Liptov Castle (ruins)

Slovakia's highest castle

Liptov Castle (Liptovský hrad), also known as Liptov Old Castle or Sielnica Castle, is the ruin of a medieval fortress on the summit of Sestrč (999.9 m) in the Choč Mountains, above the villages of Kalameny and Bukovina. It was the highest-lying castle in present-day Slovakia and one of the highest in Central Europe. The rocky summit drops in sheer walls on two sides and in very steep slopes on the other two, making it a natural stronghold.

People used this hill long ago: in the rocks below the summit there is a small cave inhabited as early as the Eneolithic, and a Hallstatt-culture hillfort stood on the top. The castle was built on the orders of King Béla IV of Hungary on the site of an abandoned hillfort from the 1st century BC, probably after the Tatar invasion of 1241–1242; it is first recorded in 1262. The fortress guarded the western Liptov basin and the trade route to Orava and on to Poland, and from 1340 it was the seat of the Liptov county heads. It owned vast estates — until Likava and Liptovský Hrádok castles were built, practically all of Liptov.

The castle was destroyed and rebuilt several times, and in 1431–1434 it was held by the Hussites. Its owners included the mighty Matthew Csák and Donč, head of Zvolen county; King Ladislaus IV stayed here for a while in 1287, and from 1459 the castle belonged to the Polish magnate Piotr Komorowski, a supporter of the Jagiellonians. After a failed attempt by the Jagiellonians to win the Hungarian throne, King Matthias Corvinus ordered the fortress burned and demolished (in 1471 or 1474, depending on the source). The ruins then lay forgotten for centuries until archaeological excavations began in 1976; in the 1980s the foundations were investigated and conserved.

What to see

• conserved remains of the residential palace, towers, two water cisterns and defensive walls;
• a footbridge and viewpoints on the rocks;
• wide views over the Liptovská Mara reservoir, the Liptov basin and the surrounding mountain ranges.

Not much of the castle survives — people come mainly for the atmosphere, the forest walk and the panorama. It is a good goal for fit families and hikers.

Practical information

Getting there. You cannot drive to the ruins — only walk along marked trails. Starting points are the villages of Kalameny and Bukovina between Liptovský Mikuláš and Ružomberok (about 22 km from Liptovský Mikuláš, about 15 km from Ružomberok and about 87 km from Zakopane). According to hiking guides:

• yellow trail from Kalameny via Sedlo pod Kráľovou — about 1 h 45 min;
• red trail from Bukovina via Sedlo pod Kráľovou — about 2 h;
• yellow trail from Kalameny via Sedlo Poľana — about 2 h 15 min.

Good to know. The ruins are freely accessible all year and entry is free; there is no ticket office, toilet or water at the castle. Bring sturdy shoes, water and warm clothes — it is windy at around 1,000 m. Take care near the rock edges, especially with children; in rain and winter the trails are slippery. Stay on marked trails and take your litter home.

Nearby

Below spreads the Liptovská Mara reservoir, which partly flooded Liptovská Sielnica. Nearby are the articular church in Svätý Kríž, the ruins of Likava Castle above Ružomberok and the UNESCO-listed village of Vlkolínec.

Photos: Zbooycio, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Patrik Kunec, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Photograph: Patrik Kunec (talk), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Michal Jakubský, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; Martingazak, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.