History
Historical Heritage
Devín is the place where both mammoths and prehistoric men were walking after the end of the Ice Age. They settled down at the intersection of the roads, dealt with agriculture and later with trade. There was a ford through the Danube River both on the Amber and Danube roads.
German tribes were moving under Devín after the fall of Rome followed by Slavs. It is very probable that Devín was the Dowina forthill, a prince seat of Rastislav who had welcomed Constantine and Methodius here. Devín also draws the attention of Austrian historiography looking for the capital of the Kingdom of Noricum – the city of Carnuntum.
Cella Memoriae
There were several stone buildings from the 3rd to 4th century discovered in Devín. One of them is the building found near the western Gothic entry gate. Its ground plan resembles the shape of an ancient vault – it is one of the reasons why the building is called cella memoriae.
Devín Castle as a symbol
The Devín Castle is one of the sites on which the national consciousness of Slovaks. However, the real value of this place lies in the fact that it represented the crossroads of different civilizations, ethnicities, and religions that met here.
Devín Castle in the 20th century
Devín has always been a border point and a crossroad. It stood on the borders of kingdoms, later states, but during the second half of the 20th century it found itself on the border that divided the whole of Europe into the so-called Western and Eastern blocs.
Restoration of historical architectures
In 2022, the walls of the castle were renovated. The lower part of the castle walls is lighter and the upper part is slightly darker. This border hides an interesting story about construction in the Middle Ages and today.
Visit us
today!
Schedule a trip to one of the most important national cultural heritages in Slovakia. Apart from historical or natural assets, the Devín Castle also offers the exposition with precious archaeological findings or events for the whole family. Get familiar with the castle and its close neighbourhood which has a lot going for it.