ORAVA CASTLE

Large and well-preserved castle is towering on a steep limestone hill right by the village at 112 metres over the level of the river Orava, about 10 kilometres from Dolny Kubin. The castle is a national culture heritage.

Orava Castle, before the centre of Orava area, was founded in the 13th century on the place of older settlement. The oldest historical notes of it come back to the year before 1235 when it had been the king's property. Orava Castle together with the surrounded Orava lands were alternately property of royals and rich squires. The Thurzos turned the castle into a today's look. Their renovation of the building made the castle become one of very important edifices of Renaissance period. In 1800 the castle burnt down and was badly damaged. The last owner Jan Palffy had been rebuilding the castle until he died. He focused on collecting activity - he was buying the objects presented in European auctions. He bequeathed a valuable collection based on natural surrounding with rich set of art and history objects. The last and most complex renovation of the castle took place as late as in 1953 -1968.

There are many legends connected with the castle. According one the owner of the castle - knight Donca - was very cruel to his servants and subjects. Once holding a sword his wife took a side of two maids and he got so angry with he that he grabbed the sword and stabbed her to death. It was pointless to ask her for forgiveness. Her ghost then kept appearing to haunt him. It still appears in the castle twice a year at nighttime - on Palm Sunday and All Souls' Day.

Orava Museum is based in the castle where there are archaeological, natural science and ethnography expositions installed. A museum dedicated to Hviezdoslav is a literature and biography exposition situated in a historical building of Caplovic library. The exposition offers its visitors complex view over the life and work of P.O. Hviezdoslav. His rich literature work is presented by written and photography documents supplemented by original souvenirs of the poet's work in Dolny Kubin including furniture in his office. Nearby the museum there is a house where Hviezdoslav spent most of his life; as well as a cemetery where he is buried.

The library dedicated to Caplovic belongs to the most precious historical scientific libraries in Slovakia. Its founder was Vavrinec Caplovic from Jasenova, who donated it to Orava Chair in 1839. It is the only survived building in Slovakia that was built originally in purpose of a library and therefore it is cultural heritage. There are more than 84000 book units stored in depository of Caplovic library, among which there are valuable works of Slovak, European and worldwide library culture, a collection of the first prints (the oldest from 1467, in a catalogue of prints from the 16th century 1408 bibliographic units are recorded). There is a rich representation of other century's prints. A collection of hand written works consists of 280 handwritings from the 15th to the first half of the 19th centuries. Fine art collection contains approx. 1200 free graphic sheets and original drawings. Maps, atlases and geographic literature comprise over 2500 library units.