Šariš Castle: a royal ruin that gave its name to a region
Šariš Castle (Šarišský hrad) is a ruined Gothic and Renaissance fortress on a 570-metre hill above the town of Veľký Šariš, a few kilometres north-west of Prešov in eastern Slovakia. It is one of the oldest and largest castles in the country, with a massive donjon, a ring of bastions and views that reach the High Tatras, and a rewarding walk for anyone looking for things to do near Prešov.
A cone-shaped hill above the Torysa valley has been settled since the Neolithic, and its royal castle was so important that a whole county and region, Šariš, took its name from it.
The history of Šariš Castle
The cone-shaped andesite hill above Veľký Šariš attracted settlers long before any castle. Archaeologists have found traces of life here from the Neolithic, the late Stone Age and the Bronze Age (13th to 11th century BC), then again from around the turn of the era to the 4th century AD, and once more from the 10th to the 12th century. The stone castle was built in the 13th century, apparently after the Mongol invasion of 1241, when King Béla IV ordered a programme of new fortresses. It is first recorded in 1245 as castrum Sarus. Its task was to guard the north–south trade route through the Torysa valley, and from the beginning it was a royal castle, a residence for kings when they stayed in Šariš. When the county of Šariš took shape in the 1340s, the castle became the seat of its counts, and both the county and the region took their name from it.
In the early 14th century the castle was seized by the Aba (Omodej) family, enemies of King Charles Robert, who added residential and farm buildings and strengthened the defences. Their captain Demeter is said to have terrorised the surrounding towns and loyal nobles. After the Battle of Rozhanovce in 1312 the castle returned to the crown. In 1436 it was pledged to the Perényi family, who later received it as a permanent gift. Between 1441 and 1460 the mercenary leader Jan Jiskra and his captains held it; after a failed siege, King Matthias Corvinus regained it by agreement and gave it back to the Perényis, who extended the castle once more and ringed it with a new wall.
After the Battle of Mohács in 1526 the Perényis sided with John Zápolya in the contest for the Hungarian throne, and in December 1536 they occupied Košice. An imperial army besieged and took Šariš in 1537, and provincial authorities moved here from the royal house in Košice. Fear of Ottoman raids led to a stronger defence system, and the Habsburgs rebuilt the castle as a mighty military fortress with a permanent garrison of about 200 foot soldiers and a sizeable arsenal. Between 1538 and 1556 its administrator was the humanist Georg Wernher, who had the buildings repaired. Šariš became the centre of the Habsburg part of the region from the Tatras to the Tisa.
In 1642 the Rákóczi family acquired the castle and lived in a splendid mansion in the settlement below. In 1660 a gunpowder store exploded and badly damaged the whole complex; afterwards it served only to house soldiers, and in 1687 it burned down and was never rebuilt. After the death in exile of Francis II Rákóczi, the estate passed through the female line to the Aspremont family and later to the Szirmays. Today the castle is a ruin on a hill protected as a nature reserve, and volunteers have cleared the grounds of scrub.
Curiosities about Šariš Castle
- Both the former county and the traditional region of Šariš are named after this castle, which served as the original county seat for several centuries.
- The heart of the castle is a prismatic donjon measuring 13.2 by 13.2 metres, with walls 4.5 metres thick, and the outer wall carries fourteen bastions with firing slits.
- Finds of Neolithic pottery and a cast bronze brooch show that people lived on the hill thousands of years before the stone castle was built.
- Beer was brewed at the castle and in nearby Veľký Šariš as early as the Middle Ages, and a guild record from 1506 contains a special privilege for brewers. The modern Šariš brewery recalls this tradition with its Smädný mních (Thirsty Monk) brand.
- From the top of the donjon you can see the High Tatras, the Levoča Hills, Čergov and the Slanské vrchy, as well as the ruins of the Kapušany and Kamenica castles.
- The whole castle hill has been a national nature reserve since 1964, and the castle itself a national cultural monument since 1963.
Tours near Šariš Castle
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting Šariš Castle
- The fortifications survive, including the bastions, and the barbican with its double gate, drawbridge and moat is still traceable. The partly rebuilt donjon holds a small exhibition on one level and is visited with a guide.
- A paved road leads up to the castle and doubles as an educational trail; it can also be cycled. A yellow-marked hiking trail climbs from Veľký Šariš, and there is a car park with toilets at the southern foot of the hill.
- The ruins are a popular walking destination for people from Prešov, so expect company on fine weekends. Check the current opening hours before you go.
- Other places on this site nearby include the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, the Dubník transmitter, the Basilica of St Giles and Plaveč Castle, all within about 35 km.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Šariš Castle is
Photos of Šariš Castle
Questions
Where is Šariš Castle and how do you get there?
Šariš Castle stands on a hill above Veľký Šariš, a few kilometres north-west of Prešov. A paved road and a yellow-marked trail lead up from the town, and a car park lies at the southern foot of the hill.
How old is Šariš Castle?
The hill was settled from the Neolithic onwards, but the stone castle dates from the 13th century. It is first recorded in 1245 as castrum Sarus.
Why is the region called Šariš?
The former county and the traditional region both take their name from the castle, which served as the county seat for several centuries.
What happened to Šariš Castle?
A gunpowder store exploded in 1660 and badly damaged the castle, which afterwards housed only soldiers. It burned down in 1687 and was never rebuilt.
What can you see from the donjon?
The views reach the High Tatras, the Levoča Hills, Čergov and the Slanské vrchy, and the ruins of the Kapušany and Kamenica castles are also visible.
Is Šariš Castle suitable for a short walk?
Yes. A paved road, which also serves as an educational trail, leads to the castle, and the ruins are a favourite walking spot for people from Prešov.
Also nearby
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
Prešov · Baroque cathedral with an iconostasis and a Shroud copy
8 km away
Dubník Transmitter
Slanské vrchy · 318 m mast, Slovakia's tallest structure
25 km away
Basilica of St Giles
Bardejov · Gothic basilica with eleven original winged altars
28 km away
Plaveč Castle
Plaveč · ruined castle that escaped demolition in 1715
33 km away