Likava Castle
| Likava Castle | ||
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 View of the castle ruins |
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| Creation time : | 14th Century (?) | |
| Castle type : | Hilltop castle | |
| Conservation status: | ruin | |
| Place: | Likavka | |
| Geographical location | 49 ° 6 ′ 19 ″ N , 19 ° 18 ′ 43 ″ E | |
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The Burg Likava ( Slovak Hrad Likava , Likavský hrad ) is the ruin a Höhenburg above the municipality Likavka in ružomberok district in northern Slovakia. The castle is located in the Choč Mountains above the Waag Valley .
The origin of the castle has not yet been clarified with certainty: according to some opinions, it was built by the Knights Templar, according to others by the then Liptov County . It is certainly mentioned for the first time in 1315, when a Magister Doncs got the castle from King Charles I Robert . The castle was built to protect a ford across the Waag near Rosenberg (today Ružomberok) and a trade route to the Arwa region and further to Poland. In 1431–34, Likava was owned by the Hussites , who destroyed the castle. In 1435 the ruins were rebuilt by Johann Hunyadi , other owners included Zápolya , Krušič, Illesházy and Thököly. In 1447 Likava became the seat of a manor in the western part of Liptov, and in 1474 it became the seat of the royal owner after the old Liptov castle was demolished. The simple Gothic castle was extensively rebuilt with the addition of a four-story palace in the late 15th century, a Renaissance renovation in the 16th century and other building measures. The last of these construction measures was the construction of the fortifications in the second half of the 17th century. During the Thököly uprising, the castle was captured and badly damaged by imperial troops twice in 1670 and 1680. In 1685 it became a county prison. At the beginning of the 18th century it came into the possession of Rákoczi and was destroyed by imperial troops in 1707.
Today the castle ruins of Liptovské múzeum v Ružomberku (Liptov Museum in Ružomberok) are managed, which has an exhibition in the rebuilt Hunyadi bastion.
