Maple Mountains (Javorníky), castles, chateaus

Renaissance mansion in the city centre of Bytča is one of the most important and architecturally most impressive feudal settlements in Slovakia. The National Cultural Monument consists of a Renaissance palace so-called Wedding Palace as well as economic and residential buildings. Originally there was a small castle built in the 13th century, belonging to the Bishopric of Nitra. In 1563 Francis Turzo took possession of the Bytča estate together with the castle. He built on the site of an old Gothic castle new castle - fortified complex multi-functional structures in the years 1571- 74. In the...

The ruins of the castle perk on the steep hill above Hričovské Podhradie. Originally, it was a Roman royal castle that stood at the road along the river Váh already before the Tatar invasion. It has been famous since 1265. It has been built on steep rangy rocky hill, on the left bank of the river Váh and it belongs among the oldest castles on the middle part of Váh. The castle is rather small and it is being built into the rocky uneven terrain. The first written reference about settlement on the territory of the Hričovské Podhradie dates back to the era of Matthias Corvinus. The castle...