The castle was built at the rocky foot of the Zniev Hill at an elevation of 985 m. It is also the oldest known castle in Turiec region and one of the highest placed castles in Slovakia. It was built next to the older Znojov Castle by Hungarian King Béla IV (*1235 – †1276) after a devastating Mongol invasion.
It first appears in written records in 1243 under the name castrum Turuch (Turiec Castle). It was situated in a strategic location, from which it protected and controlled the access to Turiec along the old trade route from the Ponitrie region. At the same time it was the first seat of the Turiec County, but later the governor’s office moved to the larger, more accessible Sklabiňa Castle and people gradually restored the old name to Zniev Castle.
The originally majestic seat of the Turiec County governor paid for its inaccessibility in the following years. It gradually became inconvenient and frequently changed owners. In 1681, the castle was burned down by Thököly’s rebel forces. Since then, it has been abandoned and gradually fallen into ruin.
To this day, only the remains of the square tower and the lower foundations of the elongated residential building have survived from what was once an important castle.

Did you know…?
Legend has it that the castle got its name from the Hussite captain Zniev, who captured it without a fight, thanks to a small helper.