On a limestone cliff over Stará Lubovna in the north-east of Spiš stands Lubovniansky hrad Castle. Rulers met here in the past, it is the place where Polish coronation jewels were hidden during wartime and where famous adventurer, noble man and King of Madagascar, Móric Benovský was imprisoned.
It originated at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries as part of the boundary castles system. Besides the protection of the former Polish-Old Hungarian border, its task was to secure the important trade route passing along the valley of the Poprad river to Poland.
In 1412, the historical meeting of the Old Hungarian ruler Sigismund of Luxembourg with the Polish king Vladislav II took place here. The castle was in pawn in favour of Polish rulers and became the seat of Polish administrators of pawned towns. Through reconstruction accomplished after an extensive fire in 1557, the Lubovniansky hrad Castle obtained a modern look with advanced artillery facilities and comfortable housing. After the return of the Spiš towns to Old Hungary, the role of the castle diminished and the castle itself fell in decay. Later the castle was successfully reconstructed and the castle museum collections were installed there. In 1991 the castle chapel was reconstructed and again consecrated. It is still venue of regular services.
An independent collection is represented by an open air museum of popular architecture in the area at the foot of the castle, which consists of a set of buildings. The group of historic country houses forms a picturesque settlement around the castle.
Access: driving as far as the castle, on foot from centre of Stará Lubovna following the red hiking mark (it takes about 30 min.)