Trenčín Castle

Trenčín castle occupies a rock above the Váh and is one of the largest castle complexes in Slovakia, with a Romanesque rotunda, a tall keep called Matúš Tower, palaces and a well shaft cut a long way down through the rock. On the cliff face below, visible from the hotel courtyard, is a Latin inscription cut in 179 recording a Roman victory, long held to be the northernmost evidence of Romans in Central Europe and the earliest written record of the town.

History

A Latin inscription on the rock records the victory of the Roman Second Legion at Laugaricio in 179 AD, and the oldest building is a stone rotunda, probably of the Great Moravian period. Matthew III Csák held the castle in the 13th-14th centuries and gave his name to its main tower, the Treaty of Trentschin was concluded here in 1335, and the castle well, about 80 m deep, was dug by the garrison in the 16th century over 40 years (Wikipedia, Trenčín Castle).

Highlights

• The Roman inscription - a Latin text of 179 cut into the cliff below the castle.
• Matus Tower - the tall keep with a view over the Vah valley.
• The well - a shaft cut deep through the castle rock.
• The palaces - several ranges of different periods within the walls.

When to go

April to October is the main season; winter hours are shorter and some areas close. Guided tours run to set times. Evening tours run in summer.

Practical notes

Access to much of the castle is by guided tour on a schedule, not free wandering. The Roman inscription is viewed through a window in a hotel and access is limited. The climb up is steep.

Nearby

Beckov is south, and Trencianske Teplice is east.

Key facts