| Krásna Hôrka Castle | |
| Native Name: | Krásna Hôrka |
| Location: | Krásnohorské Podhradie, Slovakia |
| Map Type: | Slovakia |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Coordinates: | 48.6583°N 20.6003°W |
| Built: | since the 13th century |
| Events: | 10 March 2012 – fire |
The Krásna Hôrka Castle (Slovak: Hrad Krásna Hôrka, Hungarian: Krasznahorka vára) is a castle in Slovakia, built on a hilltop overlooking the village of Krásnohorské Podhradie near Rožňava, in Košice Region. The first recorded mention of the castle was in 1333. In 1961 Krásna Hôrka was designated a National Cultural Monument of the Slovak Republic.[1] It was said to be one of the country's best-preservedcastles. On 10 March 2012 the castle was extensively damaged by fire, due to some teens carelessly discarding a cigarette which set the grass on fire.
The name means "a beautiful mountain" (Slovak: krásna - beautiful, hôrka - a little mountain).[2] Unlikely but possible is a derivation from the word kras (karst), because the karst is in the neighbourhood.[2]
The castle was built in the 13th century by the Hungarian Ákos brothers[3] on a trade route leading from Transylvania through Košice to Spiš and today's Poland.[4] The Ákos family (which later changed its name to Bebek) lived in Krásna Hôrka from the mid-13th century to 1566, apart from a short period when the Mariássy family seized control of the castle.[4] In 1578 the castle passed into the hands of [the Hungarian] Péter Andrássy and remained in the possession of the Andrássy family up until 1918 (the year the First Czechoslovak Republic was founded).[4]
During 2010 and 2011 the castle underwent renovation and was re-opened to public in April, 2011.[5]
On 10 March 2012, the castle was badly damaged by fire. The fire was caused by two boys who attempted to light up a cigarette and accidentally lit grass on the hill, from where it spread to the castle.[6] [7]
The castle building suffered extensive damage. The roof, the exhibition area in the Gothic palace and the bell tower were completely destroyed.[8] [9] Three bells in the bell tower were melted by the heat.[10] Initially, it was thought that many of the building's historic artefacts had been destroyed.[11] However, according to the Interior Minister of Slovakia Daniel Lipšic, "...the vast majority of exhibits remained undamaged".[12] Daniel Krajcer, Minister of Culture, commented that only the upper part of the castle (including collections) had been destroyed.[5] The Slovak National Museum has stated that 90% of the collections were undamaged.[10]
Hungarian folk ballad Krasznahorka büszke vára (The Proud Castle of Krásna Hôrka), traditionally played on a tárogató, is inspired by the castle.[13]