Nevytske Castle

Nevytske stands on a volcanic hill above the Uzh, built from the thirteenth century to control the pass route north, rebuilt in stone and finally destroyed in 1644 during the fighting between Transylvanian and Habsburg forces. What remains is a keep, walls, towers and a well shaft, standing among beech trees that have grown up through the ruin. It is unenclosed and unstaffed, and the walk up from the village takes twenty minutes.

Background

Records first mention the castle in 1274, as a donjon, or keep, held by Laszlo IV, King of Hungary. It was completely rebuilt in the early 15th century as the stronghold of the Drugeth family, who kept updating it over the following centuries, and the keep took its present form in the early 16th century. Since 1644 the ruin has looked much as it does now, and its remote, hard-to-reach position saved it from being demolished entirely. The hill is of volcanic origin and rises 122 metres above its surroundings, near the villages of Nevytske and Kamianytsia. The roof of the keep fell in March 2019, and part of the castle was reconstructed in early 2021.

Source: Wikipedia, "Nevytske Castle"

What's there

• The keep - the central tower still standing to several storeys.
• The walls and towers - the enclosure running round the hilltop.
• The well shaft - the deep cut through the rock inside the walls.
• The beech forest - trees grown up through and around the ruin.

When to go

April to October is the comfortable season, with autumn colour in the beeches the best of the year. The path is muddy after rain. The site is open at all hours.

Things to know

There is no interpretation, no staff and no railings; the drops inside the ruin are real. The path up is steep and slippery when wet. Weekends bring picnickers and litter.

Nearby

Uzhhorod is south, and the Uzh valley runs north towards the pass.

Key facts