Smolenice Castle

The Small Carpathian Mountains (Malé Karpaty) offer several monuments, and one of them amongst the Romantic buildings in Slovakia is the exquisite Smolenice Castle.

The castle was built on the site of an old sentry castle from the 14th century, which guarded the border mountain pass between Slovakia and the Czech lands. The Pálffy family owned it from 1777 and rebuilt it in the 19th century in the Romantic style.

It has a conspicuous bulky tower with view terrace. Steep roofs, little towers, fortified courtyard with the chapel and bastions and the greenery are the components of the romantic image of this castle.

It is currently the seat of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) - SAV Congress Centre, and it hosts a variety of scientific conferences and symposia throughout the year. Every Saturday the castle's interior and exterior areas see newly-wed couples having a stroll, as it is a great place for taking photos or shooting videos. In July and August, the castle is open to the public. The castle's romantic touch is further highlighted by the surrounding park which gradually changes into a thick forest.