Trenčín Castle

HISTORY - On the site of today's castle stood in the period of Great Moravia a fortress as the administrative centre of the adjacent region. Today's castle was built in the 11th century as a frontier fortress guarding the important weigh fords and important Carpathian passes, through which passed trade routes connecting the region of northern Hungary and Central Slovakia's mining towns with Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and Poland. In the following centuries, it became the seat of a border komitat, a royal and later a noble county. The most famous ruler and owner of the castle was Matúš Čák Trenčiansky, who made it the centre of his extensive domains with his own court. Trenčín Castle surpassed the royal court in its wealth and splendour.

THE STORY OF THE WALL OF LOVE - The Turkish pasha Omar resolved to free his beloved Fatima at any cost. The beauty was captured after one of the war expeditions at Trenčín Castle by the richest magnate of Hungary, Stefan Zápolský. The only way the Turk could buy her freedom was by accomplishing the most difficult task - digging a deep well in the castle rock. Enthusiastic and persistent, Omar dug the hard rock with his three hundred companions for three whole years. He sacrificed their lives in digging the well. The well of love made Trenčín Castle self-sufficient and therefore impregnable. With the words "Zapolsky, you have the water, but not the heart!" he took the beautiful Fatima home. On her departure, the veil of the liberated maiden is said to have caught on a bush at a bend in the road to the castle. The inn, which was built on this spot around the 16th century, was therefore called "The Veil". Today it is called "Fatima".

HOW TO GET TO THE CASTLE? Before you get upstairs - to the ancient castle premises with the amazing exhibits of the Trenčín Museum - first take a look at the unique written unique from the terrace of the Elizabeth Hotel. It is a Roman inscription from 179 A.D. carved into the castle cliff, which represents one of the few Roman written references north of the Danube. And then walk along the winding stone street past the Executioner's House and Fatima to the castle gate.

FARSH STEPS - Or, from under the town tower with the sleepy Trenčín Clock in the square, head to the castle via the extraordinary covered Parish Steps. Climbing the ninety-nine Renaissance stairs from 1568 will allow you to hear other stories and legends connected to the castle: About the Trenčín Kats, About the Secret Passage, The Case of the Dead Baroness, About the Hermit St. Svorad, About the Waterman.