Hlohovec Castle, Hlohovec, Slovakia

The dominant building in the Hlohovec is a Renaissance-Baroque castle built in 1720. The castle is built on the place of a pre-existing Slavic settlement and a medieval castle from the 13th century. In the castle area is the Empire theatre built in 1802, a riding school from the 18th century, and a Baroque garden pavilion.

Castles and fortifications in Slovakia

User Reviews

Martin Višňanský (2 months ago)
An interesting sightseeing experience, combining real exhibition with extremly detailed and well-designed virtual reality on "how it used to look many years ago". Very enthusiastic lady-guide, with deep knowledge, keen on and still able to engage visitors. BiG Thanks for such a surprise in small town of Hlohovec.

Tomáš Hodor (13 months ago)
The best thing is VR experience

Peter Stolc (15 months ago)
The old Castle in Hlohovec is in restoration process. However, it is available for visitors. Only very small part of the castle is restored, though it is well worth the visit. Inside you can find small expositions and also virtual reality demonstration of the castle how it was supposed to be furnished in the distant past. Easy to use, easy to navigate for each age category. Especially kids will be thrilled by experience. Beautiful gardens are surrounding castle, beyond gardens is even bigger park. Small (fee free) parking lot is available just above the main building.

Miroslav Miklovic (21 months ago)
Still lots of work needs to be done, but worth the visit...

Patrik Hromada (2 years ago)
Na zámku prebiehajú rekonštrukčné práce. Zatiaľ bolo možné prehliadnuť si zámok z vnútra iba počas sporadických akcií určených pre verejnosť.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

Historic Site of the week

Derbent Fortress

Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian steppes to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south. Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BCE. Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms.

Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic peculiarity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world.

A traditionally and historically Iranian city, the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC. The site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrap of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In the 5th century Derbent functioned as a border fortress and the seat of Sassanid Persians. Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs.

The Sassanid fortress does not exist any more, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward. Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

The site continued to be of great strategic importance until the 19th century. Today the fortifications consist of two parallel defence walls and Naryn-Kala Citadel. The walls are 3.6km long, stretching from the sea up to the mountains. They were built from stone and had 73 defence towers. 9 out of the 14 original gates remain.

In Naryn-Kala Citadel most of the old buildings, including a palace and a church, are now in ruins. It also holds baths and one of the oldest mosques in the former USSR.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List.

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