Streèno Castle is located on top of the steep limestone rock on the left bank of the Váh river. The castle was mentioned for the first time in 1384. Based on indirect written reports it can be assumed that the Castle already existed in the first half of the 14th century. It was to safeguard the toll collection at a ford through the Váh river.
The oldest castle had the area of only 18x22 m. It comprised a rather small residential building, a water tank and a dominant watch tower with a defense function - the so-called bergfrit. In the course of the centuries, the Castle was extended and altered several times, whereas it had the largest area in the 17th century when it reached the status of the castle with best fortifications in the region of Stredné Považie.
The Castle of Streèno is an indispensable part of the landscape scenery of the Malá Fatra mountains and the castle rock and the path above the Castle provide a beautiful view of the Streèiansky priesmyk mountain pass, Domašínsky meander and a great part of the Žilinská kotlina basin.
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.