Fairy-tale Slovak castle from the 12th century is a regular target for directors and numerous tourists

(Patria) - Located in the centre of a circle formed by the cities of Krakow, Brno, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Košice, the Slovak Bojnice Castle is an ideal point on a journey where one doesn't know where to go first.

It is one of the most famous and most beautiful castles in Slovakia, built in the 12th century during the Kingdom of Hungary, on a plateau offering a wonderful view of the town at its foot.

Therefore, in its early days, it was in the hands of the Hungarian elite, including King Ladislaus V and King Matthias Corvinus, reports Punkufer.

Matthias loved the castle so much that he often visited it and made important decisions under a linden tree. Today, that same linden tree is known as King Matthias's Linden.

Let us also note that this linden tree is nearly 700 years old, but it still regularly welcomes its visitors.

After the king's death, the castle passed into the hands of a wealthy Hungarian noble family, which in the 16th century began renovating the castle, which until then had resembled more of a wooden-stone fortress.

Its appearance was added to over the centuries - until it acquired the magnificent look it has today - somewhat inspired by the romantic castles of the French Loire Valley.

Later, during the Czechoslovak state, it passed into the hands of Czech entrepreneur Jan Antonín Baťa.

When the Czechoslovak authorities decided in 1945 that "sharing is caring" and accordingly confiscated Baťa's property, the castle became the seat of several state institutions.

Today it is owned by the state and is enriched by the Slovak National Museum, which houses the original furniture and the art collection of the Pálffy family.

Bojnice Castle is very popular among directors and filmmakers who see at first glance that it is a perfect backdrop for filming fantasy and fairy-tale films and series.

It also hosts the popular International Festival of Ghosts and the Summer Music Festival.

Every year it is visited by more than 200,000 visitors, and if you find yourself among them, do not miss visiting the stalactite cave beneath the castle, connected to the 26-metre-deep castle well.

In the park surrounding it, there is also the Bojnice Zoo, one of the most visited zoos in Slovakia, and the castle overlooks the eponymous town on the Nitra River.