Once they had a defensive function, today they are mostly sought after by tourists and lovers of history. Beckovsky, Čachtický and Tematínsky castle have been watching the history of Middle Považie for centuries. And even though they never get in the beauty they've been in the past, they still have something to offer.

The main role of the trio of castles has been defensive in the past. The territory in which they were located once formed the border of the Hungarian kingdom. "The river Váh and the Carpathians themselves were the border where the castles did not stand at that time. The impulse, when they began to build, was the 13th century and the Tartar invasion. The then sovereign Belo IV. So he realized that he must build these castles, "explains the historian of Trenčín Museum Vladimír Pinďák.

The highest situated castle in this case is Tematín - it is situated at an altitude of 564 m above sea level. Interesting is its location, the nearest village is about four kilometers away. "So he could hardly fulfill the function of defending Považia. It was probably just a right center of the territory he was in, "added Vladimír Pinďák. Nowadays, there is an association of volunteers who have been actively looking after and repairing damaged parts since 2007.

Beckov was one of the most important castles, thanks mainly to Ctibor from Ctiborice. The Hungarian nobleman rebuilt the castle into a luxury mansion, and the one who came to see him felt like a royal castle. In addition to the decorated chapel, nowhere has been preserved anywhere in the nicely decorated areas. Beckova's beauty was destroyed 300 years ago by a fire, and the wardroom of Hungary was ruined. There were several plans to restore it, and its gradual conservation began in the 1980s. The castle re-breathed life more than a two-million-year reconstruction for several years. The lower castle, the western palace and the chapel passed through the restoration. The castle is currently one of the favorite locations. Interestingly, it also increases regularly organized events such as theater performances, summer cinema, historical festivities or killings.

While Tematín and Beckov are located on the Považský Inovec Mountains, Čachtice Castle grew up in centuries in the northern part of the Small Carpathians. He has set up several owners, but first of all he is associated with the personality of the bloody Count Elizabeth Bátori. In 1708, the castle was conquered and fired by František Rákoci's army, and from then on he was devastated. Today, its owner is a community that has managed to raise money for its renewal. The reconstruction lasted two years, and the public reopened for the public in 2014. The decaying ruins became an interesting attraction, which they had long ago appreciated beyond our borders. The British Guild of Travel Writers (British Guild of Travel Writers) marked the castle as a new, outstanding travel product.

Author: baš

Photo by Ľuboš Balažovič