Hrad Lednica

About

Hrad Lednica was built around the 13th century as a border defense and to guard the trade route from Hungary to Moravia. Over the centuries, the castle’s inaccessible position made it highly desirable, and it was controlled by everyone from Hussites to noble families, to robber barons. It’s precarious mountaintop perch made it invincible until the 18th century when Habsburg troops destroyed it as retribution for the uprising lead by Francis II Rákóczi. While the two drawbridges are no longer standing, you still need to go through a cave to reach the ‘middle castle’, which is where the palace and residential tower stand. From here, a a ladder now stands in place of the staircase that once led to the the watchtower. To reach the highest lookout, a steep, narrow staircase was carved directly into the rock cliff, which is a dizzying experience to climb (and not recommended for anyone with any stability issues).