Čachtice Castle is a tip for a nice trip during a vacation in the Little Carpathians. It is a stone castle, proudly towering the stark limestone rock at the northernmost part of the Little Carpathians near Nové Mesto nad Váhom.
The huge border guard castle, which guarded the western border of the old Hungary lies at an altitude of only 350 m, but the ascent to its ruin makes you sweat.
Čachtice Castle, often incorrectly called Čachtice, was founded in the first half of the 13th century. Later it was repaired and extended many times. The core of the original castle consisted of a square tower and palace. Today, roughly triangular ground plan of Čachtice Castle has a maximum size of 140 x 75 meters. The first known written mention of the castle dates back to 1263.
In 1273 the castle was conquered by the armies of Přemysl Otakar II., who has long been at war with Hungary. Čachtice Castle was included into the property of Matúš Čák of Trenčín. The castle was again repaired in 1467 and served as a prison for the last Field Commander brethren Ján Švehla, who was later executed in Veľké Kostoľany.
Subsequently, the castle was owned by Ctibor of Ctibořice, who was a supporter of King Žigmund. In 1602 the castle was gained by František Nádasdy, who built below a comfortable mansion below it, where he lived with his wife Elizabeth Bathory. And just because of her personality Čachtice Castle got extremely popular through generations.
Elizabeth Bathory, who later was not called otherwise than The Bloody countess of Čachtice. According to the legend she was founded sadistic and murdered 300 (some sources indicate 600) girls, in whose blood she took bath. For his crimes she was convicted in 1611 to life prison. Her minions were punished by the palatine Juraj Thurzo as well. Ján Ujvári (Ficko) was beheaded and his body was burned, Dora Szentesová and Helena Jó were burned alive. Elizabeth Bathory actually did not live in čachtice Castle, but in a comfortable palace in the village of todays Čachtice. On Čachtice Castle she was only imprisoned later.
During Kuruc wars in the early 18th century, the castle was again plundered and burned. It happened in July 1708 when the castle was besieged by troops of František II. Rákoczi. The castle was later provisionally repaired, but after a fatal fire was not occupied anymore and gradually deterioriated. Today the visitors can view only ruins from Čachtice Castle. Most preserved part is the upper castle with the original tower from turn of the 13th and 14 century, fortifications of the lower castle of 17 century, which should strengthen the defense abilities of it.
Čachtice Castle rises on a steep peak and dominates this part of the Little Carpathians and serves as an excellent view point.