Topoľčany Castle

Topoľčany Castle (Slovak: Topoľčiansky hrad or hrad Topoľčany) is the ruins of a medieval castle from the 13th century. It is located in the village of Podhradie in the Topoľčany District of Slovakia, on the Považský Inovec mountain range. The oldest written record dates back to 1235, when it was mentioned as a royal estate. Later, it was owned by various owners. From the 13th century, it served as the center of a castle estate with 26 villages. It is said that between 1431 and 1434, it was captured and held by Hussite troops; however, investigations have shown that the Hussites never occupied the castle. In the early 18th century, it was heavily damaged by imperial troops during the uprising of Francis II Rákóczi. In the mid-18th century, it was still repaired, but after the estate's administration was moved to Tovarníky, it began to fall into ruin. At the end of the 19th century, the main tower was completed in a romantic style, and part of the fortifications were conserved.