Hricov castle

Slovakia is not just a country of fascinating nature, but also a country of castles and palaces, some still intact, some half-ruined and some still preserved. It is now a place of wind and tourism, but once upon a time it was a place of passion, destiny and even history.

Hricov castle is situated west of Žilina, on a high cliff. The word "Grič", from which the name comes, is translated as "rocky". The first official mention of the castle dates back to 1208, when the territory belonged to the diocese of Nitra. In 1254 the domain passed to the Master Tolušovi, then to his son. After Tolušovi, the castle was for a long time ruled by the clan Beychovcov, until the estate was annexed by the uncrowned king of West and Central Slovakia Matúš Čák. 

The castle was owned by the King, the Hussites, and later it was passed on from one noble family to another. The last owners were the Turzo family, who did not live there and did not care much for the castle. In the 17th century the castle was pillaged by robbers and then struck by lightning, no one was involved in restoring the castle. Nowadays, it is possible to see the workers fortifying the surviving walls, but the overall reconstruction is out of the question.

When visiting the Hricov castle, pay attention to the cave formations at the bottom of the cliff. A lot of objects from the early Slavic period have been found there. In the largest cave you can even see carved stairs on the sides leading down.