Castle & fortressBratislava & Western Slovakia

Nitra Castle: the bishops' fortress on Castle Hill

Nitra Castle (Nitriansky hrad) crowns Castle Hill in the Old Town of Nitra, western Slovakia, and has been in use for some 3,600 years. Today the walled complex around St Emmeram's Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Nitra, a rare place where Great Moravian, Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque history stands within one set of bastions.

In a tower of Nitra Castle a prince was blinded, and a monk's curse is said to have plunged the town into two days of darkness – which old writings blame on a swarm of locusts.

WhereCastle Hill in the Old Town of Nitra, western Slovakia

TypeHilltop castle complex with cathedral and bishop's palace; seat of the Diocese of Nitra

Best forHistory lovers, fans of early medieval Slovakia and walkers who like old town views

Getting thereIn the centre of Nitra, on a hill about 220 m above sea level; Zobor Abbey is about 3 km away

The history of Nitra Castle

People fortified Castle Hill long before any bishop arrived. The first fortified centre here dates back to the Bronze Age, around 1600 BCE, and in the 1st century BCE the hill was settled by Celts. After a long gap the Slavs took it over, and from the turn of the 8th and 9th centuries it was permanently occupied. In the first half of the 9th century a wooden palisade protected the summit; later a massive rampart of two drystone walls with a timber-and-earth core replaced it, and it was destroyed before the early 11th century. The Principality of Nitra took shape on this spot, guarded on three sides by the river Nitra, and Prince Pribina's church probably stood here. It is linked with the oldest written mention of the town and the whole principality.

After the principality was joined to Great Moravia, Nitra became the seat of the prince, who went on extending the hillfort. In 833 Prince Mojmír I took over Pribina's power centre, and reliable written reports on the stronghold date from 871. The chronicle of Maurus from the middle of the 11th century already mentions the basilica of St Emmeram, which is still part of the complex. The stone castle probably grew out of the hillfort as the Kingdom of Hungary was formed, when Nitra was an important administrative centre. In 1074 the castle withstood the army of Emperor Henry IV, and in 1113 King Coloman founded a bishopric whose seat became Nitra Castle.

The Middle Ages were violent. In 1241, during the Mongol invasion, King Béla IV took refuge here for a short time; the horde could not capture the castle but plundered the abbey and destroyed its valuable archive. In 1271 the Bohemian king Přemysl Otakar II besieged Nitra, devastated the town and burned St Emmeram's church. In 1296 King Andrew III gave the castle and its surroundings to Bishop Paschal, who had the walls repaired, and the castle has belonged to the bishops ever since. In 1311 and 1317 the magnate Matthew Csák of Trenčín plundered Nitra twice, tore down fortifications, burned the cathedral archive and carried the relics of Svorad and Benedict off to Trenčín. Bishop Meško began a new cathedral in 1328, and the Gothic Upper Church dates from the 14th century. In 1465 the army of Matthias Corvinus laid the castle waste, and in 1471 the Polish prince Casimir chose it as his seat until Matthias retook Nitra the next year.

In the 16th century the Ottoman raids forced the bishops to strengthen the walls again; a Renaissance castle palace and a new inner gate were built. Even so, in 1663 the Turks took Nitra after the commander betrayed it, and held it until May 1664, when imperial troops drove them out; town and castle were devastated. Bishop Tomáš Pálffy had the fortifications rebuilt by 1673, and the mighty walls have kept the form we see today. In 1704 Rákóczi's general Bercsényi captured the castle, and the insurgents held Nitra until 1708. In the early 18th century the Upper Church was rebuilt and the Baroque Bishop's Palace added. The castle then lost its military role and has served as a church centre ever since.

Curiosities about Nitra Castle

The square Vazil's Tower is tied to a legend: Vazul, a nephew of King Stephen I, is said to have been held here after being blinded, and the monk Fulgentius cursed the town so that two days of night would fall. Old writings do record two dark days, but blame a plague of locusts.
Castle Hill is thought to have held the church of Prince Pribina, which is linked with the oldest written mention of both the town and the Principality of Nitra.
The complex once covered the whole castle hill and the upper town, an area of about eight and a half hectares.
In 1530 General Katzianer carried the bishops' treasures to Vienna, including a precious reliquary of the Nitra patron saints that never returned.
In 1471 the Polish prince Casimir chose Nitra Castle as his seat when part of the nobility called him to the Hungarian throne instead of Matthias Corvinus.
Since 1296 the castle has belonged to the bishops of Nitra, and the bishop's office still works inside the walls.

Tours near Nitra Castle

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

From Bratislava: Nitra, Stiavnica, Bystrica Guided Day Tour

★ 4.4 (27 reviews) · 10 h

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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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Visiting Nitra Castle

The core is St Emmeram's Cathedral: the oldest part is the Romanesque church of St Emmeram, joined by the Gothic Upper Church from the 14th century and the Lower Church from the 17th. The cathedral has been undergoing remodelling, so ask about access before you go.
The Bishop's Palace, Gothic in origin, has a late Baroque appearance dating from the 18th century. The complex is still the working seat of the diocese, so some areas may not be open to visitors.
Walk the long fortification circuit with its projecting bastions, mostly built in the 16th and 17th centuries; a smaller part is medieval, and the inner castle gate dates from the 16th century.
The hill sits right in the Old Town, so the castle is easily combined with a stroll through Nitra. Check the current opening hours before you go.
Other sites on this guide nearby include St Emmeram's Cathedral itself, Zobor Abbey and the Zobor transmitter (about 3 km) and the church of St Michael the Archangel (about 5 km).

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

Map: where Nitra Castle is

Photos of Nitra Castle

Questions

Where is Nitra Castle and how do you get there?

Nitra Castle stands on Castle Hill in the Old Town of Nitra, in western Slovakia. It is in the middle of the city, so it can be reached on foot from the centre.

How old is Nitra Castle?

The hill was first fortified in the Bronze Age, around 1600 BCE. Reliable written reports on the Slavic stronghold date from 871, and a stone castle developed in the Middle Ages.

What can you see at Nitra Castle?

The main sights are St Emmeram's Cathedral with its Romanesque, Gothic and later parts, the Bishop's Palace and the long fortification walls with their bastions. Vazil's Tower is tied to a well-known legend.

Who lives or works at Nitra Castle today?

The castle is the seat of the Diocese of Nitra, and the bishop's office is located inside the complex. It has belonged to the bishops since 1296.

What is the legend of Vazil's Tower?

Vazul, the nephew of King Stephen I, was said to have been imprisoned and blinded in the tower. A monk then cursed the town, and two days of darkness followed – although old writings put this down to locusts.

Did the Turks ever capture Nitra Castle?

Yes. In 1663 the Turks captured Nitra and held it until May 1664, when imperial troops drove them out. Afterwards the fortifications were rebuilt, and the walls stand today as they were then.