The story of Spiš Castle

Why did Spiš Castle burn in 1780? Nobody knows. One theory says the Csáky family set it alight on purpose, because roofed buildings were taxed more. Another blames lightning, and a third blames soldiers who were distilling moonshine inside.

Afterwards it was never lived in again. Its story begins much earlier: building on this travertine hill started at the beginning of the 12th century, and the oldest written mention dates from 1120. At first a border fort on the northern frontier of the Kingdom of Hungary, it later became for centuries the political, administrative, economic and cultural centre of Szepes County. It was completely rebuilt in the fifteenth century, and the Csákys left in the early eighteenth century, finding it too uncomfortable.

Covering 3.9 hectares, it is one of the six largest castle sites in Slovakia, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. As of 2026 it is closed for reconstruction.