Zniev Castle

Znievsky Castle, originally called Turčiansky Castle, is the oldest castle in the Turiec region and one of the highest castles in Slovakia. Its foundation dates back to the first half of the thirteenth century, when after the Tatar invasions it was built by the Hungarian King Belo IV. The castle stood in a strategic location on a rocky hill approximately nine hundred and eighty-five metres above sea level and protected the entrance to Turiec along the old trade route from Ponitria. Already in the Middle Ages it served as the seat of the Turčiansky župan and was an important Comitat castle. However, it gradually lost its importance because it was difficult to access and inconvenient. The castle became known as Zniev. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it changed hands frequently and in 1684 it was burnt down by rebels led by Tököli. Since then, only ruins have remained. Today, the remains of the square tower, the foundations of the former residential buildings and other fragments of the walls, which are overgrown with greenery, have been preserved. There is a well-known story about how King Belo IV hid in a secret passage during the Tartar siege and thanks to a cunning ruse with pigs and crayfish managed to save the crew and the monarch. The ruins of Zniev Castle are accessible to tourists by marked trails from the village of Kláštor pod Znievom or from the Abramová district. The castle is a silent witness of ancient history and a challenge for history and nature lovers.