Soľnohrad/Bandits’ Castle

Under the title Saltworks A long time ago, there were two castles situated six kilometres apart. The first castle stood on a hill south of Solivar, and today there are no visible traces of it. The second is on Zámek Hill (661 metres above sea level) in the Slánské Hills above the village of Ruská Nová Ves, of which only a modest ruin remains today.

From the history of the castle 

In 1288, Juraj Bokš was granted Sopotok – now known as Soľná Baňa – for his military service, along with a salt spring and forests stretching as far as the Topľa River. He was also granted permission to build a new castle to replace the wooden Soľný Castle, which had been destroyed during the Tatar invasion of 1285. The new „Castrum Sowar“ was destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions. In 1715, the provincial assembly decided on its definitive demolition.

The appearance of the castle

Of the original buildings, only tiny remnants of the stone castle have survived on a small 45x35 m islet with steep slopes on the north, south and west sides. Its significant eastward slope created two natural terraces, which were modified during the construction of the castle. The castle was protected by a 13 m wide moat, which is still 2.5-3 m deep, on this only accessible side, which was also the access road. The moat was closed on the north side by a rock wall, and on the south side by the mouth of the slope. An access road led through it, which was still protected in the middle of the moat by a small 8x4 m breastwork. It was protected on the outer eastern side by a rampart.
In the highest south-western part in the „upper castle“ with dimensions of 45x13 m there was a square tower with dimensions of 8x8 m, of which only half has been preserved, close to the edge of the plateau. The upper castle was protected by a stone perimeter fortification on the edges of the rock plateau, of which a 130 cm thick fragment on the southern side has been preserved. The considerable height difference (13 m) and the narrow entrance area apparently allowed only a pedestrian ascent to the upper castle. On the lower „lower courtyard“, which is only 10 m long, a part of the brick perimeter fortification, 120 cm thick, part of a circular tower 5 m in diameter, has been preserved on the north side. This perimeter wall apparently extended the entire length of the courtyard up to the entrance gate.

Salt Castle is part of Šariš Castle Road

Source: OOCR RŠ
Source of photographs: OOCR RŠ