This post contains very special moments for history lovers. I visited castle called Čičva, or ´´Pod Čičvou´´ in Vranov county during this colourful season of autumn.

Time: November 2021

Location: Čičva, Vranov nad Topľou county

Čičava or Čičva is a ruin of a castle from the 13th century standing on a wooded promontory of the Beskydy foothills in the extravillain of the Mernícká Uplands, above the village of Sedliská – the local part of Podčičva. It is located south of the Veľká Domaša reservoir at an altitude of 205 m above sea level. m. The castle was damaged by Rákoci’s last uprising in 1711 and has been a ruin ever since. There are distant views from the castle hill.

Čičava Castle was declared a cultural monument in 1963.

Since 2014, the reconstruction and rescue of the castle has been underway by the civic association Pro futuro hradu Čičva, which is a member of the interest association Let’s Save the Castles. The castle grounds are freely accessible for visitors.

The castle was probably built in the years 1309 – 1316 and became a guard fortress at the pass “Polish Gate” (Porta Polonica). It was the center of a large estate, which included more than 60 municipalities.

In 1527, it was the county assembly and the seat of the archive of the Zemplín seat. In the same year, Ján Zápoľský conquered and set him on fire. The archive of the Zemplín chair also burned down during the fire. However, the castle was repaired and renovated again.

In 1575, František Nádašdy’s wedding to Alžbeta Bátoriová was held in nearby Vranov nad Topľou. Čičava Castle was also a part of the bride’s vein. In 1610, Elizabeth’s daughter Katarína, who married Juraj Druget of Humenné, got him into the vein. This put the castle in the hands of the Druget family, who contributed to its greatest expansion.

In 1684 it was conquered by Tököli’s troops. In 1704, the troops of Francis II seized it. Rákociho. They repaired the damaged parts and secured the castle. It was in the hands of the Rákoci rebels until 1711, when the Rákoci commander, Count František Barkóci, joined the side of the imperial troops and gave them a castle, which was demolished by the Imperial General Laucken.

Please, dont forget to make one click on my new URL link, where you may find my new photo gallery online just for this purpose. Enjoy for free: http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/6183790090

This post contains very special moments of my visiting of reservoir called ´´Starina – vodárenská nádrž pitnej vody´´.

Location: Snina County, Poloniny – Natural Reservation

Time: November 2021

Starina is the largest drinking water reservoir in Slovakia, and is also the largest source of drinking water in Central Europe. It is located in the easternmost tip of Slovakia, in the northeastern part of Zemplín in the district of Snina, in the cadastre of the village Stakčín.

It is built on the upper course of the river Cirocha in Bukovské vrchy, in the territory of the Poloniny National Park.

The water reservoir has a volume of 59.8 mil. m³ of water and covers an area of ​​311.4 ha, the dam wall has a height of 50 m, the length of the dam is 345 m, width 7 m. It was built in the years 1981 to 1988 for the supply of drinking water to the region of eastern Slovakia (especially Prešov and Košice). Its construction was preceded by the eviction of 7 villages due to the protection zone of the drinking water source above the reservoir in the 1970s. These were the following Ruthenian villages: Dara, Ostrožnica, Ruské, Smolník, Starina, Veľká Poľana, Zvala.

Layers of sandstone and claystone formed in the Tertiary sea.

The Starina reservoir supplies drinking water to almost the whole of eastern Slovakia. The water flows through a 130-kilometer pipeline to Košice. It was built between 1983 and 1988 and its construction was preceded by the eviction of up to seven villages.

As Starina is an important source of drinking water, swimming, water sports, fishing and fishing are strictly forbidden here, and in the vicinity it is not allowed to camp or approach the banks of the reservoir.

However, you can enjoy its beauty from the nearby Viewpoint, which is located in the southern part of the reservoir. Marked cycle paths lead through the locality, but you can also get here by car, which you can park in the parking lot directly under the lookout. You climb a few steps and suddenly you have Starina in the palm of your hand. A wonderful panoramic view of its surface, but also the surrounding area will be etched in your memory for a long time.

Please, dont forget to make one click on following URL link, where you may find my new online photo archive just for this purposes.

Following URL link with my new gallery online: http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/6183727540