History
Dračí Hrádok or Dragon Castle was probably built in the second half of the thirteenth century on the royal initiative, to protect the nearby road through the Little Carpathians, although no written records mention it. It was destroyed as a result of a fire in the first half of the fifteenth century. Probably its end was connected with Hussite invasions to the area of present-day Western Slovakia.
Architecture
The castle was located on a long and narrow ridge, divided into two distinct parts. The front (northern) was 15 meters wide and 115 meters long and perhaps served as an outer ward. It was separated from the second part by a 17-meter wide and 6-meter-deep ditch. There, on the southern side, was the main part of the castle, 112 meters long and 20 meters wide. Its main element was a large four-sided tower with dimensions of 10 x 10 meters and a wall thickness of 2.5 meters. Steep slopes and earth ramparts protected it, probably topped with timber palisades.
Current state
The remains of the castle are limited to two walls of the tower with a height of up to 2 meters. In some placesare are visible traces of earth ramparts and moat, the whole is densely overgrown with vegetation. Admission to the ruins area is free.
bibliography:
Bóna M., Plaček M., Encyklopedie slovenských hradů, Praha 2007.
Wasielewski A., Zamki i zamczyska Słowacji, Białystok 2008.