Description of the attraction
The ancient fortress Devin is located on a high cliff in a very picturesque place. At its foot, the Danube joins the Morava. The strategically important cliff could not be ignored first by the Celts, then by the Romans, and then by the Slavic prince Rostislav. It was he who, in the 9th century, laid the austere fortress, which seems to be a continuation of the rock due to the building material successfully selected in color and texture. Evidence of the presence of the Romans here can be found just outside the Moravian Gate, erected on the site of a former moat and leading to the castle grounds. There are excavations of Roman buildings. On the other side of the road, you can see the burials of the ancient Slavs, dating back to the 10th century. Archaeologists have also found here the remains of an 11th century settlement.
To get to the rest of the buildings of the fortress, which in the XIII century performed a defensive function and protected the borders of Hungary, but was destroyed by the French during the Napoleonic wars, you need to follow the road leading to the top of the cliff. Turning to the left at the fork will take you to the site where the Byzantine-style Orthodox church stood during the Great Moravian era. If you head to the right, you can go to the ruins of a medieval fortress, which in the 15th century was a compact Gothic castle. In the next century, another Renaissance-style residential building was added to the existing palace and fortifications were strengthened. Only recently, the ruins of the castle began to be gradually restored. The renovated rooms now house a museum.
In the courtyard of the castle, you should pay attention to a deep well, which, in the event of a siege, continuously supplied water to the defenders of the fortress. There is an observation deck near the well, from where you can even see Austria. A little away from the main buildings, the Maiden Tower rises. There is another observation deck near the remains of the guard tower, erected in the 13th century.
