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The picturesque area of the middle Považie has been dominated by the Beckov limestone bralo since human memory. With its majestic height of sixty meters, it has impressed the inhabitants since ancient times, and therefore they liked to build their residences on it. Our ancestors from the Great Moravian times also followed up on the continuous construction, when a Slavic fortified settlement was built on the cliff. The defensive structures, created in those times, formed the basis for the later castle, today called the name of the village that lies below it - Beckov.

Beckov Castle

The picturesque area of the middle Považie has been dominated by the Beckov limestone bralo since human memory. With its majestic height of sixty meters, it has impressed the inhabitants since ancient times, and therefore they liked to build their residences on it. Our ancestors from the Great Moravian times also followed up on the continuous construction, when a Slavic fortified settlement was built on the cliff. The defensive structures, created in those times, formed the basis for the later castle, today called the name of the village that lies below it - Beckov.

Ancient fortress
The Beckov Castle National Cultural Monument accumulates a really rich history around itself. The first written mentions come from the reign of King Bela III of Hungary. In his work, the anonymous chronicler working at his court described the progress of the Old Hungarian tribes during the invasion of Great Moravia, while also mentioning the occupation of Beckov Castle, then called Blundus. This name corresponds to other written reports and also agrees with the later naming of the Blondóc site.

At the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, royal power increased considerably in the country. The castle reflected this in its stone reconstruction. In particular, the upper castle and the northern palace were built. The length of the castle from this period was set at 100 m. At the end of the 13th century, a bergfrit-type refuge tower was built in the south-eastern part of the upper castle.

Mr. Váh and the Tatras
In the 14th century, the Hungarian nobleman Matúš Čák Trenčiansky used a vacuum of power. "Lord of the Tatras and Váh" was also attracted by Beckov Castle, which underwent extensive reconstruction with the aim of improving its defense. In particular, fence walls were built on the vulnerable eastern side of the castle, where a castle well was also built. After Matúš's death, the castle again became a royal property, whose administrators were proud of the title of castle castellan.

The Golden Age of Stibor
In 1388, the castle passed into the ownership of the nobility. Due to his devotion to King Sigismund, Stibor of Stiborice, a nobleman of Polish origin, became the owner of the castle. Stibor, also bearing the title of Duke of Transylvania, chose the castle as his family seat. At the same time, he invested his fabulous wealth in a majestic reconstruction.

In the northern castle area, a magnificent courtyard was built, built according to the model of the royal courts. In addition, the rich and extensive residence acquired its castle chapel. The chapel was created in the eastern part of the palace. Its interior was decorated with tall tracery windows and a unique step-by-step ribbed vault. Until the 19th century, the original frescoes were still visible. Figural motifs depicted St. George, Archangel Michael and John the Baptist. The magnificent inventory of the chapel included the statue of the Madonna, made of rare limbo wood. The reconstruction of the castle also affected its biggest landmark, the castle tower. It was transformed into a donjon tower (permanently residential tower).

However, the Stibor family managed the castle only until 1434, when Stibor's son Stibor Jr. died. With his death, the male line of this important family died out and the castle became royal again.

The castle is fortified
Three years later, King Sigismund donated the entire estate to Pavel, the son of Ban of Dolná Lendava, who became the husband of Katarína, the daughter of Stibor the Younger. Their descendants, known as the Bánfi, ruled the castle for more than 200 years. Members of this family rebuilt the seat in the Renaissance style. They also took care of the improvement and modernization of the castle defense. A small barbican and a forecourt with a cradle bridge penetrated in the access part. Such reconstructions saved the castle in 1599 during the Turkish invasion. However, the town under the castle, which burned down, did not resist the wild tantrums of the Ottoman invaders. However, the Banfi family at the castle eventually met the same fate as the Stibor family, because they died by the sword.

A gem turned into a ruin
Several heirs became the owners of the castle, which significantly reduced its lucrativeness. This meant a decline in interest in its maintenance. The year 1729 became fatal for the castle, when a fire from the town spread to the castle and the castle, as a residential residence, disappeared forever.

The first amateur rescue work took place in 1935, when a roof was built on the chapel in an effort to save the remains of the brick decoration. Extensive reconstruction, but especially archaeological research, took place in the 70s of the last century, which made the castle accessible to the general public.

Additional information

Transport: By foot, By bike, By car, By bus
Parking: Free parking nearby

Accepted payments: Cash
Languages: Slovak

Suitable for: Childrens, Families with childrens, Elderly, Young, Adults
Season: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
Updated on: 5.6.2019
Source: Hrad Beckov

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Contact

Phone: +421 32 774 2727
Website: hrad-beckov.sk
Beckov Castle
Beckov 180
916 38  Beckov
Region: Trenčiansky
District: Nové Mesto nad Váhom
Area: Stredné Považie
 48.790812, 17.898345

Beckov 180
916 38  Beckov

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