Dobrá Voda Castle Ruins, Dobrá Voda, Slovakia

The Dobrá Voda castle was built on the site of an earlier castle in the first quarter of 13th century in the mountainous terrain on one of the roads that cross the crest of a small Carpathian Mountains. It was first time mentioned in 1263. In ancient times, the castle formed an elongated structure of the palace, which was close to both sides of the four-sided tower, a palace located on the southeast side of the associated itself another part of the castle chapel ending. The castle, originally the property of the king, became the property Stibors Stiborice in the 14th century and since 1436 it was in the possession of family Orszagh.

In the end of 16th century castle owners started to secure the gate and restored the lower court, where they added a few strongholds in the fortification wall. The uprising of Francis II. Rákóczi (d. 1703) badly damaged Dobrá Voda castle and it was burned in 1762. After that it was a prison.

References:

dobravoda.me

User Reviews

Peter K (2 years ago)
Výlet na hrad Dobrá Voda sme spojili s výletom na neďalekú zrúcaninu kláštora Sv. Kataríny - Katarínka. Odporúčam toto spojenie, lebo samotná prechádzka na hrad Dobrá Voda je krátka. Ak zaparkujete v kopci pri cintoríne v obci Dobrá Voda, tak do 25 minút ste po červenej značke na hrade. Boli sme tu v zime, takže stromy boli bez listov, ale aj tak sme hrad zbadali až keď sme sa priblížili asi na 50 metrov. Toto ma dosť na našich zrúcaninách mrzí. Neviem či je to strach z rôznych pseudoochranárskych aktivistov a združení, ale okolie stredovekých hradov nebolo v minulosti nikdy zalesnené. Mnohé naše pekné hrady sú zarastené stromami a z diaľky neviditeľné. A výhľad z nich je tiež obmenzený aj keď sú na vyvýšených miestach. Samotný hrad bol v minulosti jedným z tých väčších a aj dnes je jednoduché si predstaviť ako vyzeral. Len by to chcelo pár ľudí s motorovými pílami, aby hrad v lese zviditeľnili. Štát by s tým mal začať niečo robiť.

Martin Polacek (3 years ago)
Very nice place in the woods, several fireplaces, accessible for bikes and childrens strollers. Castles ruins are much bigger than seems

Lubko Chabada (3 years ago)
Super

Miroslav Hurban (3 years ago)
Very nice place for family and friends trip with places to prepare a fire and have a meal. Nice view. Still surprised how many places are worth repairing and taking care off.

Peter Žido (4 years ago)
Beautiful nature and ruins. Unfortunately, the state of ruins is getting worse and worse. Suitable for kids. Easy to access.

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Heraclea Lyncestis

Heraclea Lyncestis was an ancient Greek city in Macedon, ruled later by the Romans. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles. The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built.

Heraclea was a strategically important town during the Hellenistic period, as it was at the edge of Macedon"s border with Epirus to the west and Paeonia to the north, until the middle of the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Macedon and destroyed its political power. The main Roman road in the area, Via Egnatia went through Heraclea, and Heraclea was an important stop. The prosperity of the city was maintained mainly due to this road.

The Roman emperor Hadrian built a theatre in the center of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in the Roman province of Macedonia were being restored. It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius. Inside the theatre there were three animal cages and in the western part a tunnel. The theatre went out of use during the late 4th century AD, when gladiator fights in the Roman Empire were banned, due to the spread of Christianity, the formulation of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the abandonment of, what was then perceived as, pagan rituals and entertainment.

Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. A small and a great basilica, the bishop"s residence, and a funerary basilica and the necropolis are some of the remains of this period. Three naves in the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics of very rich floral and figurative iconography; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as fine examples of the early Christian art period.

The city was sacked by Ostrogoth/Visigoth forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and again in 479 AD. It was restored in the late 5th and early 6th century. When an earthquake struck in 518 AD, the inhabitants of Heraclea gradually abandoned the city. Subsequently, at the eve of the 7th century, the Dragovites, a Slavic tribe pushed down from the north by the Avars, settled in the area. The last coin issue dates from ca. 585, which suggests that the city was finally captured by the Slavs. As result, in place of the deserted city theatre several huts were built.

The Episcopacy Residence was excavated between 1970 and 1975. The western part was discovered first and the southern side is near the town wall. The luxury rooms are located in the eastern part. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms all have mosaic floors. Between the 3rd and 4th rooms there is a hole that led to the eastern entrance of the residence. The hole was purposefully created between the 4th and 6th century.

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