Devín Castle(Slovak:hrad Devín[ˈɦradˈɟeʋiːn]orDevínsky hrad[ˈɟeʋiːnskiˈɦrat],Hungarian:Dévényi vár,German:Burg Theben) is a castle inDevín,which is a borough ofBratislava,the capital ofSlovakia.
| Devín Castle Devínsky hrad | |
|---|---|
Bratislava DevínSlovakia | |
 The ruins of Devín Castle | |
| Type | Castle |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Great Moravia,Kingdom of Hungary,Czechoslovakia,Nazi Germany,Slovakia |
| Open to the public | nonstop, opening hours apply to the museum |
| Condition | Ruins (partially reconstructed) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 864 – 15th century Last fortifications were built in the 17th century |
| Events | Notable events in the castle's life:
|
Description
editThe site has been settled since theNeolithic Ageand fortified since theBronzeandIron Ageand later byCeltsandRomans.
The cliff (elevation 212 meters) is an ideal place for a fort due to its position at the confluence of theDanubeandMoravarivers. The fort watches over an important trade route along the Danube as well as one branch of theAmber Road.
The castle stands just inside Slovak territory on the frontier betweenSlovakiaandAustria.The border runs from west to east along the Morava River and subsequently the Danube. Before 1989, theIron Curtainbetween theEastern Blocand the West ran just in front of the castle. Although the castle was open to the public, the area surrounding it constituted a restricted military zone and was heavily fortified with watchtowers and barbed wire. After theVelvet Revolution,the area was demilitarised.
The most photographed part of the castle is the tiny watchtower, known as the Maiden Tower.[1]Separated from the main castle, it balances perilously on a lone rock and has spawned countless legends concerning imprisoned lovelorn daughters leaping to their deaths.
Inside the castle is a sprawling landscape of walls, staircases, open courtyards, and gardens in various states of disrepair. A restoration project has been taking place since the end of World War II.
Etymology
editThe name of the castle is probably derived from the oldIndo-European/Proto-Slavicstem*deiv-withapophony*doiv-related to light and visual perception.Devín, Divín, Devinka, Divino, Dzivín,and similar Slavic names can be interpreted aswatchtowersor observation points.[2]The same root related to vision can be found also in the worddiv(evil spirit) thus meaning "the place of evil spirits". TheAnnales Fuldensesexplained the name from the Slavic worddeva—a girl ( "Dowina, id est puella"). In this case,devin gradmeans "castle of the girl" (according to linguistŠimon Ondruš,this etymology is less likely).[3]
History
edit
Devín Castle is one of the oldest castles in Slovakia. The first mention of the castle in written sources was quite possibly in 864, whenLouis the GermanbesiegedPrince Rastislav of Moraviain one of the frequent wars between theFranksandGreat Moraviarespectively in the "castle of Dowina". On the other hand, the identification ofDowinawith Devín Castle has been under debate[4]based on alleged linguistic arguments and the absence of convincing archaeologic evidence.[5]
During the Great Moravian period, Devín was the center of a larger agglomeration. Its defensive role was strengthened by smaller hill forts onDevínska Kobyla(Na pieskach, Nad lomom). A pre-romanesque church was built on the castle between approximately 850 and 863/870.[6] Its rare style is closest to churches fromDalmatiaandNoricum,from the areas with a persisting tradition of late antique andByzantinearchitecture.[7]The interior of the church was decorated with frescoes painted with colors that originated (according to chemical analysis) in northern Italy.[8][9]Twostylusesdiscovered by later research can indicate the administrative educational work of the local priests. Along with other artifacts, six graves dated to the Great Moravian era were found near the church and are attributed to members of a retinue of the local ruler and their family members.[10]
In the 13th century, a stone castle was built to protect the western frontier of theHungarian Kingdomwhose existence was documented in 1271, and a reference to acastelanus de Devinappeared in 1326.
The palace was added in the 15th century. The fortifications were reinforced during the wars against theOttoman Empire.The Castle was never taken, but after the Hungarian Kingdom joined theHabsburg monarchyand the Ottomans were finally defeated, it ceased to be an important border fortress and was no longer used by the military.Stephen Báthorygot the castle from the king as a donation. But according to Stephen Báthory wasKeglevićthe owner of the castle. Keglević pawned the castle for 40,000 guilders to the Palocsai family and spent the money. In 1609,Matthias IIconfirmed that Keglević still was the owner of the castle, but Keglević did not have the money to take the castle out of pledge from the Palocsai family. Nearly 100 years later in 1635, PalatinePál Pálffytook the castle out of pledge from the Palocsai family.[11]The last owners of the Devín Castle were the Counts of thePálffyfamily. Only in 1809, after the Siege of Pressburg, was the castle (which may have still been considered a threat) destroyed by the retreating forces ofNapoleon I of France.Napoleon andLeopold Pálffythen entered negotiations and both agreed that Vienna should be supplied with products by Pálffy.[12]
Since the 19th century as its history inspired severalRomanticpoets and followers ofĽudovít Štúr,Devín became an important national symbol for theSlovaks.It featured both on the reverse of the former 500Czechoslovak korunabanknote and the 50Halierov coinof theSlovakcurrency.
TheHungariansregarded it as the western gateway of theKingdom of Hungary.The Hungarian poetEndre Adyused it as a symbol of modernism and Westernization in his poemI am the Son of Gog and Magog:
By Verecke's ancient route I came,
In my ear ancient Magyar songs still blaze,
Am I free to break through at Dévény,
With modern songs fit for modern days?— Endre Ady: I am the Son of Gog and Magog[13]
Some parts of the castle were reconstructed in the 20th century and the castle hosts an interesting museum. Archaeological works at the site have revealed the remains of a Roman tower dating from the 1st century AD and evidence of a prehistoric settlement.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Travel".
- ^Ondruš 2000,pp. 205–206.
- ^Ondruš 2000,p. 206.
- ^Kristó, Gyula, ed. (1994).Korai Magyar Történeti Lexikon (9-14. század).Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. p. 553.ISBN963-05-6722-9.
- ^According to this theory the vowel"o"ofDowinacannot be explained from"e",and all the documented names of Devín contain afront vowel:e.g.,Devín,Theben,Dévény(http:// uni-bonn.de/~ntrunte/publikationen8.html#dowina_inhaltArchived2008-05-17 at theWayback Machine). However, such supposed derivation is not necessary (seeetymology) and the castle and the village is known under various historical names: 864 –Dowina,1288 –castrum de Dywen,1326 –Thebyn,tebyn,1332 –Dévén,1434 –Dewen,Theben,1455 –Teben,1491 –Tebm,1529 –Thewen,1531 –Thebmern,1550 –Theenfeld,Dewen,1577 –Thoben,1578 –Thaben,1605 –Taber,1651 –Deeben,1659–Doben,1722 –devenium,1773 –Divinum,Teeben,1786 –Diwin,1825 – Divenium. (http:// muop.bratislava.sk/vismo/zobraz_dok.asp?id_org=600176&id_ktg=1034).
- ^Illáš 2011,p. 17.
- ^Illáš 2011,pp. 11–12.
- ^Štefanovičová 1989,p. 115.
- ^Illáš 2011,p. 18.
- ^Turčan 2013,p. 23.
- ^Presburg und seine Umgebung,C.F. Wigand, 1865.
- ^The History of the Rise, Progress, and Overthrow of Napoleon Bonaparte: With a Summary Account of the Circumstances which Paved the Way to the French Revolution Together with a History of the Wars,page 650, Theophilus Camden, J. Stratford, 1814.
- ^László, Gyula (1996).The Magyars - Their Life and Civilisation.Corvina. p. 355.ISBN963-13-4226-3.
- ^"Devin Castle | bratislava-city.sk".
Sources
edit- Illáš, Martin (2011)."Predrománsky kostol na Devíne"[The Pre-romanesque Church on Devín](PDF)(in Slovak). Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2016-03-04.Retrieved2015-08-18.
- Ondruš, Šimon (2000).Odtajnené trezory slov I.(in Slovak). Martin: Vydavateľstvo Matice slovenskej.ISBN80-7090-530-1.
- Turčan, Vladimír (2013).Veľkomoravské hradiská(in Slovak). Bratislava: DAJAMA.ISBN978-80-8136-013-8.
- Štefanovičová, Tatiana(1989).Osudy starých Slovanov[Fate of the Ancient Slavs] (in Slovak). Osveta.
- Engel, Pál: Magyarország világi archontológiája (1301–1457)(The Temporal Archontology of Hungary (1301–1457));História - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, 1996, Budapest;ISBN963-8312-43-2.
External links
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