The best traffic-free bike rides around okres Trnava

Nice ride alongside the Smolenický castle.

Smolenice Castle is a castle at the eastern foot of the Little Carpathians, north of the municipality of Smolenice in Slovakia. Originally a 14th-century castle, Smolenice Castle served to protect the border passes in the Carpathian Mountains. The castle was also located on the Bohemian Way, a trade route leading from Prague to Saxony.

One of the greatest attractions of the eastern foot of the Little Carpathians is the "fairytale castle" of Smolenice. It is one of the most important buildings in Slovakia, modeled on the castles of central France and rebuilt in the Romantic style. The castle was built on the site of a 14th century castle. The castle protected the border passes in the Carpathians and the Bohemian Way. From 1777 it was owned by the Pálffys, who rebuilt it in the Romantic style in the second half of the 19th century. Smolenice Castle is dominated by a mighty tower with a viewing terrace. The steep roofs, towers, the fortified courtyard with a chapel and bastions, and the beautiful greenery complete the fairytale charm. Today the castle is the seat of the Slovak Academy of Sciences - the Slovak Academy of Sciences Congress Centre, and numerous conferences and symposia are held there throughout the year. Every Saturday, newlyweds stroll in and around the castle to take photos and film. During the summer months of July and August, the castle is open to the public. The romantic appearance of the castle is also reinforced by the surrounding park, which merges into a dense forest.

Trnava arose at the crossroads of old trade routes with evidence of settlement since prehistoric times. Finds from the Old Bronze Age and the Celtic period are particularly numerous. Today's town arose from a place that continued to develop even after the collapse of Great Moravia. In the 13th century, the Slavic settlement was repopulated by German settlers, whose share gradually decreased again as a result. The city was first mentioned in writing in 1211 (see below). The title of Royal Free City was granted in 1238 by the Hungarian King Béla IV. Due to more favorable trading conditions, the agricultural town developed into a center of trade and crafts. Its importance was further increased by the market right to hold eight large annual markets. In 1418 the city was conquered by the Hussites, who stayed here until 1425. After the Hungarian defeat at the Battle of Mohács in 1526 and the Ottoman occupation of Gran in 1543, the archbishop's headquarters and chapter were moved to Tyrnau and was the seat of the Archdiocese of Gran until 1820 (it was once again its own archdiocese from 1978). Thus the city became the ecclesiastical and cultural center of Ottoman-unoccupied Royal Hungary, which included modern-day Slovakia, Burgenland, western Hungary and Croatia, in contrast to Pressburg, which became the political center. In the long period of the Turkish wars, the city lost a large part of its inhabitants, on the other hand, many Hungarians were added.

The city tower is located in the center of the old town on Trinity Square. It was built in the 16th century (Renaissance style). When the weather is nice, you have a good view of the nearby small Carpathians.

View of Smolenice Castle from the access road from Smolenice.

A found place for church friends, because there are more than 1 dozen of them. But the visitor also likes the beautifully renovated city center.

Interesting old town of Trnava.