Castle & fortressBratislava & Western Slovakia

Gýmeš Castle: the ruined Forgách stronghold on Dúň hill

Gýmeš Castle (also called Jelenec Castle) is a ruined medieval stronghold on the steep quartzite hill Dúň, 514 metres above sea level, on the southern slope of the Tribeč range. It stands about 5 km north of the village of Jelenec near Nitra and is a prominent landmark of the wide surroundings, reached only on foot.

A castle that twice beat off the army of the King of Bohemia ended up as a quarry for a factory: in 1833 its roof was taken down to be reused for a sugar works in the village below.

WhereDúň hill in the Tribeč mountains, about 5 km north of Jelenec, Nitra district

TypeRuined hilltop castle of the Forgách family, with the remains of a Baroque chapel

Best forHikers, ruin explorers and history fans who like quiet places

Getting thereOn foot along marked trails from Ladice, Kostoľany pod Tríbečom or Jelenec; the castle lies about 14 km from Nitra Castle

The history of Gýmeš Castle

Gýmeš Castle was built in the 13th century, most likely between about 1253 and 1270, by Andrew, son of Ivanek (Ivánka), a member of the Hont-Pázmány family and the forefather of the noble Forgách family. The sources differ slightly on the date, but all place it after the Mongol invasion. The oldest core was a wall of early Gothic fortification enclosing a triangular courtyard, with a prismatic residential and defensive tower on the southern side. The castle proved formidable: it withstood the forces of King Ottokar II of Bohemia in 1271 and 1273. Towards the end of the 13th century another tower was added and palaces were built between the towers inside a shared fortification.

After Andrew's death in 1295 his descendants divided the castle between them, and Thomas, one of his sons, received the smallest part and built his own palace on the north-eastern side. In the early 14th century the castle fell into the hands of Matthew Csák of Trenčín, who ruled the western part of what is now Slovakia. After his death in 1321 it returned to the Crown and was later given back to the Forgáchs, who held it for centuries. Under their rule, from the 15th century, new palaces and extensive fortifications were built, and in the 16th century a large tower with a trapezoid plan and a cylindrical tower were added at the entrance.

The early modern period was turbulent. In 1576 the Ottomans took and damaged the castle. Higher forced labour and taxes led in 1610 to a peasant revolt, which the lords suppressed with force. Sigmund Forgách, Palatine of Hungary from 1618 to 1621, had the damaged castle repaired in 1613, but troops of Gábor Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania, set it on fire during a campaign of revenge in 1618 or 1619. Rebuilding followed, and bastion fortifications with gun bastions were added on the most exposed southern side after the Ottoman wars of the 1660s. During the Rákóczi uprising Simon Forgách sided with the insurgents, and in 1709 the emperor confiscated his estates and handed them to Paul Forgách of another branch of the family.

Gýmeš is one of the few Slovak castles where construction continued in the 18th century. Paul Forgách and his son of the same name converted the Gothic palace into a family crypt with four chapels, of which the chapel of St Ignatius of Loyola was the best known and the goal of annual pilgrimages. When a manor house was built in the village of Jelenec in 1722, the slow decline began, although the castle remained habitable into the 19th century. After a fire, Charles Forgách had the roof and its timbers removed in 1833 for reuse at a sugar factory in Jelenec, and after about 1840 the castle was deserted and fell into ruin. It was nationalised and handed to the state forest administration in 1950, and since 2011 the civic association Castrum Ghymes has looked after the ruin.

Curiosities about Gýmeš Castle

The castle withstood the troops of King Ottokar II of Bohemia in 1271 and again in 1273.
In 1833 Charles Forgách had the roof and timbers taken down so that they could be reused in building a sugar factory in Jelenec.
Gýmeš was one of the few castles still being built on in the 18th century, when the Gothic palace was turned into a family crypt with four chapels.
The chapel of St Ignatius of Loyola was the best known of them and drew annual pilgrimages.
The Hungarian Wikipedia article records a folk tale of Balázs Forgách, a royal cupbearer, who was rewarded with the castle for mortally wounding Charles the Little and was later a victim of revenge; folk poetry preserved the story.
The castle is mentioned in Hungarian literature: the Hungarian article lists János Arany's poems Daliás idők and Toldi szerelme among its poetic references.

Tours near Gýmeš Castle

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

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Military Guns Shooting Experience with GunMates Bratislava

★ 5 (44 reviews) · 2 h

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

★ 5 (36 reviews) · 2 h

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Private Day Trip to Banska Stiavnica Unesco Site

★ 5 (32 reviews) · 10 h

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Visiting Gýmeš Castle

The castle can be reached on foot along marked hiking trails from Ladice, from Kostoľany pod Tríbečom, or from Jelenec, starting at the Remitáž pond.
On the ruin you can see surviving stretches of the outer wall and parts of the buildings and fortifications, with stone frames of windows and doorways still visible in several places.
The late Baroque chapel is recognisable by its wall divisions with double pilasters and profiled cornices, which once carried the vault.
Wear sturdy shoes, as the ruin stands on a steep hill. Other places on this site nearby include Oponice Castle (about 6 km), Zobor Abbey and Nitra Castle (about 12 to 14 km). Check access conditions and the latest information before you go.

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

Map: where Gýmeš Castle is

Photos of Gýmeš Castle

Questions

Where is Gýmeš Castle and how do you get there?

Gýmeš Castle stands on the hill Dúň in the Tribeč mountains, about 5 km north of the village of Jelenec near Nitra. It is reached on foot along marked trails from Ladice, Kostoľany pod Tríbečom or Jelenec.

Who built Gýmeš Castle?

It was built in the 13th century by Andrew, son of Ivanek, a member of the Hont-Pázmány family and ancestor of the Forgách family. The exact year differs between sources.

Is Gýmeš Castle the same as Jelenec Castle?

Yes. The ruin is also known as Jelenec Castle, because the village of Jelenec was called Gýmeš until 1948.

What can you see at Gýmeš Castle today?

Parts of the perimeter wall, the remains of the palaces and bastions and the ruined Baroque chapel. In several places the stone frames of windows and doorways have survived.

Why was Gýmeš Castle abandoned?

After a manor house was built in Jelenec in 1722, the castle slowly declined. The Forgáchs left it in the 19th century, and the roof was taken down in 1833 for reuse at a sugar factory.

Who looks after the ruin today?

The civic association Castrum Ghymes has looked after the castle since 2011. Earlier, limited conservation was carried out in the 1980s and 1990s.