Sebes Castle

Access and surroundings
From Prešov, we will get to the village of Podhradík via Vyšná Šebastová, which will take us almost to the end of it to a smaller crossroads. Here we cross the bridge over the stream Šebastovka, where there is a smaller parking lot and an educational trail begins. From here, a 15-minute journey through the forest with a slight incline leads to Šebeš Castle. Later we turn right under the castle, a relatively steep but short final ascent to the castle begins here.

Interior and exterior
The castle wall originally stretched along the entire perimeter of the narrow and rocky plateau. There was a circular tower in the western part of the castle. In the opposite half of the courtyard was a residential building with a rectangular floor plan.
The castle was deserted and overgrown for many years. It was not until 2012 that intensive work began on its restoration. Archaeological research was preceded by the demanding removal of airborne trees. From the original castle, only low remains of stone walls have been preserved.

History and personalities
Originally, on the site where the castle stands today, there was a dwelling called Hranloudzalasa (Hulloudzalasa), which was probably abandoned since 1285. The name was based on the black habit of the members of the Knights, who probably managed a wooden guard castle there.
Around 1307, Knight Synak acquired the surroundings of the mentioned area from the Hungarian palatine Omodeju Abu, who built a new stone castle on the hill Mačací kameň (Machkakw, today Zámek) until 1315. This castle is mentioned in the deed of donation of King Karol Róbert from 1315. The castle belonged to Synak's descendants until 1491. However, in the meantime, they lost the manor several times due to internal unrest. Some nobles from Šebeš rebelled against King Sigismund and he confiscated their property. Later, in 1401, thanks to a certain Simon, who took part in the heroic battle with the Ottomans near Nikopol, their property was returned to them.
After the death of King Matej, this time the lords of Šebeš supported King Ján Albrecht, whose soldiers occupied Prešov. The new Hungarian king Vladislav II. However, Jagelovský immediately donated the castle to the town of Košice for a short time in 1491. Soon, however, the castle returned to the hands of the original owners. However, the owners of the castle did not have good relations with the neighboring town of Prešov, as they could not agree on the borders of the district. The dispute did not go to court in 1475, but even that did not resolve it.

The owner of the castle, František Sebesi, wanted to resolve the dispute by agreement, but the Prešov guards took advantage of the dual government after the Battle of Mohács and, despite trying to reach an agreement in 1528, conquered the castle on behalf of the city of Prešov. The castle had not disappeared at that time, but after the reconquest around 1537, the mayor of the castle lord Sebesi and the castellan Geraki had it hung on the castle gate. Some sources state. that the castle disappeared just then, but at the latest during skirmishes in 1550, when the inhabitants of Prešov burned it down. It is certain that already at the beginning of the 17th century the castle is mentioned as a ruin.
In 2012, work began on the restoration of the castle. Archaeological research was preceded by the demanding removal of airborne trees. Only the remains of stone walls have been preserved.

The legend of the castle
The mayor of Prešov, Fontanus and his councilors, came on carriages up the Šebestovka valley to Šebeš Castle. The lord of the castle, František, invited them to agree in peace on the borders of the district. Many quarrels took place between Prešov and Šebeš for this dispute. They welcomed them with open gates and full banquet tables. Guests were entering the gate when a shout came from the forest. Crowds of armed Prešov people invaded the courtyard of the castle. Everything that was prepared for entertainment to settle disputes, the people of Prešov ate, drank, emptied the warehouses and cellars and finally hung the tied host František together with the castellan at the castle gate. By the time the emperor rebuked the mayor, Sebes had been burned and his masters dead. It is no longer important whether the Prešov mayor agreed with his people to seize and punish Šebeš for border disputes in this way, or whether the people of Prešov themselves ran out of patience and took justice into their own hands. All that was left of them was stone upon stone. And if you hear screams from the woods, don't be afraid. This is just an echo of angry Prešov people.