Nitrian castle ( Slovak . Nitriansky hrad ) dominant of the old city of Nitra in Slovakia, national cultural heritage. Located on the hill of the Tribec massif (Slovak. Tribeč), height 220 m . It is currently the seat of the diocese of Nitra.
| Castle | |
| Nithrian Castle | |
|---|---|
| Slovak Nitriansky hrad | |
 Nitra Castle aerial view | |
| A country |  Slovakia |
| Massif | Tribec |
| Architectural style | |
History
At the end of the 8th century, the Principality of Nitra began to develop on the Tribec Upland. The hill, protected by the river from three sides, was a convenient site for the construction of a new fortification. After the inclusion of the Principality of Nitran in Great Moravia, the city became an important administrative center, and the castle complex was significantly improved and expanded. The first written records date back to the 11th century and describe the basilica of St. Emeram.
During the Mongol invasion in 1241, the castle was already a strong fortification and successfully resisted the invasion. In the XVI century, during the Turkish invasion, the fortress was again strengthened. A renaissance palace and internal gates were built. However, in spite of a good defense system, in 1663 the Turks were able to capture the castle for a short time.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the upper church and the bishop's palace were built. A number of reconstructions carried out over the centuries in order to strengthen and reconstruct significantly changed the face of the complex. The original form was preserved to the greatest extent by the Emeram Basilica (XIII century), parts of the castle wall, the upper Gothic church (XIV century), as well as the internal gate (XVI century).