1412 lists a chamber, a palace and a chapel with a cellar beneath them, and a baker's house among the farm buildings along the outer wall.
Since 2020 volunteers of the association Castrum Sancti Georgii have been looking after the ruin, with the aim of stabilising its walls, which are at risk of collapse.

Tours near Biely Kameň

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

5-Course Small-Group Bratislava Food Tour with Local Guide

★ 5 (47 reviews) · 3.5 h

See details ›

Military Guns Shooting Experience with GunMates Bratislava

★ 5 (44 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

Bratislava Off the Beaten Path Tour - recommended also by Rick Steves

★ 5 (36 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

Private Day Trip to Banska Stiavnica Unesco Site

★ 5 (32 reviews) · 10 h

See details ›

Visiting Biely Kameň

The ruin lies in the forest above the Neštich part of Svätý Jur. From the centre of the town follow a marked path and then turn onto a hiking trail; the castle is about 1 km from the town.
The ruins are freely and publicly accessible. The best preserved part is the short eastern wing with remains of a Gothic brick vault, and an extensive vaulted cellar survives on the north side of the courtyard.
Much of the castle is heavily overgrown and some walls are unstable, so keep to safe areas and respect any signs placed by the volunteers.
Wear sturdy shoes for the forest paths. Check the current conditions of the trails before you go.
Other places on this site nearby include Pajštún Castle (about 9 km), Kamzík TV Tower (about 12 km), Červený most (about 13 km) and Aspremont Palace (about 14 km).

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Biely Kameň is

Photos of Biely Kameň

Questions

Where is Biely Kameň and how do you get there?

Biely Kameň is a castle ruin on a wooded hill above Svätý Jur, near Bratislava in western Slovakia. You reach it on foot from the centre of the town along marked forest paths, about 1 km.

Is Biely Kameň free to visit?

The ruins are a national cultural monument and are freely and publicly accessible. Because some walls are fragile, it is wise to be careful and follow any signs.

How old is Biely Kameň?

The castle was built before 1271, when it is first mentioned in writing. It was probably founded after the Tatar raids of 1241 and 1242 by the counts of St George.

Why is Biely Kameň a ruin?

The castle was already in disrepair in the 16th century, and after Crimean Tatars devastated Svätý Jur in 1663 it was abandoned for good. The owners had built a mansion in the town instead.

Who looks after Biely Kameň today?

Since 2020 the volunteer association Castrum Sancti Georgii has worked to stabilise the unsafe walls and conserve the ruin.

What can you see at Biely Kameň?

You can see remains of the upper castle walls, the eastern wing with a Gothic brick vault and a large vaulted cellar. The forest setting is part of the charm.