- Type
- Ruin
- Origins
- 12th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Style
- Romanesque architecture
- Heritage
- UNESCO World Heritage List
- Coordinates
- 49.0006°, 20.7683°
History
The castle rose on a limestone hill in the 12th century as a centre of royal power in the Spiš region, and in the 13th century a Romanesque palace and a mighty tower were built at the summit. Tradition says it held out against the Mongol invasion of 1241. In the 15th century it belonged to the Zápolya family and later to the Thurzó and Csáky families, who added further courtyards. After a fire in 1780 it was abandoned and fell into ruin. Conservation work began in the 1970s, and in 1993 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
What to see
The route climbs through the extensive outer wards to the upper castle with its Romanesque palace and a round tower you can climb by stairs. Restored rooms house museum displays on weapons and medieval justice. From the walls you can see Spišská Kapitula, Žehra and, on a clear day, the High Tatras.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q205558
Popularity: articles about this site in 48 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).