LIPTOVSKÝ Hrádok is one of three castles in the historical region of Liptov in northern Slovakia. Liptov Castle, located high in the mountains, used to be the largest. Now only ruins of it remained.
Likava Castle was the next biggest, while Liptovký Hrádok Castle was the smallest.
Liptovský Hrádok (which means "small castle" in Slovak) was erected in the 13th century as a fortress guarding the Polish border.
Unlike most castles in Slovakia which were built on the sides or tops of rocky hills, Hrádok lies on a low plain.
The thinking behind this is somewhat difficult to understand, especially when you consider that right next to the castle is a high rock called Skalka (the photographer of this image used it for his stand).
Thus Hrádok, because of its disadvantaged position, was overrun by almost every military attack it had to face.
In 1604, other buildings including a manor house were built around the castle.
Recently, the castle and the manor have undergone extensive reconstruction and re-opened as a hotel.
This postcard depicts the castle with the Western Tatras in the background as it looked in the 1930s.
