The rediscovered castle with an unsolved “DaVinci Code Mystery” – Šebeš Castle.
On the outcrop of Slánské mountains (N-W), on the right side of the valley of the river Šebastovka, above the village of Podhradík, there are remains of a medieval castle. Šebeš Castle was built at the beginning of the 14th century. The first written record dates back from 1307, when the area of the future castle was acquired by the knight Synek de Sebesy. The knight built the stone castle there in 1315. From the castle rock it was possible to see what was happening in the north-eastern part of the Košice basin, with a good view of the then castles of Šariš and Kapušany. Šebeš Castle was inhabited by the descendants of Knight Synek for almost two centuries. In 1491, King Vladislav II of Jagiellonian donated the castle to the loyal city of Košice. However, in 1528 this “Košice castle near Prešov” was conquered by the army of the city of Prešov. Perhaps it was this event that triggered the rivalry between Košice and Prešov. Due to disagreements and legal disputes over the castle, the mayor of Prešov had the castle set on fire in 1550. Unfortunately, the castle was never rebuilt and eventually fell into disrepair. From the original castle, only low laying remains of stone walls have been preserved.
At the western foot of the rock cliff, an inscription reading L. CSEH and a date August 24, 1896 were cut into the rock. The locals say the inscription reveals the coordinates of a tunnel where cinabarit, an important ingredient in the production of mercury, was once mined. The tunnel is located on the opposite side of the Šebastovka stream, at the foot of the hill Hájova hora. During World War II, the locals hid food, especially grain in there. There are many interesting rock formations and a small “sea of rocks” around the ruins. The castle hill offers a nice view of the surrounding villages and castles. Under the castle there is a place for grilling, relaxation, a shelter and a small amphitheatre.
Tips from locals:
– There is an information board in the “courtyard” and a well-hidden small box next to it. The box hides a guest book. Feel free to leave a message there, it will surely warm the heart of those taking care of the castle.
– There are no rubbish bins on the way to the castle. Please, respect the nature and take your rubbish with you.
– The Šebeš Castle audio guide is part of the Dante mobile application, which can be found on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sk.dante&gl=SK. For the smooth operation of the application in places with a weak signal and internet connection, we recommend that you download the Šebeš Castle Trip offline before you set off.
Zdroj a foto : OOCR Region Šariš, obec Podhradík
Titulná foto: Tibor Šarišský Photography
