Castle & fortressEastern Slovakia & Spiš

Jasenov Castle: a hilltop ruin above Humenné

Jasenov Castle (Jasenovský hrad) is a ruined Gothic and Renaissance fortress on a wooded limestone hill about 4 km south of Humenné in eastern Slovakia. The castle can be reached on foot in about half an hour from the village of Jasenov, and the effort is rewarded with views north over the Humenné basin. It is one of the best hidden gems in the Zemplín region.

In the 16th century a forger's workshop ran inside these walls, and its master was executed in Prešov in 1551. Today volunteers are slowly pulling the ruin back from the forest.

WhereAbove the village of Jasenov, about 4 km south of Humenné, Zemplín, eastern Slovakia

TypeRuined hilltop castle, Gothic and Renaissance, about 392 m above sea level

Best forWalkers, history lovers and photographers who enjoy quiet ruins and views

Getting thereOn foot from Jasenov or Humenné along marked trails; Humenné is reached by bus or train

The history of Jasenov Castle

Jasenov Castle stands on a steep, roughly cone-shaped limestone hill about 392 metres above sea level, around a kilometre from the village that gave it its name. It was most probably built after the Mongol invasion of Hungary in the 13th century to watch over the road leading from southern Slovakia towards Humenné and on to the north. The sources do not agree on the founders. Some name the Petény family, who raised the keep and the first defensive ring in the late 1200s, others mention the Gutkeled or Račkaj families, and a further version credits Master Peter, son of Peter Petényi, around 1300. In any case, Jasenov is unusual among the larger castles of the region: it was founded as the seat of a noble family and not on royal initiative. The first written record, as castrum Jezenew, dates from 1328 or 1330.

After an unsuccessful revolt by the Petény family, the castle passed in the 1310s to the Drugeth family, an originally Italian noble house favoured by King Charles I of Hungary. The Drugeths received it together with the nearby Brekov Castle, Humenné and the surrounding estates, and kept it until the 17th century. At that time the castle consisted of a palace, a square tower and a defensive wall around a roughly triangular plan. In the 15th century the walls were strengthened. Around the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries the threat from the Ottomans led to the building of cannon bastions with gun loops, above all on the west and south-west sides, and a bastion at the entrance gate. Further defences followed in the middle of the 16th century, and early in the 17th century the castle was ringed with artillery bastions of Italian type.

In the 16th century the castle also gained an unflattering reputation. Under Gabriel Drugeth, a secret workshop made counterfeit coins here, mainly Polish groschen, first from valuable metal and later from cheaper alloys. The master of the workshop, Nicholas, was exposed and executed in Prešov in 1551. In 1644, during the anti-Habsburg uprising of George I Rákóczi, the castle was captured and badly damaged. The Drugeths never rebuilt it, as they were already busy with a new Renaissance manor house in Humenné, and castles were in any case losing their purpose in the 17th century. In the 18th century the ruin belonged to the Csáky family and in the 19th century to the Andrássys.

The first major attempt at conservation came in the early 20th century, when Gejza Andrássy paid for repairs of the gatehouse and had the old tower and one bastion re-roofed. The outbreak of the First World War stopped the work, and by the late 1960s and early 1970s the roofs had rotted and collapsed. The castle was declared a cultural monument in 1963. Since 2011 the village of Jasenov and the volunteer association Združenie na záchranu Jasenovského hradu have been clearing vegetation, carrying out archaeological research and gradually conserving the masonry.

Curiosities about Jasenov Castle

In the 16th century a counterfeiters' workshop operated in the castle. Its master, Nicholas, was executed in Prešov in 1551.
Below the castle a passage about 15 metres long was cut into the rock. After two gentle bends it turns vertically upwards and ends two metres later, and nobody knows whether it was an unfinished escape route or an attempt to take the castle.
Unlike most large castles of the Upper Zemplín region, Jasenov was founded as the seat of a noble family rather than as a royal fortress.
Old postcards and photographs from the 1910s to about the 1960s are easy to recognise by the restored roofs on the tower and a bastion, which have since disappeared.
Count Gejza Andrássy once planned to turn the ruins into a hunting lodge; the First World War ended these ideas.
The castle was never rebuilt after 1644 because its owners, the Drugeths, were building a new manor house in Humenné instead.

Tours near Jasenov Castle

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

Full-Day Tokaj Wine & Cellar Tour from Kosice

★ 5 (8 reviews) · 5 h

See details ›

Discover Kosice Walking Tour with Cathedral Stop

★ 5 (1 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

Tour of Košice: Heart of European Culture and history! 3€ + tips

★ 1 (1 reviews) · 2.5 h

See details ›

The Eastern Slovakia Jewish Heritage tour

8 h

See details ›

Visiting Jasenov Castle

The ruin is freely accessible, and the surroundings have been cleared of overgrown trees. Entering is at your own responsibility, so wear sturdy shoes.
The easiest approach is the yellow-marked path from the village of Jasenov, about 30 minutes up and 20 minutes down. A blue-marked trail also leads from Humenné via Jasenov to the castle, and a longer green trail comes up from Krivoštany near Strážske.
Of the medieval castle, the walls of the palace and of the old tower survive, together with traces of Renaissance vaults, a Gothic round window and a semicircular Renaissance gate leading to the first courtyard.
From the castle there are fine views north over Humenné and its surroundings.
Brekov Castle, the older sister castle of the Drugeths, lies about 6 km away, and Čičava Castle about 13 km, both described elsewhere on this site.

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

Map: where Jasenov Castle is

Photos of Jasenov Castle

Questions

Where is Jasenov Castle and how do you get there?

Jasenov Castle stands on a hill about 4 km south of Humenné in eastern Slovakia, roughly a kilometre from the village of Jasenov. The easiest way is the yellow-marked footpath from the village, about 30 minutes uphill.

Who built Jasenov Castle?

The sources disagree. The Petény family is most often named, but other accounts mention the Gutkeled and Račkaj families. Later the castle belonged to the Drugeth family until the 17th century.

Why is Jasenov Castle a ruin?

It was captured and badly damaged in 1644 during the uprising of George I Rákóczi. The Drugeth owners did not rebuild it, because they had begun a manor house in Humenné.

What is the story of the counterfeit coins?

In the 16th century, under Gabriel Drugeth, false coins, mostly Polish groschen, were minted in a secret workshop in the castle. Its master, Nicholas, was executed in Prešov in 1551.

Can you visit Jasenov Castle freely?

Yes, the site is open to visitors and the hill has been cleared of excess vegetation. Entry is at your own risk, and restoration work by the village and a volunteer association is still going on.

What else is there to see near Jasenov Castle?

Brekov Castle lies about 6 km away and Čičava Castle about 13 km. Marked trails also lead on towards Vinné Castle and the Zemplínska šírava recreation area.