Gýmeš Castle

Gýmeš Castle (Slovak: Gýmeš Hrad) also known as Jelenec Castle are the ruins of a medieval castle on the steep quartzite hill Dúň (514 m above sea level) on the southern slope of the Tribeč mountain range, about 5 km north of the village of Jelenec (Gýmeš). The ruin is a prominent landmark of the wide surroundings. Gýmeš is one of the ancestral castles of the noble Forgách family – together with the Galician Castle. Despite the fact that the Turks conquered and caused damage to it, the structure was restored and occupied until 1865. Following that year, it fell into decay. Only a portion of the castle walls still remain intact.