Castle

It is a monumental baroque chateau on a strategic important place on a foothill of Považský Inovec.

At the top of the hill on the city south side, on which the castle park is situated, sits the prominent landmark of Hlohovec castle. It is the earliest Romanesque structure built in the 13th century. It has a pentagonal floor plan with a pop-up terrace on the north face, which was built on the site of demolished bastion. Because of an extensive restoration of the two-story building from 1790 to 1800, the bridge leading over the moat to the castle, rampant and other elements of fortification had to be demolished. Located in the west wing of the castle is a chapel, donated by the estate owner Nicholas Kont in the mid 14th century, it has a rectangular floor plan with polygonal closure and abutments. Within the main altar are preserved statues of St Imre and St Ladislav and a grandiose canopy with Crown of St Stephen. The original main altar – relief of The Nativity – dated to the end of the 15th century is now displayed in the Gothic section at the Slovak national gallery in Bratislava. The original, carved by Ľudovít Pisar, is exhibited in the Homeland Museum in Hlohovec.

In addition to the castle, a gazebo, a former riding hall, stables for horses, a greenhouse, manor house, menagerie and the Empire Theatre are situated within the castle complex. The Empire Theatre, built by count Joseph Erdödy in 1802 to commemorate the visit of Emperor Franz II., is the oldest standing theatre in Slovakia.

Hlohovský zámok