Pustý hrad

Zvolen, Slovakia, Slovakia

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Pustý hrad, or the Deserted Castle, crowns a forested hill south of Zvolen in central Slovakia, spanning an impressive 76,000 square meters—one of Europe's largest medieval castles. Built primarily in the 13th century after the Mongol invasion by royal stonemason Bertold as a massive refugee fortress with upper and lower sections, fortified walls, and a 206-meter defense line, it served as the original Zvolen Castle and county seat. It declined amid 15th-century wars between John Hunyadi and John Jiskra, burning in a 1452 siege, with a final watchtower added in the late 16th century before abandonment; excavations since 1992 reveal its scale near the Hron and Slatina rivers.