Castle & fortressBratislava & Western Slovakia

Pajštún Castle: a Pálffy fortress left in ruins in 1809

Pajštún Castle (Pajštúnsky hrad, German Ballenstein) is a ruin at 486 m on the western edge of the Little Carpathians, above the village of Borinka in the Bratislava region. A medieval border castle later turned into a Renaissance fortress by the Pálffy family, it is a popular hiking goal for the people of nearby Bratislava.

In 1809 French troops blew up a castle that Italian architects had rebuilt only two centuries earlier, and today its ruined gate and carved masks are a favourite hike for people from Bratislava.

WhereAbove Borinka, near Stupava and Bratislava, Little Carpathians, western Slovakia

TypeRuined medieval and Renaissance castle at about 486 m above sea level

Best forHikers, castle-ruin enthusiasts and day-trippers from Bratislava

Getting thereOn foot from the church in Borinka (a red-marked path, about 30 to 40 minutes), or from Stupava-Obora or Košarisko

The history of Pajštún Castle

The exact origins of Pajštún are unclear. Some historians consider it the same castle as the one documented as Stupava, since it stands above that town, though it lies outside the town's administrative territory. Others place its beginnings in the last third of the 13th century, when Rugerius of Tallesbrunn is said to have ordered it built. It belonged to a regional system of castles that defended the north-western border of the Kingdom of Hungary. The original name was probably the German Peilenstein, and Pajštún is thought to be a corrupted form of it. One of the first records of the castle, or of the village below it, comes from 1314 in connection with its owner Otto of Telesprun. Many sources wrongly give 1273 as the first mention.

The castle certainly existed before 1390, when Sigismund of Luxembourg gave it as a hereditary property to Peter Szentgyörgyi. After the family died out in the 16th century the castle passed to Gáspár Serédy, and around 1550 to Eck Salm, a loyal servant of King Ferdinand I and head of Pozsony county. A modern Renaissance fortification, supported by a massive round bastion for cannon, was completed in 1550. In 1592, with the consent of Emperor Rudolf II, Miklós Pálffy paid off the pawned castle. After his death in 1600 his widow Mária Fugger and their three sons received it by royal donation, and when the family property was divided in 1619, Pajštún went to Pál Pálffy.

The castle was in poor condition and the Ottoman threat was looming, so Pál Pálffy had it rebuilt between 1640 and 1645. He entrusted the work to the best Italian artists and builders available in the Habsburg monarchy, led by the engineer Filiberto Luchese, and the rebuilding fundamentally transformed the original 13th-century core. Residential buildings were rebuilt and a further outer fortification added. Around the same time the manor house of Stupava was rebuilt too, and once it was finished the administration of the estate gradually moved there. The owners soon preferred more comfortable places, and the castle began to lose its importance.

A large fire in the middle of the 18th century, after lightning struck the castle, destroyed much of it. Only provisional repairs followed, although the castle was still inhabitable for a time. Then came the Napoleonic Wars. French troops occupied Bratislava and its surroundings, and although castles like Pajštún had lost their strategic role by the 19th century, they blew it up in June 1809 during the campaign against Vienna. The ruins stayed in the hands of the Pálffys and later the Károlyis. The last owner, Lajos Károlyi, abandoned his properties here, including the ruins of Pajštún, in 1945.

Curiosities about Pajštún Castle

The Slovak name Pajštún is probably a corrupted form of the original German name Peilenstein.
Some historians believe Pajštún is the same castle as the one recorded as Stupava, even though it stands outside that town's territory.
Italian engineer Filiberto Luchese led the reconstruction of 1640 to 1645, which transformed the 13th-century core of the castle.
The entrance building once had three oriels on consoles, decorated with early Baroque masks; carved masks dated 1619 can still be seen on the surviving consoles above the entrance.
In June 1809 French troops blew up the castle during the campaign against Vienna, ending its life as a building.
The last owner of the castle, Lajos Károlyi, left it behind together with his other estates in 1945.

Tours near Pajštún 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

See details ›

Military Guns Shooting Experience with GunMates Bratislava

★ 5 (44 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

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

★ 5 (36 reviews) · 2 h

See details ›

Private Day Trip to Banska Stiavnica Unesco Site

★ 5 (32 reviews) · 10 h

See details ›

Visiting Pajštún Castle

The usual starting point is the church in Borinka, where there is a car park; a red-marked path begins opposite the church, and the climb takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
Other marked paths lead to the castle from Stupava-Obora and from the tourist point of Košarisko in the Little Carpathians protected landscape area.
Walls survive in fragments around the central courtyard, with window openings, oriels, entrances and relieving arches. The most striking details are the consoles of the former gallery above the entrance with late Renaissance masks.
Look for the half-round cannon bastion in the north, the brick cistern on the upper platform and the remains of the gate.
The castle lies in the Pod Pajštúnom nature reserve. Nearby places on this site include Biely Kameň (about 9 km), the Chapel of Saint Rozália and the Kamzík TV Tower (both about 10 km).

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

Map: where Pajštún Castle is

Photos of Pajštún Castle

Questions

Where is Pajštún Castle?

Pajštún Castle stands at 486 m on the western edge of the Little Carpathians above the village of Borinka, close to Stupava and Bratislava in western Slovakia.

How do you walk to Pajštún Castle?

The common route starts at the church in Borinka and follows a red-marked path; the climb takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Paths also lead up from Stupava-Obora and Košarisko.

Who built Pajštún Castle?

The origins are unclear, but it dates from the last third of the 13th century and may have been ordered by Rugerius of Tallesbrunn. The Pálffy family transformed it between 1640 and 1645.

What happened to Pajštún Castle?

A fire in the mid-18th century destroyed much of it, and in June 1809 French troops blew it up. It has been a ruin ever since.

What does the name Pajštún come from?

It is probably a corrupted form of the original German name Peilenstein. The German name used today is Ballenstein.

What can you see at the ruins?

Wall fragments around the courtyard, a half-round cannon bastion, a cistern and remains of the gate with decorated consoles and carved masks.