The Pohronie Castle Route copies the ingenious signalling network once formed by castles and other places with watchtowers, signaling towers and bells. (source: Unsplash)
Already a traditional tourist product in the Banská Bystrica Region, the Pohronie Castle Route (Pohronská Hradná Cesta) will again start the new season at the end of March like before - by sending a light signal from several castles.
This year the signal will not only connect known locations; the light will also travel to the Krupinská Planina plain, where Vartovka Tower and the Bzovík Monastery can be found.
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"The joint event across several districts of the Banská Bystrica Region offers the opportunity to participate in a unique evening trip, the culmination of which will be an illumined verification of the castles' visual connection as in the past," said Executive Director of the Banská Bystrica Regional Tourism Organisation, Zuzana Jóbová, as quoted by the TASR news agency.
A light signal will connect the castles on Friday, March 24. This event is intended for the general public.
"Just choose a castle and find out the time and place of group departure," she noted.
The Pohronie Castle Route copies the ingenious signalling network once formed by castles and other places with watchtowers, signaling towers and bells. The aim was to protect rich medieval cities or announce the impending threat of Turkish invasions. During impending danger, they sent out smoke, fire and later also sound signals.
Nine locations in 2023
The idea of trying to visually connect selected locations of the Pohronie Castle Route arose in 2021. The regional tourism organisation, alongside other partners, decided to organise an activity as a reminder of the former main role of these locations. At that time, six castles took part in the visual connection test, without the presence of the public.
"When we saw the success of the posts on social networks that we published after this 'connection', we decided to repeat the event in 2022 and in the presence of the public," explained Jóbová for TASR.
"The light connection of the castles was achieved before more than 120 visitors at several involved locations of the Pohronie Castle Route and other historical signaling points," she explained.
This year, nine locations will participate in the event - Pustý Castle in Zvolen, Zvolen Castle (without the presence of the public), Peťuša Castle, Krupina Castle, Šášov Castle, Revište Castle, Teplica Castle, Žakýl Castle and Sitno Hill.
Castles that are part of the Pohronská Hradná Cesta road. (source: pohronskehrady.sk)
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