Devín Castle

Devín Castle (Slovak: hrad Devín or Devínsky hrad, Hungarian: dévényi vár, German: Burg Theben) is a castle in Devín, which is a part of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.

Owing to its strategic position, the cliff (altitude of 212 meters) at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers was an ideal place for a fort. Its owner could control the important trade route along the Danube as well as one branch of the Amber Road. That is why the site has been settled since the Neolithic and fortified since the Bronze and Iron Age. Later, both the Celts and the Romans built strong fortresses there. In the Roman ruins, the first Christian church located North of Danube has been identified.

A Slavic castle, founded in the 8th century, played a crucial role during frequent wars between Great Moravia and the Franks.Шаблон:Cn The claims that Devín or neighboring Pressburg was the center of Samo's Empire cannot be proven.Шаблон:Cn The ancient name of the castle (Dowina - from the Slavic/Slovak word deva for girl) was mentioned for the first time in written resources in 864, when Louis the German besieged Prince Rastislav in the "castle of Dowina". During the Great Moravian period, a Christian church had been built in the complex. Its distinct style was probably inspired by similar churches in Byzantine Macedonia, from where Saints Cyril and Methodius came to Great Moravia.Шаблон:Cn Chemical composition of frescoes indicates that the church was decorated by Italian painters. On the other hand, the identification of Dowina with Devín Castle has been under debate based both on linguistic arguments and the absence of convincing archaeologic evidence.

In the 13th century, a stone castle was built to protect the western frontier of the Hungarian Kingdom whose existence was documented in 1271 and a reference to a castelanus de Devin appeared in 1326. Between 1301 and 1323, the castle (together with Pozsony county) was held by the Dukes of Austria who granted it to Otto von Tellesbrunn. In 1323, the dukes transferred Pozsony county back to King Charles I of Hungary and Devín Castle became the possession of the heads (ispán) of the county. In 1385, the castle was occupied by Margrave Jobst of Moravia who held it until 1390 when King Sigismund of Hungary redeemed it. Later, the king mortgaged Devín Castle to an Austrian knight, Lessel Hering who transferred the castle to Nicholas II Garay (the Palatine of the kingdom) in 1414. Around 1444, King Frederick IV of Germany occupied the castle but he granted it to Ladislaus II Garay already in 1450.

A palace was added in the 15th century. Fortification was reinforced during wars against the Ottoman Empire. The Castle was never taken, but after the Hungarian Kingdom joined the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottomans were finally defeated, it ceased to be an important border fortress and was no longer used by the military. The last owners of the Devin Castle were the Counts of the Pálffy family. Only in 1809, after the Siege of Pressburg, was the castle (still considered a threat) destroyed by the retreating forces of Napoleon I of France.

Since the 19th century, Devín has become an important national symbol for the Slovaks. It featured on the 50 Halierov coin of the Slovak currency. Its history even inspired several Romantic poets, followers of Ľudovít Štúr.

The Hungarians regarded it as the western gateway of the Kingdom of Hungary. The Hungarian poet Endre Ady used it as a symbol of modernism and Westernization in his poem I am the Son of Gog and Magog:Шаблон:Quote

Some parts of the castle have been reconstructed in the 20th century and the castle hosts an interesting museum.

External links

Шаблон:Commonscat



Sources

  • Engel, Pál: Magyarország világi archontológiája (1301-1457) (The Temporal Archontology of Hungary (1301-1457)); História - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, 1996, Budapest; ISBN 963 8312 43 2.
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Cenker Köse
21 June 2016
Don't leave Bratislava without seeing here! There are medieval time goods on display inside the castle; even you can try archery with a help of archer wearing old time costume!
Søren Borgnæs
28 July 2015
Nice walk around an old castle, with a nice view to Austria from the top! The advertised "antique" market, was pretty disappointing, pretty much no antiques at all! Remember to bring some water! ????
Sheraton Bratislava Hotel
20 November 2012
Unless you came by car, we recommend you to take the 30-min boat trip back. In main season (May - Sep) the boat leaves daily exc. Mon at 1:30pm and 6pm. Tickets are sold at the boat behind the castle.
Wendy P
5 August 2017
The cheapest way to get there is by bus 28 (side rd) and 29 at Most SNP Bus Station, ticket machine is in yellow and payable by coins only (€0.90). Entrance fees is €5, reduced price at €2.50 with ID.
Sandrastica
7 June 2015
Must visit while in Bratislava. Take a bus (29) from the city centre (under the bridge) and you will be there in half an hour.
Rachel Coldrick
13 August 2017
Beautiful place. We did a boat trip and was dropped off for 2 hours but would have liked to stay longer. Plenty of places to eat and drink near the castle. Well worth the visit
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