Smolenice Castle

Smolenice town is an important tourism centre in the northern part of the Little Carpathians and a weekend relaxation location of Trnava citizens as well as people living in the surrounding area of Trnava. One of the most influential town owners were the Pálffy family to whom the substantial part of the Smolenice castle history is linked. Thanks to the castle standing on the uphill above the town, Smolenice is the most visible history reminder for today’s people. Although the beginnings of the castle are not clear, it was probably established in the 14th century at the Smolenice County belonging to the Stiborov family as a guard-fort in connection to the Hussits invasions into the Kingdom of Hungary. The castle was used for the protection of the border mountain passes in the Little Carpathians and the Czech road. After having several owners, since 1777 it was owned by Pálffy family who rebuilt it in more romantic style at the beginning of the 20th century based on the example of castles from middle France. The castle wall, original outer bastions were adjusted; a polygon tower and two wings of the main building were built. Due to the decease of Jozef Pálffy and World War I the whole reconstruction was finished only after 1945, when the castle became a state property. Today the Smolenice Castle belongs to the most significant and romantically modified buildings within Slovakia. Its monumental tower with a view terrace dominates its building. The residential wing, two-wing building and the adjacent part of the upper courtyard are naturally connected with the tower. The rest of the yard and lower courtyard form the area of the original front castle. Steep roofs, towers, bawn with a chapel and bastions, neat greenery create fairytale-like atmosphere. Currently the castle is a Congress centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and throughout the year it hosts number of scientific conferences and symposia. The castle is open for public only in July and August. The romantic appearance of the castle is emphasized by the surrounding English landscape garden, which naturally merges into close-grained wood of the Little Carpathians. The castle visit can be combined with a hike to the highest peak of the Little Carpathians– Záruby (767 m). The tourist signs lead around the castle. You can get to the castle from the town of Smolenice following the yellow or blue tourist sign on an asphalt road leading from the church around the football field and the small lake in the castle park.