You can only enter Lednica Castle’s courtyard through a 10-meter-long tunnel carved into solid limestone rock. Thanks to its location on a steep rocky cliff, it was once one of the most inaccessible castles in Slovakia.
Lednica Castle used to consist of three tiered sections. The lowest section housed defensive bastions, horse stables, a carriage house, and a blacksmith’s workshop. Crossing the drawbridge and the mentioned rock-hewn tunnel led to the middle castle, where the lively aristocratic life of the Middle Ages took place.
From the middle section, you could access an observation point offering a breathtaking view. Today, it is reached via a steel ladder and steps carved directly into the rock. However, access is restricted during the nesting season of the Eurasian eagle-owl or peregrine falcon. Current accessibility updates can be found on Lednica Castle’s Facebook page.

The Castle was once owned by Matthew Csák of Trenčín
The castle was built in the mid-13th century with the main purpose of guarding the northwestern border of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its first known owner was Marek, the county head of Lednica. Due to its difficult access, it later caught the interest of Matthew Csák of Trenčín, the infamous “Lord of the Váh and the Tatras.” Soon, Lednica Castle became one of the 50 castles he owned. The ownership changed hands frequently, mostly because many noble families died out. After the final anti-Habsburg uprising was suppressed in 1710, imperial troops burned the castle down, and it has been in ruins ever since.
In 1999, part of the northern wall collapsed, and in 2011, a roughly 300-kilogram mass of stones fell from the front of the palace. Currently, the castle is undergoing extensive restoration work. Since 2004, the restoration has been led by the Historical-Astronomical Society, the municipality of Lednica, and volunteers. If you return each year, you can witness the visible progress being made.
Katarínka’s spring
On the way to the castle, you can stop at Katarínka’s Spring. A local legend tells the story of a beautiful woman named Katarína who once lived on the Lednica estate. The local lord held the right of the first night over newlywed brides. Usually, he didn’t enforce it and was satisfied with wedding gifts. But on the wedding day of Katarína and the castle gamekeeper Ondrej, the lord refused the gifts and demanded that the bride be brought to him. Katarína, unwilling to be unfaithful to her husband, threw herself out of the castle window into the abyss. According to the legend, a spring began to flow where she died. To this day, locals call it Katarínka’s Spring in her honor.
The famous Czech educator John Amos Comenius also liked to visit the spring. In 1675, he stayed in Lednica as a guest of local preacher Mikuláš Drábik. A commemorative plaque was placed at the spring in his memory, and the village’s elementary school is named after him. Katarína is also remembered — she still appears in the coat of arms of the village of Lednica.
Distance from Trenčín: 41 km.
Access:
By car: From Trenčín via the highway to Ilava, then continue through Savčina, Horovce, and Kvašov to Lednica. Parking is available at the municipal office; the castle is about a 10-minute walk from there.
By bus: From Trenčín with a transfer in Dubnica nad Váhom or Ilava to Lednica. Get off at the stop near the municipal office.
GPS: N 49°06’38.1″, E 18°12’40.7″
Opening hours: Current opening times can be found on the castle’s website or Facebook page.
Vstupné: Current admission fees are available on the castle’s website or Facebook page.
Contact:
Hrad Lednica
Lednica 403
Tel.: +421 904 040 830
E-mail: kastelan@hradlednica.sk
WEB: www.hradlednica.sk