Hrad Dolná Súča

Dolná Súča, Slovakia, Slovakia

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Hrad Dolná Súča, also known as Súča Castle, is the ruin of a 13th-century medieval fortress on Krasín Hill above the village of Dolná Súča in western Slovakia, built to guard a key trade route linking Hungary with Moravia. First documented in 1318 under Matthew Csák's castellan, it later became a royal stronghold before passing to local nobles, notably the notorious robber barons Ján and Rafael Podmanický in the 16th century, who used it as a base for raids across Považie and Moravia. Ordered demolished by King Ferdinand I in 1550 amid disputes over debts and loyalty, its remnants—including exposed walls, an access road, and ditch—served as a stone quarry for locals, now accessible via hikes revealing its border guard legacy.