It was our last day in Bratislava .We had had a very hectic morning and afternoon exploring what had been left of the city which we had not seen the previous day .We had yet to see the Hrad Castle, the Grassalkovich Palace –Slovakia’s White house which is now the residence of its President, the Novy Most (the new bridge with its famous café UFO which one reaches by taking a elevator and the Devin Castle .It was a fight agaist time
We were wary about doing the Devin Castle –because it is located about 20 kms from the city square .We were dog tired by the time we had seen the other sights – my back was aching and it was getting onto 4 pm .Should we give Devin a go ?
Of course we must – and I am glad that we did . As one drives through rural Slovakia into Bratislava ,the traveler grows quickly accustomed to spotting castles–ruined or otherwise– perched atop seemingly on every hill or craggy outcrop. But for those visitors without the opportunity to travel much farther than Bratislava and the surrounding area, Devín offers a similar experience.And it is a must see .
We took Bus no 29 bus( even no 28 goes there) from beneath the UFO bridge in Bratislava.The bus was more or less empty and took us along the river and forests and into a village which appeared fairly well populated .It came to stop at a very beautiful bus stop which had a lovely hotel and a few houses .There were shops selling the usual stuff which castles and traditional places are famous for .And as we looked skywards –we saw the magnificent castle in front of us .The idea of the climb was daunting –but we had not come this far to give up .So off we went in the quest to explore the castles ruins .
Devín Castle stands on a cliff rising 212 metres above the confluence of the Morava and Danube rivers, which is also the border between Slovakia and Austria. It takes neither a military genius nor a pioneering city planner to identify the strategic worth of such a location
The stone medieval castle was built in the 13th century A.D., with a palace added 200 years later, as well as further fortifications to protect the castle against the Ottoman invasion. When Napoleon occupied and then destroyed the place in 1809, he was the first marauder to penetrate the castle's defenses, leaving behind the current ruin, which has been carefully preserved and now houses a museum detailing the castle's chequered history and containing many artifacts discovered on the site.His forces occupied it and stayed on here for 10 years .
Napoleon was, of course, unable to destroy the natural beauty of the area, and the castle's hilltop location affords spectacular views along both rivers and across both countries, surveying forests, marshlands, vineyards, more rolling hills, and the capital city. From the ground, the castle is equally attractive; it is an imposing fortress whose turrets and towers seem to be a natural extension of the vertical rock-faces launching up from the riverbank.
The most photogenic part of the castle is the tiny watchtower, seemingly not much bigger than a chess piece on the board representing the castle ( the last pieces on the last row of the chess board ) known now as the Virgin Tower. Separated from the main castle, it balances perilously on a lone rock and has spawned countless legends concerning imprisoned lovelorn daughters leaping to their deaths.Catch a local and he/she will narrate a interesting –though tragic tale – of how many couples leapt to their death ( why do they do that ?!!!)
Of course we must – and I am glad that we did . As one drives through rural Slovakia into Bratislava ,the traveler grows quickly accustomed to spotting castles–ruined or otherwise– perched atop seemingly on every hill or craggy outcrop. But for those visitors without the opportunity to travel much farther than Bratislava and the surrounding area, Devín offers a similar experience.And it is a must see .
We took Bus no 29 bus( even no 28 goes there) from beneath the UFO bridge in Bratislava.The bus was more or less empty and took us along the river and forests and into a village which appeared fairly well populated .It came to stop at a very beautiful bus stop which had a lovely hotel and a few houses .There were shops selling the usual stuff which castles and traditional places are famous for .And as we looked skywards –we saw the magnificent castle in front of us .The idea of the climb was daunting –but we had not come this far to give up .So off we went in the quest to explore the castles ruins .
Devín Castle stands on a cliff rising 212 metres above the confluence of the Morava and Danube rivers, which is also the border between Slovakia and Austria. It takes neither a military genius nor a pioneering city planner to identify the strategic worth of such a location
The stone medieval castle was built in the 13th century A.D., with a palace added 200 years later, as well as further fortifications to protect the castle against the Ottoman invasion. When Napoleon occupied and then destroyed the place in 1809, he was the first marauder to penetrate the castle's defenses, leaving behind the current ruin, which has been carefully preserved and now houses a museum detailing the castle's chequered history and containing many artifacts discovered on the site.His forces occupied it and stayed on here for 10 years .
Napoleon was, of course, unable to destroy the natural beauty of the area, and the castle's hilltop location affords spectacular views along both rivers and across both countries, surveying forests, marshlands, vineyards, more rolling hills, and the capital city. From the ground, the castle is equally attractive; it is an imposing fortress whose turrets and towers seem to be a natural extension of the vertical rock-faces launching up from the riverbank.
The most photogenic part of the castle is the tiny watchtower, seemingly not much bigger than a chess piece on the board representing the castle ( the last pieces on the last row of the chess board ) known now as the Virgin Tower. Separated from the main castle, it balances perilously on a lone rock and has spawned countless legends concerning imprisoned lovelorn daughters leaping to their deaths.Catch a local and he/she will narrate a interesting –though tragic tale – of how many couples leapt to their death ( why do they do that ?!!!)
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| At the Devin Castle ,Bratislava . |
Inside, the castle is a sprawling landscape of walls, staircases, open courtyards and gardens in various states of repair. It is a fully-fledged tourist attraction, with well-paved pathways, informative signage, countless benches and drinking fountains.The Nazis, occupied it during the World War II.
The castle is isolated - Bratislava being 25 min away by bus or car .This isolation was even more pronounced during the communist era, when Devín's location at the confluence of the rivers Morava and Danube made it a favoured departure point for those fleeing the regime which was Communist .Dont forget that Slovakia ( at that time a part of Czechkslovakia ,was the last outpost of the Communist Europe) . Austria( part the Capitalist bloc those days ) is no more than a tempting 40 metres across the narrowest sections of the Morava, a brief swim or literal stone's skim away.
Consequently, the river banks were heavily guarded by communist soldiers, with fences and watchtowers erected some distance from the water's edge, effectively placing Devín within an exclusion zone. Day-trippers were persuaded against visiting the village and were certainly not allowed anywhere near the river, denying Slovaks many of the finest views of the castle and into Austria.
There is , a memorial arch stands a few metres from the river, bearing the names of more than 100 unsuccessful defectors, shot during their attempt to escape. The concrete arch is symbolically riddled with bullet holes and also details some startling statistics from the era: there were more than 180,000 successful escapees from the country; 80,000 people were imprisoned for their attempts; 20,000 sent to gulags; and 2.2 million unwillingly deported from Slovakia.
If you are in the Slovak Republic –you have to go to Devin Castle !! Know a bit of its history – otherwise it will remain a rubble of stones in your memory !!
If you are in the Slovak Republic –you have to go to Devin Castle !! Know a bit of its history – otherwise it will remain a rubble of stones in your memory !!
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