Article Desolate castle
Ruins above Zvolen
The ruins of Pustý hrad are located on a 572 m high hill above the confluence of the Hron and Slatina rivers. The castle complex consists of two parts of the Lower and Upper Castle. With a total area of 7.6 hectares, it is one of the largest castles in the world. The first settlement on the castle dates back to the Bronze Age. The castle experienced its greatest expansion during the Mongol invasions, when most of the fortifications were built. The castle was burned down by Ján Huňady in 1451. During the Turkish invasions, a wreck was built on the site of the castle.
Ascent to the castle
The road to the castle leads through beautiful beech forests with a view of the Hron valley. The ascent to the Upper Castle takes about an hour.
View from the Lower Castle
Beautiful view from the remains of the Lower Castle rampart to the town of Zvolen and the surrounding area.
Lower castle
The ruins of the Lower Castle in the background with the hill on which the ruins of the Upper Castle are located.
Upper castle
View of the only partially preserved building in the Upper Castle. In the background you can see the Štiavnica hills.
View of the Štiavnica hills
View of the Štiavnica hills together with part of the town of Zvolen.
The lower part of the Upper Castle
The lower part of the Upper Castle brings beautiful views of the surrounding Zvolen basin with the dominant town of Zvolen and in the background with Sliač and Banská Bystrica. In the left side there are Kremnické vrchy and in the background the Low Tatras.
Dolina Hrona
View of the Hron valley, which cuts between the Štiavnica and Kremnica hills.
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