Castle & fortressCentral Slovakia

Muráň Castle: the 935-metre ruin of the Venus of Muráň

Muráň Castle (Muránsky hrad) is a ruin on the hill of Cigánka, at 935 metres the third highest castle in Slovakia, above the village of Muráň on the southern edge of the Muránska planina National Park. Founded in the 13th century to guard a trade route, it is tied to a robber knight, a famous noblewoman and some of the best-known legends of the Gemer region.

A robber knight raided from it, a noblewoman called the Venus of Muráň tricked her way into it and a poet wrote an epic about it: Slovakia's third highest castle has seen it all.

WhereAbove the village of Muráň, Gemer, central Slovakia

TypeRuined mountain castle on the hill of Cigánka, 935 m above sea level, in the Muránska planina National Park

Best forHikers, history and legend lovers and anyone who enjoys mountain castle ruins

Getting thereAbout 9 km north-west of Revúca; the castle is reached on foot by marked trails from Muráň and other starting points

The history of Muráň Castle

Muráň Castle was built in the 13th century as a royal castle, probably soon after the Mongol invasion of 1241, on a rocky spur with a wide view over the valley of the Muráň river to the south. Its task was to protect the road leading from Gemer to Liptov and Zvolen. It is first mentioned in writing in 1271, when King Stephen V gave it to a nobleman named Gunig. The castle was rebuilt in the first half of the 15th century, so we do not know how it looked in the beginning. By the time it was finished, the site was a great fortress: the area enclosed by its walls was about 500 metres long and 150 metres wide.

In 1440 Elizabeth of Luxembourg entrusted the castle to her mercenary captain Jan Jiskra, who greatly strengthened it, and his Hussite brethren held it until King Matthias Corvinus took it in 1462. Around 1500 it passed to the Tornally family. After the death of the owner in 1528 the guardian of his young son, Matej Bašo, took the castle for himself and turned it into the base of a gang that raided the region of Gemer, Spiš and Malohont. He is blamed for burning Levoča and Dobšiná and for destroying the Carthusian monastery at Kláštorisko. In 1549 imperial troops took the castle after a long siege and Bašo was killed. The events are described in the Song about the Castle of Muráň, one of the oldest surviving Slovak songs.

The castle's golden age began in the early 17th century with the Széchy family. After Thomas Széchy it passed to his son György, and after György's death in 1625 to his daughters. The most famous of them, Mária Széchy, was nicknamed the Venus of Muráň. In 1644 she and the commander Ferenc Wesselényi tricked her relatives, who held the castle for the Transylvanian prince, and passed it to the Habsburg side without a shot. They married, and Wesselényi became Palatine of Hungary in 1655. In 1666 he headed a conspiracy of magnates against the emperor, and after his death in 1667 Mária defended the castle for several more years until the army of Charles of Lorraine took it in 1670, after a siege of five days.

After 1670 the castle never again had an owner who could look after it. It was occupied by the rebels of Imre Thököly and later by Francis II Rákóczi's men, and fires in 1702 and 1760 damaged it badly. In 1720 it went to Count Stephen Koháry, and through marriage to the Coburg family, who owned it until 1945. The last inhabitant is said to have been an 84-year-old retired soldier in 1820. Cleaning work was done in 1972, and a larger reconstruction in 2005 added two viewing platforms and restored the gate.

Curiosities about Muráň Castle

At 935 metres above sea level, Muráň is the third highest castle in Slovakia.
The Song about the Castle of Muráň by Martin Bošňák, one of the oldest Slovak songs, tells of Bašo's rule and the taking of the castle, and the author is said to have taken part in the siege himself.
Mária Széchy earned the nickname Venus of Muráň, and the poet István Gyöngyösi, a guest at Wesselényi's court in 1663–1664, wrote a Baroque epic here about the lovers.
The castle inspired the poet János Arany, who wrote a heroic love poem about the siege, and Károly Kisfaludy, who wrote a play about it.
In the 1840s a Coburg prince built a tourist house next to the ruins, and the poet Sándor Petőfi scratched his name and the date 14 July 1846 into its gate; the inscription was later put under glass.
In the rock before the entrance gate there are regular grooves for the beams of wooden stairs, which are said to have had over a hundred steps.

Tours near Muráň 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

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Day Hike with a Local Mountain Guide in High Tatras

★ 5 (6 reviews) · 8 h

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

★ 5 (2 reviews) · 12 h

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Private Magic Christmas Tour in Bojnice

★ 5 (1 reviews) · 2 h

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Visiting Muráň Castle

The ruins are freely accessible. A short but steep climb of about 90 metres leads to the castle from the Zámok chalet (843 m), passing a Coburg memorial from 1883.
From the village of Muráň the red-marked Mária Széchy path climbs about 450 metres; other approaches start from Muránska Huta, Predná Hora and Veľká Lúka, where an educational trail also leads to the castle.
At the top you can see the Gothic entrance tower with a stone seat, Renaissance sgraffito decoration on one wall and the foundations of buildings spread across the large courtyard.
Wooden viewing platforms with railings and a covered rest area with benches make it easy to enjoy the views of the Muránska planina.
Nearby on this site: the Church of the Virgin Mary of Sorrows in Pohorelá (about 12 km), Krásna Hôrka Castle (about 41 km) and the churches of Levoča (about 49 km). Check local information about trail conditions before you set out.

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

Map: where Muráň Castle is

Photos of Muráň Castle

Questions

Where is Muráň Castle and how do you get there?

Muráň Castle stands on the hill of Cigánka above the village of Muráň, about 9 km north-west of Revúca. It is reached on foot, for example from the Zámok chalet on a short, steep path.

How high is Muráň Castle?

The castle stands at 935 metres above sea level, which makes it the third highest castle in Slovakia.

Who was the Venus of Muráň?

She was Mária Széchy, the noblewoman who owned the castle in the 17th century and married Ferenc Wesselényi, later Palatine of Hungary. After his death she defended Muráň against imperial troops until 1670.

Who was Matej Bašo?

Bašo was a robber knight who held the castle from about 1529. He raided the surrounding regions until imperial troops took the castle in 1549 and he was killed.

Is Muráň Castle open to visitors?

The ruins are freely accessible on foot, with viewing platforms and a covered rest area. Check local information about trail conditions before you go.

What happened to Muráň Castle in the 18th century?

Fires in 1702 and 1760 damaged it badly, and after the second one it was not rebuilt. By the end of the 18th century it was no longer inhabited.