Kysacký hrad (zrúcanina)

Kysak Castle, whose ruins are located northwest of the village of Kysak, lies on a hill called Hrad at an altitude of 498 meters above sea level. Written sources do not provide an exact date of its origin or the reasons for its decline, but it is known that its history dates back to the Middle Ages. The first mention of the castle comes from 1300, when it was owned by Michael from the Drienov branch of the Aba family, and after his death it passed to his nephews Peter and John.

In 1304, the castle is mentioned under the name castrum Sumus (Castle Drienov) and was divided into two parts, with the northern part belonging to Peter and John and the southern part to the heirs of Count Nicholas. The castle was probably built at the end of the 13th century, suggesting it was founded after 1280, since earlier documents do not mention it.

The castle is also recorded in later 15th-century documents under names such as Kuní kameň or Nesthen, which were later unified with the name of the village Kysak. At that time, the castle served as the center of the estate and controlled several subject villages. During the 15th century, it was repaired by royal order, but around 1466 it began to decline and by the 16th century it was already abandoned.

The ruins lie on a long, narrow rocky ridge, which limited the development of its architecture. The core of the castle consisted of a cylindrical tower in the west and a prismatic tower in the east, which served as a vaulted palace. A round bergfried, 7.5 meters in diameter, stood above the access road leading to the outer bailey, which is still preserved today. The outer bailey protected the castle from the southwest, and the access road was secured by an earthwork and moat.

Today, the remains of the castle are still visible, allowing visitors to imagine its original appearance. From the castle, other nearby strongholds such as Soľnohrad and Hradová near Košice were visible, and its position had strategic importance as it could capture light signals from the Torysa and Hornád valleys. Although the castle has fallen into obscurity, its ruins still offer an interesting insight into the history of the region. The site can be reached via forest paths starting either near the cemetery or near the police station.

Source: www.keturist.sk