| Šariš Castle | |
| Native Name: | Šarišský hrad |
| Alternate Names: | Hrad Šariš, Sáros (vára), castrum Sarus (1245), castrum de Saarus (1312), etc. |
| Altitude: | ca 570 m (1870.07 ft) ASL |
| Building Type: | Ruined castle, Hilltop castle, Royal castle |
| Location: | Veľký Šariš, Slovakia |
| Owner: | Municipality of Veľký Šariš |
| Coordinates: | 49.0525°N 21.1761°W |
| Start Date: | 13th century |
Šariš Castle (Slovak: Šarišský hrad, Hungarian: Sáros vára) is a ruined Gothic and Renaissance era stone castle above the town of Veľký Šariš in Prešov District, Prešov Region, Slovakia. It is a hilltop castle located on a cone-shaped hill with a wide plateau at its top, in an altitude of approximately 570 m (1870.07 ft) above sea level. The ruins lie 6-7 km northwest of Prešov, Slovakia, in the traditional region Šariš.[1] [2] [3] The castle is listed in the National Cultural Heritage list of the Monuments Board of the Slovak Republic.[4]
The castle is one of the oldest and biggest castles in Slovakia. It was permanently settled from the Neolithic to the 4th century AD, then from the 10th to the 12th century, and finally a new castle was built in the 13th century. The castle was destroyed by fire in 1678.
The former county and traditional region of Šariš both draw their name from the name of the castle, due to it having served as the original county seat for several centuries (as was common with many Hungarian castles serving this political function). [5] [6] [7]
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