Skalka nad Váhom is a village near Trenčín, widely known for its monastery where monks Svorad and Benedict once lived. However, for this story, the important part is the Skalka massif itself — on its summit, human dwellings have existed since prehistoric times. Let’s imagine how our Váh region looked long ago — the Váh River flowed freely as it wished, armies moved through the valleys, and people built their homes in groups on harder-to-reach elevated places where they could better defend themselves against enemies. This is how the hillfort called Chochel was created on the top of the Skalka massif — an inaccessible place.
The Discovery of an Ancient Sanctuary Confirmed Old Legends
Local legends about this hill are full of mysteries and secrets. It is said that there once stood a pagan sanctuary called the Venus Temple. It dates back to the early Middle Ages, when Slavs inhabited this territory. People came from far away to this temple to worship old Slavic gods. This may have started the tradition of the oldest pilgrimage site, which Skalka is known as today. But these were just tales — until 1995, when an archaeological survey was conducted to map the until-then unexplored sites of this mysterious hillfort.
During the survey, many precious artifacts were found. A huge surprise was the discovery of a structure located in the magical center of the Chochel hillfort. Only the lowest remains of a stone wall survived. The discovered building, about 5 by 5 meters in size, was clearly used for sacred purposes, not secular ones — it was a sanctuary. This confirmed the truth of the legend about the mysterious Venus Temple. Around it, 175 graves were found, which is a significant number for such a small place!
However, something strange happened during the excavation. In the center of the temple, archaeologists found one grave unlike the others. The burial site was carved into the rock and contained an elderly individual. Antivampire rituals had been performed on this person, including the removal of the head and placing eleven stones to weigh down the upper torso! The skeleton was missing the skull and five cervical vertebrae, which were deliberately removed after burial. The purpose of these practices was to prevent the deceased vampire from rising and harming the living. This is how the legend of the vampire at the Chochel hillfort was born.
What Else Is Hidden at the Chochel Hillfort?
This whole place is very peculiar. Many questions about the sanctuary, its location, and purpose remain unanswered… and who was the vampire? So far, only about 15% of the hillfort area has been explored. We may still be surprised what else lies hidden underground and what interesting artifacts will eventually see the light of day. Locals reportedly avoid this site and continue to tell strange stories about it…