About this place
A castle at the centre of 360 years of Polish-Hungarian history
Ľubovnianský hrad, a hilltop castle first documented around 1311 and pledged to Poland from 1412 to 1772, paired with an open-air folk museum recreating the region's Ruthenian, Goral, German, Jewish and Roma heritage.
Essential experiences
What to look for during your visit
4 highlights
01
Explore a castle central to 360 years of Polish-Hungarian pledged history
02
Learn how the Polish crown jewels were reportedly hidden here from 1655 to 1661
03
Tour the open-air museum's reconstructed Ruthenian, Goral, German, Jewish and Roma buildings
04
See the wooden 1833 Greek Catholic church relocated from Matysová
History and context
A place shaped across centuries
Construction of Ľubovnianský hrad dates to the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, with the castle first written about around 1311. In 1412, it hosted a diplomatic meeting between King Sigismund of Hungary and King Władysław Jagiełło of Poland, part of an arrangement that saw the town and castle pledged to Poland as security against a loan for 360 years, from 1412 to 1772. Between 1655 and 1661, the castle reportedly sheltered the Polish crown jewels for safekeeping, and in 1768 the adventurer Móric Beňovský was imprisoned here.
Visitor experience
What to expect when you arrive
Beyond the castle's own history, an adjoining open-air museum, opened in 1985, recreates the region's Ruthenian, Goral, German, Jewish and Roma communities through reconstructed buildings, including a wooden 1833 Greek Catholic church of St. Michael the Archangel relocated from the village of Matysová.
Gallery
A closer look
5 photographs
Practical information
Plan your visit
Address
Zámocká 22, 064 01, Stará Ľubovňa
Opening information
Approximately 1 May to 15 September: daily 9:00–19:00 (last entry 18:00). Reduced hours in shoulder and winter months. Confirm current hours before visiting.
Best time to visit
May to mid-September gives the longest daily opening hours.
Getting there
The castle and open-air museum sit together on a hill just outside central Stará Ľubovňa, an easy walk or short drive from town.
Accessibility and terrain
The hilltop site and open-air museum grounds include uneven, sloped terrain.
Combine it with
Continue exploring nearby
Stará Ľubovňa's own town centre lies a short walk away.
