The castle is freely accessible, but the entire complex is a dilapidated ruin. The central entrance alone is adventurous. Here, branches have been nailed together to form a makeshift bridge.
Here, friends of the castle have made the ruins accessible to visitors with little money and a lot of initiative.
Red information signs point out your own responsibility:
"Entry into the grounds of Oponicke Castle is at your own risk.
BE RESPONSIBLE,
THANK YOU"
How wonderfully pragmatic!
Even if you don't dare cross the bridge, the walk is worth it.
The forecourt of the castle is grassy and invites you to linger. You have a wonderful view of the lovely cultural landscape with the rolling hills and the surrounding villages.
The castle is first mentioned in sources in 1300, when it was the property of master Petr Čak. After the death of his heirs, the castle passed into the hands of the king. The Oponický Castle was under the administration of the royal castellan until 1392, when Peter Evra of Stráží finally became the sole owner. He was the first to derive his name from the name of the castle and from 1411 he began to use the predicate "de Appon". The Hussite threat in the first half of the 15th century forced the castle owners to build a new fortification with modern loopholes. The looming Turkish threat was another incentive to further expand the castle.
The then owner of the castle, Bene dikt Apponi, had a cannon bastion called Terés built on the west side.
At the end of the 16th century, when Juraj Apponi was the owner of the castle, another reconstruction took place at the castle, with the focus on the development of artillery.
To meet the needs of long-term residents of the castle, he built rooms that also met the requirements of representing a family with high social status. During this period, the Renaissance castle was built in the north-eastern part of the forecourt. It was Juraj's brother Peter who completed this reconstruction. In 1645, a devastating fire broke out at the castle.
During the Rákoci Uprising, the castle still served as a refuge for the insurgents.
At the end of the 17th century, the castle was probably blown up by the Turks or completely destroyed during the uprising of Juraj Rákoci II.
Translated by Google •
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