On the steep Church Hill of Talsi rising above the old town stands the white-stone Church of Talsi – built in 1567 and reconstructed numerous times. In the course of several centuries its architecture was shaped by Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles. Its history is reflected both in the architectural planning and in the facade structure of the building, providing an insight into the architectural fashion of 18-19th centuries. The history is also symbolically manifested through the church relics, of which the most prominent are an epitaph of the Vischer family (1794) engraved in limestone and bearing some traits of Classicism, as well as the altar painting 'The Ascension of Christ' (1876, C. Schönherr).The church has two stained-glass windows and two bronze church-bells in the tower (the oldest dating back to 1601). Many outstanding pastors have served in the church. The most renowned was Karl Ferdinand Amenda - due to his connection with the acclaimed composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
References:Trenčín Castle is relatively large renovated castle, towering on a steep limestone cliff directly above the city of Trenčín. It is a dominant feature not only of Trenčín, but also of the entire Považie region. The castle is a national monument.
History of the castle cliff dates back to the Roman Empire, what is proved by the inscription on the castle cliff proclaiming the victory of Roman legion against Germans in the year 179.
Today’s castle was probably built on the hill-fort. The first proven building on the hill was the Great Moravian rotunda from the 9th century and later there was a stone residential tower, which served to protect the Kingdom of Hungary and the western border. In the late 13th century the castle became a property of Palatine Matúš Csák, who became Mr. of Váh and Tatras.
Matúš Csák of Trenčín built a tower, still known as Matthew’s, which is a dominant determinant of the whole building.