Devin Castle ruins

This site at the confluence of the Danube and Moravia has been settled since prehistoric times. Devín was part of Limes Romanus after the Celtic period from 1st to 4th centuries. In the 9th century it was connected with the name of Prince Rastislav. A royal border fort as gradually built in the upper castle. In 1809, the castle was destroyed by Napoleon’s troops. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

The Castle is entered via the gate situated behind the Castle Gate Hotel. The effort expended in climbing up to the central part of the Castle will be rewarded with a picturesque view of the surrounding landscape. You can try out the depth of the castle well by pouring water from a bucket. However, you have still more to do to deserve the spectacular panoramic views from the Upper Castle. A long, seemingly endless fl ight of steep steps awaits you.

Once you get to the viewpoint and are hit by a powerful gust of wind, you will feel as though you’re flying high above the land, like the hawk passing nearby. You are standing on the top of an 80-metre-high rock outcrop and you should add at least three more floors to it; such was the height of the Upper Castle. No wonder so many battles were fought over this place. In good weather conditions you can see Vienna and the peak of Schneeberg (2075 m) in the Alps. On your way down, a small path to the right behind the Middle Castle will lead you up to a grassy knoll with the ruined foundations of a church from the 9th century. It’s hard to imagine a place better suited to meditation. Back at the car-park, turn left. The road leads you to the confl uence of the Danube and the Morava. All the land across the water, whether the Danube or the Morava, is Austria.