Spiš Castle stands on a mountaintop near the Slovak village of Žehra<\/em><\/p>
In 1241, Spiš Castle successfully withstood the Mongol-Tatar siege, and later the experiments of Italian architects, who at the end of the 13th century contributed to strengthening the castle's fortifications.<\/p>
Tourists can reach the upper part of the castle via an ancient trail<\/em><\/p>
In the 14th century, the Lower Castle was added to the fortress, which had a defensive character. The Zápolya family, who owned the castle, built many new structures here in the 15th century. And it was in Spiš Castle that the Hungarian king John Zápolya was born. At the beginning of the 18th century, the owners abandoned the castle, and in 1780 it burned down and gradually fell into disrepair.<\/p>
Exhibition of historical weapons at Spiš Castle<\/em><\/p>
Currently, restoration work, which began in the 1970s, is still ongoing at the castle, which is the historical center of the Spiš region of Slovakia and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site (No. 620). But tourists can already stroll through the fortifications and visit the local museum of weapons and armor.<\/p>
The ancient fortress crowns a mighty high cliff<\/em><\/p>