Castles & fortresses
Hilltop castles, ruined strongholds and city gates across the Carpathians. Each one comes with its history, curiosities, a map and tours nearby.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
47 places
Banská Bystrica Castle
Banská Bystrica · walled church and barbican above the square
Beckov Castle
Beckov · rock ruin with a jester's legend above the Váh
Biely Kameň
Svätý Jur · Gothic castle ruin hidden in the forest
Blatnica Castle
Blatnica · Gothic ruin with a tower you can still climb
Brekov Castle
Brekov · limestone-hill ruin brought back by volunteers
Bzovík Fortified Abbey
Bzovík · Romanesque abbey rebuilt as a bastioned fortress
Čabraď Castle
Čabradský Vrbovok · ruined castle that the Ottomans never took
Čachtice Castle
Čachtice · hilltop ruins linked to Elizabeth Báthory
Červený Kameň Castle
Častá · Renaissance fortress built by the Fuggers of Augsburg
Čičava Castle
Sedliská · ruined hill castle with a legendary Book of Lies
City Tower (Trnava)
Trnava · Renaissance tower topped by a Madonna with two faces
Devín Castle
Bratislava-Devín · castle rock where the Danube meets the Morava
Divín Castle
Divín · Gothic castle ruin that spent 18 years under Ottoman rule
Dobrá Voda Castle
Dobrá Voda · Gothic ruin named after its springs
Dolná brána (City Tower)
Trenčín · last big relic of the medieval town walls
Fiľakovo Castle
Fiľakovo · ruined castle that was an Ottoman stronghold
Gýmeš Castle
Jelenec · ruined castle that lost its roof to a sugar factory
Jasenov Castle
Jasenov · ruined castle of counterfeiters and volunteers
Krásna Hôrka Castle
Krásnohorské Podhradie · hilltop castle that survived the 2012 fire
Laurinc Gate
Bratislava · vanished medieval gate marked by a hanging portcullis
Levice Castle
Levice · frontier castle of the Ottoman wars with a museum
Lietava Castle
Lietava · huge ruin saved by volunteers, a short hike from Žilina
Likava Castle
Likavka · Liptov's biggest castle, Hussite prize and county prison
Ľubovňa Castle
Stará Ľubovňa · border castle that hid the Polish crown jewels
Michael's Gate
Bratislava · the only surviving gate of the old city walls
Muráň Castle
Muráň · mountain ruin of a robber knight and a legendary lady
Nitra Castle
Nitra · Bronze Age hill that became a bishop's seat
Nový zámok
Banská Štiavnica · tower built against the Turks, now a museum
Oponice Castle
Oponice · ruined castle of the Apponyi family
Orava Castle
Oravský Podzámok · rock castle that played Nosferatu's home
Ostrý Kameň Castle
Buková · ruined fort on the old trade road to Prague
Pajštún Castle
Borinka · ruined castle near Bratislava, blown up in 1809
Plaveč Castle
Plaveč · ruined castle that escaped demolition in 1715
Plavecký Castle
Plavecké Podhradie · ruin that once housed a printing press
Považský hrad
Považská Bystrica · ruined eagle's nest of the Podmanitzkys
Pustý hrad
Zvolen · ruins of one of Europe's largest medieval castles
Šariš Castle
Veľký Šariš · vast royal ruin with 14 bastions and a view of the Tatras
Sklabiňa Castle
Sklabinský Podzámok · ruined county seat revived by volunteers
Šomoška Castle
Šiatorská Bukovinka · basalt castle ruin beside a stone waterfall
Strečno Castle
Strečno · cliff castle guarding the Váh gorge
Tematín Castle
Lúka · ruined castle on a forested ridge, reached only on foot
Topoľčany Castle
Podhradie · tower ruin on a rock, where the Hussites never came
Trenčín Castle
Trenčín · rock fortress of Matthew Csák and a legendary well
Turňa Castle
Turňa nad Bodvou · ruined hill castle with a bastion 5 m thick
Vršatec Castle
Vršatské Podhradie · ruined rock castle above the Váh valley
Zborov Castle
Zborov · ruined Šariš castle of the Rákóczis and a legendary devil
Zvolen Castle
Zvolen · Anjou hunting castle with a painted ceiling and Rubens