This medieval castle town sits along the Váh River in northern Slovakia. The 14th-century hilltop fortress and nearby rafting routes attract visitors year-round.
Strečno, a village in northern Slovakia, lies beneath a medieval castle rising from a 103-meter limestone cliff. You can climb the castle's stone walls for panoramic views of the Váh River as it winds through the Malá Fatra mountains, explore a reconstructed medieval village, or step into a 15th-century chapel where painted walls tell stories from centuries past.
Visiting Strečno Castle
Walk up the castle stairs for about 20 minutes from the parking lot to reach this 14th-century fortress. The castle started as a small 18x22 meter fortification with a residential building, water tank, and a watch tower called bergfrit. By the 17th century, it had grown into the strongest fortress in the Stredné Považie region. The Museum of Považie now fills the reconstructed rooms with medieval weapons, furniture, and regional artifacts. Climb the castle walls to see the Strečiansky mountain pass and the curves of the Domašínsky meander below.
The Medieval Village of Paseka
Five wooden houses with straw roofs make up this 2013 recreation of medieval life. Walk through rooms filled with period furniture, farming tools, and kitchen items that show daily life from centuries ago. The village sits directly beneath the castle, making it easy to visit before or after your castle tour.
The Chapel and Žofia Bosniaková
Step into the 15th-century castle chapel to see its original gothic architecture and medieval wall paintings. The chapel houses a replica of Žofia Bosniaková's mummy. Žofia lived in the castle during the 17th century as the wife of one of its owners and became known for helping the region's poor. Her preserved body stayed in the castle crypt until its move to a church in Teplička nad Váhom, where vandals destroyed it in 2009.
Historical Note
The castle originally controlled toll collection at the Váh River ford, though King Karol Robert exempted Žilina citizens from these payments in 1321. During World War II, German forces damaged the castle while bombing Czechoslovak positions. The structure fell into disrepair until 1974, when workers began a 21-year reconstruction project. Today, 22 sections of the castle complex have national monument status.
