Castle & fortressCentral Slovakia

Čabraď Castle: a ruined fortress in a reptile reserve

Čabraď Castle (Slovak: Čabraď, Hungarian: Csábrág) is a castle ruin on a hill above the Litava valley, near the village of Čabradský Vrbovok on the Krupina plateau in central Slovakia. The river loops around its hill, and the ruin is slowly being reclaimed by forest. It is a quiet destination for walkers, castle lovers and anyone exploring hidden gems in Slovakia.

The Ottomans tried again and again and failed to take it, yet in 1812 its own owners set it on fire. Today the ruin sits in Slovakia's richest reserve for reptiles.

WhereNear Čabradský Vrbovok, Krupina district, central Slovakia

TypeHilltop castle ruin inside the Čabraď national nature reserve

Best forCastle ruin hunters, walkers, nature lovers and photographers

Getting thereSouth-east of the town of Krupina; the easiest approach is from a car park in the Konské settlement, then by field and hiking paths

The history of Čabraď Castle

The story begins with an older stronghold called Litava, first mentioned in 1276 and standing about two and a half kilometres to the south-east. It declined after 1318 during the fighting against the magnate Matthew Csák. The castle on today's hill was built as its successor and took over both its estate and its name. It guarded an old road leading from Šahy past the castle to Bzovík, Krupina and on to the mining towns of central Slovakia. Originally royal property, it often changed hands during the early reign of Sigismund of Luxembourg and from 1394 belonged to the Kakas family. In the mid-15th century it was occupied for a time by the troops of Jan Jiskra, and in late 1461 it was besieged by the army of King Matthias Corvinus. After the rebuilding that followed, the modern form of the name spread, recorded as castellum Chabrad in 1469.

In 1511 the owner Urban Fánchy sold the castle and its estate for 1,000 gulden to Tamás Bakócz, Archbishop of Esztergom and one of the richest men in Hungary. Around 1520 he had the castle altered and extended. After his death in 1521 it passed to the Erdődy and later the Pálffy families. In 1547 the robber knight Melchior Balassa seized it, and in 1549 an imperial army under Nicolas Salm besieged it, causing heavy damage. By then the estate covered 34 holdings in the counties of Hont, Bars and Esztergom, partly occupied by the Ottomans, so the Pálffys had the castle repaired and its defences strengthened. The work continued under the commander Ján Krušič. Thanks to it, the Ottomans failed repeatedly to capture the castle, and it was an important anti-Ottoman fortress in the second half of the 16th century.

A lasting change came in 1622, when the Koháry family acquired the castle with the consent of Ferdinand II. The last rebuilding in the 17th century turned the inner castle into a comfortable noble residence. The Ottomans never captured it, but troops involved in the Hungarian noble uprisings did, and only after the Rákóczi uprising ended in 1709 could the Koháry family return. The old road through the Litava valley then lost its importance, and from 1744 the family built a new representative mansion in Svätý Anton, where the valuables were gradually moved. The old castle served only as a summer retreat. In 1812 Franz Josef Koháry had it burned down. According to the Slovak Wikipedia, the aim was to stop robber knights from occupying it.

When Franz died in 1826 the Koháry line ended in the male line, and through the marriage of the only heiress, Maria Antonia, the castle and its estate passed to Duke Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. A granary stood near the entrance gate until the late 19th century, and an urbarium of 1830 shows that the estate and the small settlement below the castle carried on. For most of the 20th century the ruin stood abandoned and overgrown. The hill and its surroundings were declared a national nature reserve in 1967, and after first conservation work in the 1990s the Rondel association was founded in 2000 to preserve the remaining parts step by step.

Curiosities about Čabraď Castle

The castle was first called Litava, after the river and the older stronghold nearby, and the modern name Chabrad is recorded from 1469.
Tamás Bakócz, who bought the castle in 1511, was Archbishop of Esztergom and one of the richest men in Hungary; he invested in its refurbishment around 1520.
In 1547 a robber knight, Melchior Balassa, seized the castle with his retinue; according to the English Wikipedia the king forced him out about a year later.
The Ottomans tried to take Čabraď several times in vain, yet the castle was set on fire in 1812 by its own owners, the Koháry family.
The castle hill is a national nature reserve, declared in 1967, with the richest occurrence of reptiles in Slovakia, mostly grass snakes.
A granary was added to the castle area in the 19th century, and it still appears as a functioning building on the last drawings of that period.

Tours near Čabraď Castle

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

Private One Day Tour to the UNESCO Heritage Village and The High Tatras from Bratislava

★ 5 (2 reviews) · 12 h

See details ›

Private Magic Christmas Tour in Bojnice

★ 5 (1 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

Bojnice Heritage and Nature : Private Walking Tour

2 h

See details ›

Bojnice’s Romantic Embrace Private Walking Tour

2 h

See details ›

Visiting Čabraď Castle

The ruin can be visited freely. The easiest approach is from a car park in the Konské settlement of Čabradský Vrbovok, followed by a walk along field and hiking paths. Another approach is from the Cerina junction on the I/75 road between Plášťovce and Veľký Krtíš.
The upper castle stood on the elongated summit with a residential tower, a large courtyard and three palace buildings; its entrance was on the north side through a three-storey gate, probably with a drawbridge. On the western side you can make out bastions and smaller towers of the outer defences.
The castle hill is surrounded by a meander of the Litava, which gave it natural protection and gives the walk its charm. Because it lies in a nature reserve, follow the marked paths and local rules.
Bzovík, a fortified abbey, is only about 8 km away, so the two sites combine well in one day. Nový zámok and the Church of St Catherine in Banská Štiavnica are roughly 30 km away. Check current conditions before you go.

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

Map: where Čabraď Castle is

Photos of Čabraď Castle

Questions

Where is Čabraď Castle and how do you get there?

It stands near the village of Čabradský Vrbovok, south-east of Krupina. The easiest route is from a car park in the Konské settlement, then along field and hiking paths.

Is Čabraď Castle a ruin?

Yes. The owners set it on fire in 1812 and it has decayed ever since. Conservation work began in the 1990s, and since 2000 the Rondel association has been preserving what is left.

How old is Čabraď Castle?

The older castle of Litava is first recorded in 1276. The present castle was built after it, took over its name and is recorded as Chabrad in 1469. It was altered and fortified in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Did the Ottomans capture Čabraď Castle?

No. Although they tried several times, the strengthened defences held. Hungarian noble rebel troops, however, did take it during the 17th-century uprisings.

Why is Čabraď famous for reptiles?

The hill and its surroundings form a national nature reserve, declared in 1967, with the richest occurrence of reptiles in Slovakia. Grass snakes are especially common.

What else can you see near Čabraď Castle?

The fortified abbey of Bzovík is about 8 km away. Nový zámok, the Church of St Catherine in Banská Štiavnica and Pustý hrad are within about 35 km.