Trencin is a town in Slovakia with about 50k inhabitants . From Vienna it’s about three hours directly by bus, which makes it an ideal destination for a weekend. So why would one go to Trencin at all? If you’re wondering that, Trencin has a castle and a beautiful old town. Reasons enough for a visit.
We arrived on a Friday in the late afternoon during strong rainfall, but the castle already smiled down at us. It thrones high above the town and is visible from almost anywhere.
first impression of the castle @Trencin
After a short coffee break to get out of the rain we headed to our guesthouse Penzion Branecky. It was only a 15 minutes walk, but already on this short stroll I had the feeling that we had basically seen all of Trencin.
arriving in the old town @Trencin
The town has a very long main square with lots of restaurants, coffeehouses, and bars. In the middle of said square stands a plague column. Plus of course, you have an unhindered view on the castle from everywhere on the square.
main square with castle and plague column @Trencin
Just around the corner from the main square stands the synagogue of Trencin. Today this religious building is a cultural center for Trencin as well as a Cultural Heritage Monument of Slovakia. It looked closed though the whole weekend we were there and I didn’t notice any cultural activity.
Synagogue @Trencin
The next day, while we sat at breakfast at Lary Fary on the main square, the sun was out and the old town with the castle above looked amazing.
Láry Fáry in front and Kostol Narodenia Panny Márie church @Trencin
breakfast with sunshine @Láry Fáry
We spent the sunny part of the morning gazing up at the castle, only to leave once the sun had disappeared behind clouds. It didn’t matter so much when walked up the parish stairs, which lead to the Kostol Narodenia Panny Márie church above the old town.
the entrance to the parish stairs @Trencin
looking down on the parish stairs @Trencin
The church itself felt more like a chapel, very small and intimate on the inside. The next day we witnessed a mass being held there. The church was packed, with a few people even standing outside listening to the priest through the speaker.
inside @Kostol Narodenia Panny Márie church
Best of all is the view on the old town from up here.
the sun was hiding again @Trencin
From the church it is just a short walk up to the castle, which has a long history back to the 11th century. Already the entrance gate looked impressive.
guard towers @Trencin castle
the first entrance is way down there @Trencin castle
looking back through the gate @Trencin castle
It does look more impressive from below though, with the enormous dimensions of the structure clearly visible at a glance. Once on top the focus is on the main keep, the bailey a lot less interesting. The castle keep is the oldest structure and as is usual with buildings from the Middle Ages. Just a tower keep with small windows.
the castle keep @Trencin
different view on the town from the castle @Trencin
Included in the castle ticket is the entrance to the Ossuary, right behind the Kostol Narodenia Panny Márie church, and the henchman house, which shows an exhibition of different trades from the area. We did them both, but they are not a must.
Kostol Narodenia Panny Márie church seen from the henchman house @Trencin
What I enjoyed was the Roman inscription from 179 AD within the Elisabeth Hotel. You need to enter the hotel and take the elevator up to the first floor. You can’t miss it, the directions are clearly visible. Seeing the inscription made me realize how far back the history of this town goes.
Roman inscription from 179 AD @Trencin
In case you want to see Trencin from another angle from above, there’s also the city tower, which can be climbed. I had enough with the castle view, but it might be something for you.
City Tower @Trencin
Of course you can ‘do’ Trencin in a day, but I really enjoyed my weekend trip. There’s enough to see to keep you entertained, but it also leaves ample time to relax. That was just what I needed. Yours, Pollybert
