The jewel of Bojnice, a town near Prievidza, is the "fairytale castle" Bojnický zámok, one of the most visited and most beautiful castles not only in Slovakia but also in Central Europe.
The castle was built on a travertine mound where a medieval castle stood in the 11th century. In the past it was owned by the most famous noble families, the last being the Pálfis. Count Johann Pálfi had the entire building rebuilt by the Budapest architect J. Hubert at the end of the 19th century, modeled on the castles on the Loire in central France. The typical silhouette of a romantic medieval castle is emphasized by the steep roofs of the palaces, the chapel and the towers.
Today the castle houses the collections of the art history museum. The original furnishings and works of art from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries are on display. The late Gothic collection of paintings is unique and the most valuable - the so-called Bojnice Altar by the Florentine master N. di Cione Ortagna from the mid-14th century. Part of the castle tour is also a visit to the stalactite cave under the castle, which is connected to the 26 m deep castle well.
The best known of the numerous events at the castle is the International Ghost and Ghost Festival, which takes place regularly at the end of April and beginning of May. During this time, Bojnice Castle becomes a meeting place for ghosts, witches and vampires from all over the world.
An inseparable part of the chateau area are a park and a forest park, which complete the impressive scenery. In front of the chateau entrance stands the well-known 600-year-old linden tree from Bojnice of King Matthias, the circumference of which is around 12.5 m. The king himself was very fond of visiting Bojnice and held celebrations and meetings under the linden tree.
Another attraction in the immediate vicinity of the chateau are performances by the historical fencing group Bojník and performances by the falconers Aquila.
Translated by Google •
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