Sklabiňa Castle

Sklabiňa Castle is one of the largest castle complexes in the Turiec region and in the whole Žilina region. It lies in the foothills of Veľká Fatra, on the site of an older hillfort, and was probably built in the first half of the thirteenth century. The first written mention dates back to 1309 and is connected with the name of the Mayor of Volen, Magister Donč. From the fourteenth century onwards, it fulfilled an important administrative function as the seat of the Turčianska stool. The castle housed the county governors, administered the county, collected tolls, kept archives and operated a prison. The importance of the castle was so great that during the Middle Ages it underwent several reconstructions and fortifications. Between 1410 and 1469 it was in the custody of the Polish Balický family. In 1434 it was attacked and burnt down by the Hussites, which required extensive restoration. From 1527 it passed into the hands of the Révay family, who owned the castle for almost four centuries. It was they who made it a centre of power and representation. A manor house was built here, later a museum and the castle received new fortifications. Some of the Révay family's personalities have made a dramatic impact on history - Baron Daniel, for example, ended up on the scaffold, and Elizabeth lived here for twenty years separated from her husband. During World War II, the manor was burnt down by the fascists in retaliation for partisan activity. Today the castle is a ruin, but many architectural elements have been preserved - the chapel with the remains of Gothic windows, the walls of the residential buildings, the bastions, parts of the tower and the manor house. The layout of the castle is clearly legible and you can still feel the strength of the former centre of Turiec.