Farm Buildings of the Middle Castle

The role of the castle as the estate centre was not only military and dwelling one; the castle had also an important economic function. Particular officers, administrators, servants, and craftsmen were dwelling here and, at the same time, surplus from agriculture was stored here.

The farm background in the Devín castle consisted of several buildings located in the middle castle. The built-up area concentrated on the western edge consisted of ten rooms. As described by Matej Bel in his Notitia Hungariae novae historico-geographica of the 18th century, there were arched cellars, a guardhouse, a castellan’s flat, and stables for the livestock here. The buildings were built after one another from the end of the 17th century to the end of the 18th century. The oldest as well as the largest building has three rooms with the entrance in its middle part. It was extended of other premises from the southern and northern sides.

The building situated in the depth of 2m was a predecessor of the farm structures of the middle castle; a fragment of its corner has been preserved. Based on several metal findings and locksmith’s slag, we can believe that the building was used as a locksmith’s shop.