Liptov Castle. (source: Romana Vicianová)
In the past, Liptov Castle (Starhrad) in northern Slovakia guarded the royal trade route to the Orava region in the north. It was also the very first seat of Žilina County when it broke away from Zvolen County.
The castle owners were rebels. King Matthias Corvinus had no patience with them. He had the castle demolished in 1471. It has been a ruin ever since, writes the My Liptov website.
Find out more about the region of folklore, national parks and modern attractions in our Žilina Region Travel Guide.
Today, the castle is one of three castles in the Liptov region. It is not a classic castle complex as can be seen, for example, with Strečno or Likava Castles.
Since 2016, volunteers from Castrum Liptov, a civic association, has looked after the castle and transformed it into one of the most popular sights in the area. The castle offers panoramic views of Liptov and Orava regions.
New bridge
Volunteers are currently planning to build a new bridge on the site. One bridge was shut down for safety reasons. It was rotten and fell apart. The new bridge will be approximately 12 metres long.
From the bridge, visitors will enjoy nice views of the Liptovská Mara reservoir and the region.
The bridge will be made of red spruce, as it is more resistant to different weather conditions. Volunteers would like to be done with the bridge by this year.
At the same time, they are planning to install a new visitor counter on the site.
New route to the castle planned
These are not the only novelties being prepared at Liptov Castle. If visitors go along the yellow marked path, which is the easiest route, they must overcome a high iron ladder.
Those afraid of heights must wait. Volunteers are seeking ways for visitors to arrive to the castle without climbing the ladder. At first, archaeologists will have to run the proposed trail to the castle with a detector.
The castle,visited by tourists from across the world, including Australia, is located on Sestrč Hill at an altitude of 1,000 m above sea level in the Chočské vrchy mountains. It is one of the highest castles in Slovakia.
The entrance fee is voluntary, the castle area accessible all year round.
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