Castle & fortressEastern Slovakia & Spiš

Ľubovňa Castle: the border fortress that kept Poland's treasure

Ľubovňa Castle (Ľubovniansky hrad) rises on a limestone hill above the town of Stará Ľubovňa in northern Spiš, on the left bank of the Poprad river. A medieval border stronghold, later a Renaissance fortress and noble residence, it is now partly ruin and partly restored museum, with an open-air village museum at its foot. It is a rewarding stop for anyone exploring the Spiš and Pieniny region.

For 360 years this Hungarian castle was governed by Poland, and in 1655 the Polish crown jewels were smuggled here to hide from the Swedes. They stayed for six years.

WhereStará Ľubovňa, northern Spiš, Prešov Region, Slovakia

TypeMedieval border castle rebuilt as a Renaissance fortress; today a museum

Best forHistory lovers, families, and anyone curious about Polish-Hungarian links

Getting thereThe castle stands above the town centre of Stará Ľubovňa; a walk of about half an hour from the centre, or a short drive to the car park

The history of Ľubovňa Castle

Ľubovňa Castle stands on a limestone hill 548 metres above sea level, looking down on the Poprad river and the town of Stará Ľubovňa. It began as a border stronghold guarding the trade routes towards Poland, and historians still disagree about exactly when and by whom it was founded. Some sources point to around 1280 and a Polish prince named Bolesław, others to an order by King Andrew III in 1294, and others to the early 14th century under King Charles Robert. The oldest parts, a round tower and a Gothic palace, belong to this first phase. The first written mention comes from 1311, when the castle appears as Liblou. By 1312 it was in royal hands, after Charles Robert defeated the magnates who had held it.

The year 1412 changed its fate. In March, Sigismund of Luxembourg, King of Hungary, met the Polish king Władysław Jagiełło at the castle and the two rulers agreed a pact of friendship and peace. Eight months later, needing money for his wars, Sigismund pledged the castle together with 13 towns of Spiš to Poland in return for a loan of 37,000 Prague groschen. The debt was never repaid, and the pledge lasted until 1772. Hungary kept nominal ownership, but Polish starostas governed from the castle, appointed officials and collected the taxes. For about 360 years Ľubovňa was the seat of the administrators of the Polish part of Spiš.

In the 15th century the Hussite wars damaged the castle, and the spread of artillery made its old walls obsolete, so bastions and towers were added. In 1553 a great fire nearly destroyed it. The rebuilding, finished by 1557, turned it into a modern anti-Ottoman Renaissance fortress and a comfortable residence, with a water pipe laid for the first time. From 1591 the Polish Lubomirski family held the post of starosta for more than 150 years and extended the complex further, with a chapel and a third courtyard added in 1647. In 1655, when Swedish armies swept through Poland, the Polish crown jewels were brought here from Kraków and stayed until 1661. In 1658 the Polish parliament named the castle one of six fortresses to be maintained at state expense, and in December 1683 King John III Sobieski stopped here after his victory at Vienna. In 1768 the adventurer Maurice Benyovszky, later king of Madagascar, was held prisoner in the castle.

After the First Partition of Poland in 1772 the area returned to Hungary and the castle lost its role. It served as barracks and storage, and in 1819 it was sold to the Raisz family, who later passed it to the town. In 1883 it was bought by Count Zamoyski, whose family owned it until the end of the Second World War; during the war the Gestapo held captured partisans here. After 1945 the state took it over, and it briefly housed a school. The local museum took charge in 1956 and opened the castle to the public in 1966, and archaeological research has been under way since the 1970s.

Curiosities about Ľubovňa Castle

The Polish crown jewels spent six years here, from 1655 to 1661, hidden from the Swedish army after being moved from Wawel Castle in Kraków. Today the chapel holds a permanent exhibition of copies.
Although the castle belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary on paper, it was run by Poland for 360 years, a pledge that began as a temporary loan.
In 1768 the future king of Madagascar, Maurice Benyovszky, was imprisoned here; he was a famous adventurer whose life reads like a novel.
An underground torture chamber has survived in the castle, along with rooms that still have barrel and Prussian vaults.
A mighty small-leaved lime tree in the grounds, with a trunk about 4.5 metres in circumference, is estimated to be 350 to 400 years old.
The access road is lined with an avenue of 23 horse chestnut trees, which are protected.

Tours near Ľubovňa Castle

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

Private Hiking Tour Visit to Slovakia with Licensed Guide

★ 5 (75 reviews) · 6 h

See details ›

Day Hike with a Local Mountain Guide in High Tatras

★ 5 (6 reviews) · 8 h

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Enchanting Levoča: Love Amidst Historic Grandeur

2 h

See details ›

Echoes of History: Levoča Legendary Stroll

2 h

See details ›

Visiting Ľubovňa Castle

The preserved part of the castle houses a museum with a history exhibition, period furniture and weapons, and an exhibition on the Zamoyski family, the last owners.
The castle chapel shows copies of the Polish crown jewels, recalling the six years the originals were kept here.
Just below the castle lies the Museum of Folk Architecture of the Spiš Region, an open-air museum with traditional buildings.
Access is on foot from the town centre in roughly half an hour, or by car to the car park below the castle. Check the current opening hours before you go.
Other places on this site nearby include Plaveč Castle (about 13 km), Červený Kláštor (about 22 km) and the pilgrimage basilica on Mariánska hora (about 31 km).

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

Map: where Ľubovňa Castle is

Photos of Ľubovňa Castle

Questions

Where is Ľubovňa Castle and how do you get there?

Ľubovňa Castle stands on a hill above the town of Stará Ľubovňa in northern Spiš, Slovakia. You can walk up from the town centre in about half an hour or drive to the car park near the castle.

Why did Poland rule Ľubovňa Castle?

In 1412 King Sigismund of Hungary pledged the castle and 13 Spiš towns to Poland in exchange for a loan. The pledge was never redeemed and lasted until 1772.

Were the Polish crown jewels really kept at Ľubovňa Castle?

Yes. During the Swedish invasion of Poland in the 1650s the jewels were moved here from Kraków and stayed from 1655 to 1661. Copies are on show in the castle chapel.

How old is Ľubovňa Castle?

The castle was founded in the late 13th or early 14th century, and sources differ on the exact date. The first written mention dates from 1311.

What can you see at Ľubovňa Castle?

The museum has a history exhibition, period furniture and weapons, and an exhibition on the Zamoyski family. There is also the chapel with copies of the crown jewels and an open-air museum below the castle.

Who was imprisoned at Ľubovňa Castle?

In 1768 the adventurer Maurice Benyovszky, later king of Madagascar, was held prisoner here.