Fortress within a fortress: foundations of the mid-1400s round Jiskra Tower, named after mercenary commander John or Jan Jiskra and built as a separate stronghold, survive inside the walled outer bailey of Spiš Castle, a formidable fortress in the Košice Region of eastern Slovakia. The castle, founded by Hungarian kings, became the largest fortified complex in Central Europe.
Spiš Castle, Košice Region, eastern Slovakia: circular foundations of the Jiskra Tower, named after 1400s mercenary leader John or Jan Jiskra of Brandýs, are the most prominent surviving feature within the walled outer bailey or lower courtyard on western slopes below this formidable ruined fortress built by the kings of Hungary. The outer bailey covers an area of about 100m x 60m. It became a military camp in 1442, after the castle commander betrayed its then owners, the Rozgonyi family, by opening the gates to Jiskra’s troops. The Jiskra Tower, defended by a ditch and palisade, was built as a separate fortress, but after new defences were thrown up around the bailey, it lost its main function and was instead used to store munitions. It was demolished after Jiskra’s men left and the bailey was then occupied by domestic buildings such as houses and stables. Spiš Castle or Spišský hrad was built in the early 1200s to replace an earlier stronghold on a 200m-high (650 ft) limestone spur. It withstood a siege by Tartar invaders in 1249 and was involved in further warfare involving noble families either rebelling against the monarchy or fighting amongst themselves. The castle was strongly defended by an outer palisade, ditches, curtain walls, towers and bastions and it grew to become the largest fortified complex in Central Europe. However, in the late 1600s, its last private owners moved to a more comfortable home and after a disastrous fire in 1780, the site was abandoned. It then suffered many decades of neglect. A restoration programme launched in 1969 led to the castle and its environs winning UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1993. Extensive archaeological research has been carried out on the hill and the fortress is now a popular visitor attraction.
Size: 4112px × 2737px
Location: Spiš Castle or Spišský hrad, Košice Region, Slovakia.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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