Orava Castle

We're back at home after another wonderful adventure!  3 buses each way, and everything went smoothly.  First thing in the morning, we were a little worried because the bus that came by at the appointed time was a huge, fancy bus, and the stewardess (yes, there was a stewardess!) said we didn't have a reservation.  Finally she came back out and asked if we had Euros and wanted to ride on her bus, so we did.  She even brought us free hot tea!  Wow!!  We really went in style, and we were on the top deck so enjoyed the panoramic views.  After that, every bus was on time also, which is typical for Slovak public transportation in general.  

Our Slovak "Megabus" was amazing!   :-)   

We went through Ruzomberok, Dolny Kubín, and finally Oravsky Podzámok, which is the village at the foot of the castle, Oravsky Hrad in Slovak.  There were some clouds and fog in the mountains, but it was still a pretty ride through the countryside and mountains.  We had about an hour before our bus left Ruzomberok, so we wandered around a while there.  

This is the railing on the bridge across the river from the train/bus
station into the town center in Ruzomberok.  I happened to notice....

Every single space between the supports had a spider web, glistening
with morning dew.  I had Tim put his jacket behind them so they could be seen.
It was really an amazing sight to see!!  

This is the Ruzomberok train station - a really pretty one!

These were windows of an old church in Ruzomberok.

And these are the stained glass windows on the other side -
I took the picture through the broken window above.  

Tim in a narrow street leading to the centrum, with the
church steeple above shrouded in fog.

Staircase in Ruzomberok - the second half is covered. 

When we finally arrived in Oravsky Podzámok, we didn't need to ask directions because the castle is right above the town, and it's HUGE!  Different sections were built in various time periods, starting in the 1300's.  It's the biggest castle in Slovakia, and it's the only one that was never captured by an invading army in its history.  We took a 2-hour guided tour with a large group.  It was all in Slovak, but in several locations there were laminated information sheets for us to read during the narration.  It was AMAZING!!!  

The sign at the entrance

Waiting for the tour guide to open the castle gates.

The knocker on the first castle gate

Just after we got inside, we saw a couple having wedding photos taken!  

This picture is for Papa, who kept asking if the castles have moats.....NO!!
They are built high up on rocky crags.  But this castle did have a drawbridge
at the second gate, inside the first one! 

This is a view from inside the castle gates, looking up to the higher parts.

Orava Castle is well preserved and restored, and there are many areas containing period furniture.  There are also historical displays of costumes, household items, nature and animals in the vicinity, and even artifacts from archeological excavations that show the castle grounds have been inhabited by humans for thousands of years.  It was a fascinating and educational experience!

This is a view out of one of the castle windows.  

Tim definitely had to duck coming through this doorway.
People must have been much shorter when this part of the castle was built!

Some huge pieces of furniture - and lots of horns!

There were many large armory displays - swords, shields, spears, and helmets

Getting higher into the older parts of the castle

Inside one of the castle courtyards

Ww went up the stairs at the left and into the next part of the castle

Looking down at yet another bride having a castle photo shoot!  

The chapel steeple through a castle window

We went up these stairs too - this part of the castle was 5 stories high.
We'd go up to the top of one section, then out and up higher and higher
into each successive section of the castle!  

This little alcove was so inviting, all bathed in midday sunshine.
I wanted to go curl up there with a good book!!  :-)

These chairs were intricately carved - each one unique.

This was a chambermaid's quarters.  The clock on the wall
above her bed has no hands, symbolizing the fact that she
was in service to her mistress every hour of every day.  

Tim says this shows why we call it a "king-size" bed ---
this was the king's bed!!  :-)

Yes, we went up these stairs too, approaching the
oldest section of the castle.

Getting closer to the top section

Looking back down where we had been before.
The large hole in the wall was a well that one king had
built down through the bedrock.

A view back down into the courtyard near the chapel, with the village,
the river, and the hills in the distance

A view in a different direction from high in the castle.

Room with a view!!  :-)

This is a cistern built down into the bedrock of the highest part of the castle,
to hold and store water in case of a siege.  It was HUGE!!  

This is the same courtyard near the chapel, from even higher.
Note the Slovak flag unfurled in the breeze!  

Tim heading back down the stairs from the very top

Loving the castle views!!  

Yeah, we were definitely way up at the top!!

Such a fun day!!

My Knight on the castle steps!

The Slovak flag at Orava Castle

This picture goes out to all the Olson kids, and every other Riverside Bible Camp counselor....
when I saw this statue in the chapel at the castle, this song popped into my head...
You guessed it...."Stomp on the Devil"     LOL!!  

What a fun day at the castle.  (The public stocks are at left!)

I just liked this shot.  That is all.  :-)

This reminded me of Cinderella's carriage - so pretty inside too!

At the drawbridge, ready to head back out of the Orava Castle

Outside the first castle gate again - holding onto that
dragon door knocker from the first picture!!  :-)

After we left the castle, we were starving!  Breakfast had been at 7:00 a.m. at home, the tour started at 11:35, and we got back down into town a little before 2:00.  

We headed down past this church first - pretty setting!

Then took a picture from the church yard back up toward the castle.
You can really see the different levels and sections from this angle.

And finally, we found this restaurant, with an outdoor patio on the second
floor of a hotel on the main road - perfect!! 

This was the view from our table.   WOW!!!

The view back down towards the town while we were eating.

Too bad we were in shadows, but so it goes!

This is the hotel - the balcony on the second floor only had
about 4 tables - it was amazing food too!! 

One last view of the castle before we got on the bus.  This shows
the top left section, which is the oldest, and it is build on a long, narrow rock formation,
going straight back from this angle.

On the way back to Dolny Kubín, we passed Likava Castle, which we visited a few weeks ago.  We also went by many small villages tucked into valleys - so picturesque!

The leaves were starting to turn colors, but it was difficult to get good pictures
through the bus window.  This hillside had splashes of yellows and oranges!

Likava Castle which we visited a while back.

Views from the bus window!

The sunset was gorgeous!

And that was our day in pictures.  Hope some of you made it all the way to the end!!  :-)   

The village is in darkness, but the steeple above is still visible!  In much the same way, God is always present, in all times and in all places in our lives.  He shows us his great love in the beauty of his creation on a daily basis.  And we receive his grace and mercy on a daily basis as well!!