Hrad Beckov
Castle on a limestone rock above the Považie, with guided tours, an archaeological exhibition in the west palace, a Gothic chapel and a lapidarium.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Beckov Castle stands on a high limestone crag above the village in the central Považie region and is visible from afar. It offers visitors panoramic views and a combination of Gothic and Romanesque styles. The medieval history of the castle is brought to life by the figure of Stibor zo Stiboríc (Stibor of Stiboríce), a military commander and diplomat and an important nobleman at the court of King and Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg. After the Stibor family, the castle was longest in the possession of the Bánffy family, with whom the Renaissance period of the castle is associated.
The castle is today managed by the non-profit organisation Hrad Beckov. It is no longer just a ruin: in the lower courtyard there is a blacksmith's forge, a castle well with a wooden dragon sculpture, and a buffet. In the rooms of the west palace there is an exhibition on the archaeology and building development of the castle, with collection objects from the Trenčín Museum; a panel exhibition on the owners of the castle, from the Stibor family to the compossessorate in the 17th century; a modern peephole wall on food and hygiene in the Middle Ages; and a lapidarium with stone architectural elements.
The Gothic chapel was built under the Stibor family on the foundations of an older structure; high narrow windows, the ribs of a net vault and part of the frescoes with their original bluish-green coating have been preserved in it.
Highlights
- Panoramic views over the Považie
- Exhibition on the archaeology and building development of the castle in the west palace
- Gothic chapel with preserved frescoes
- Peephole wall on medieval food and hygiene
- Guided tours of the castle grounds
Permanent exhibitions
- Archeológia a stavebný vývoj hradu – Exhibition in the west palace with collection objects from the Trenčín Museum and a panel exhibition on the owners of the castle.
- Kukátková stena – stredoveké stravovanie a hygiena – Modern peephole wall on food and hygiene in the Middle Ages.
- Lapidárium a gotická kaplnka – Stone architectural elements and the Gothic chapel with partly preserved frescoes.
- Operated by
- Hrad Beckov, n. o.
- Director
- Peter Pastier
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6seniors aged 65 and over and students aged 15 to 26 |
| Children & teens | €4.50Children aged 6 to 15 accompanied by an adult; children aged 3 to 6 pay €0.50. |
| Seniors | €6From 65 years. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €4.50Holders of a ŤZP card; children with ŤZP up to 15 years enter free. |
| Students & apprentices | €6From 15 to 26 years. |
| Groups (15+ people) | –Organised groups of more than 15 people receive a 10% discount on the price of the relevant category. |
| Families | €212 parents and 2 children under 15. |
| Off-season admission (February and November 2026) – adults | €6 |
| Off-season admission – seniors, students | €4 |
| Off-season admission – children aged 6 to 15, ŤZP | €3.50 |
| Off-season admission – children aged 3 to 6 | €0.50 |
| Off-season family ticket | €16 |
| School programme – Detský okruh (Children's circuit) | €4.50 |
| School programme – Učený mladý pán Stibor (The Learned Young Lord Stibor) with a castle tour | €5 |
| School programme – Škola bylinkárstva (School of Herbalism) with a castle tour | €8 |
| School programme – Sakrálna cesta (Sacred Route: village, churches and Beckov Castle) | €8 |
| Photography and filming of weddings | €50 |
Prices for 2026: main season from March to October; the off-season admission applies in February and November. Discounts: Multisport 100%, family passes and the Považský kultúrny pas (Považie Culture Pass) 10%; when four family tickets are bought, the fifth is free. Special school programmes do not include the 10% group discount; accompanying teachers enter free. Entry with a dog is possible (the dog must be on a lead). Groups with a commentary in a foreign language or outside opening hours pay a surcharge of €40.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
In the main season, step-free access for wheelchair users is possible only when accompanied, over uneven terrain, to the first courtyard; in the off-season only to the lower courtyard, where there is also a step-free toilet. An asphalt road with step-free access leads to the castle.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | €21 · 2 parents and 2 children under 15. |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Baby changing facilities
In the lower courtyard there is a changing table (load capacity up to 15 kg) and a nursing chair. There are special programmes for schools and children, for example the Detský okruh (Children's circuit).
Getting there & parking
By car
Paid parking · 5-min walk to the entrance
Parking in the village is paid at marked spaces (SMS, QR code, or a machine accepting cash or cards by the Catholic church). Free parking areas for buses and caravans are by the village office and the cemetery.
From the village square to the ticket office it is about 5 minutes on foot; the castle is accessible on foot only. The village of Beckov lies about 8 km north-east of Nové Mesto nad Váhom, on road no. 507 to Trenčín.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
In the lower courtyard there is a souvenir shop with souvenirs from Slovak craftsmen and a small castle buffet with refreshments, drinks, ice cream and cakes.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Weddings / ceremonies
A wedding ceremony in the chapel or in the Knights' Hall costs €200; requests should be sent to kultura@hrad-beckov.sk.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The guided tour is included in the admission price (in the season). Tour start times: on working days at 9:30, 11:30, 13:00 and 14:30 (and only in July and August at 16:30); at weekends every hour from 9:30 to 16:30. The tour lasts 60 to 75 minutes and starts by the stage in the lower courtyard; at least 4 people over 10 years of age are required. At the ticket office visitors can download, by scanning a QR code, an audio recording with an explanation of the castle's history and two legends. Guided tours take place at weekends in April to June, daily in July and August, and at weekends in September and October. Vehicles are not allowed to enter the castle grounds; bicycles can be left at the ticket office. |
