Spiš Castle

This morning, we traveled by bus to Spiš Castle, a National Cultural Monument. It's the largest castle in Central Europe and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993.

Construction of the medieval castle dates back to the 12th century when it served as a fort on a major trade route in the feudal Hungarian state. Afterward, it became the seat of the Spiš region for many centuries.

In the second half of the 15th century the reconstruction of the castle fell upon its new owner Štefan Zápoľský whose intention was to remake it into a stately aristocratic residence. His son Ján, later King of Hungary, was born at the Castle.

In 1780, the castle compound was destroyed by fire and gradually fell into ruins. The total decay of the castle was prevented by conservationists who began restoration work, which started in 1970 and continues to this day.Read more