Trenčín Castle

Trencin Castle is built on a high limestone hill; it dominates Trencin town and surrounding area. It was founded in a place of fortified settlement, which must have been fortified and equipped with castle objects because it had already been the king's guard castle in the 11th century.

Romans had already appreciated the advantageous position of the locality close to Carpathian passes and Vah fords. The evidence of it can be seen in a famous sign on the castle rock from 179 A.D. This commemorative note remembers victory of Caesar Marcus Aurelius and his stepson Commod over Kvads in 179 A.D. in Laugaricium. As the note in Latin says there had been 855 soldiers of the 2nd legion under a legate Miximilian's command fighting in Trencin.

The castle used to be a part of Hungarian border fortifications link as it had been guarding some important fords in the river Vah and Carpathian passes where business routes were crossing connecting the area of northern Hungary and mining towns in Central Slovakia with the Czechia, Moravia and Silesia and Poland. During the following centuries the castle became the seat of border committee, royal and later noble area.

The castle most significant period was Matus Cak's reign. A legend says that he is apparently buried under Matus's tower together with his sword and treasury. It is said that there is a secret entrance controlled by an old mechanism. Another legend talks about the Well of love. It had apparently been dug up by a Turk called Omar who was in love with captured Fatima. It was only when the water bursted out the castle owner Zapolsky let Omar and Fatima go free. In 1780 the castle burnt down and as ruins it have been dominating Trencin until the half of the 20th century, when its reconstruction started. At present time the castle is national culture heritage, a part of Trencin Museum.

Visitors to the castle will be attracted by exposition of historical furniture and feudalism, which is installed in Barbora's palace. Apart from that there are archaeological collections and findings reached during archaeological researches on the castle site. The expositions in the castle are open to public all over the year, daily except Monday from 9:00 a.m. till 12:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. till 5:00 p.m. The view from the castle over Povazie area is beautiful. In summer months the locality offers musical events, folk ensembles performance, performances of historical fencing group and night sightseeing of the castle.

Expositions: Feudal justice, Castle Well, Lapidarian, Owners' and captains' courts of arms, historical guns, family gallery of the Illeshazys, contemporary heraldic works in Slovakia

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