Ruins Vinosady

The sad reality of today is that the once-glorious castles on our territory have turned into ruins. These are sought after primarily by avid hikers who crave stunning views and relaxation in nature. The ruin of castle Čeklís, located on the edge of the village of Bernolákovo, is one of them. Here, you can enjoy a view of the Podunajskú nížinu plain, Bratislavu, and Bratislavský castle.

The village of Bernolákovo is one of the relatively large villages located in the Senec district. During your visit, you will certainly notice its landmark: the Roman Catholic kostol sv. Štefana Kráľa church from 1355 and the adjacent kaplnku sv. Anny chapel from 1835. On the elevated terraced hilltop known as Várdomb (Hradný vrch), the hrad Čeklís castle is situated. In written records, it is also mentioned as Ceki, Chekluez, Cheklys, or Chekles.

Getting to this castle is manageable for everyone. The hike to this publicly accessible ruin is easy and will take you less than 10 minutes on foot. Simply park your car by the church and follow the dirt path alongside it directly to your destination. From a distance, you will see the silhouette of a tower emerging from the castle, although it is not part of the original structure.

The castle was likely built in the 13th century as a guard castle. The first reference to it dates back to 1209 as the old settlement of Šebeš, the royal cellar administrator. Many owners are mentioned in the castle’s history, including Charles Robert, Sigismund of Luxembourg, and the Eszterházy family. Unfortunately, the castle fell into ruin during Rákóczi's War of Independence. In 1720, a Baroque manor house was built near the castle. Today, only a fragment of a 1.9 m thick curtain wall remains. A sharp-eyed observer may also notice a vaulted discharge arch with a span of 5 m. The castle was reportedly protected by a moat as well. The round waterworks tower, which fits into the stylized scenery, might also help draw tourists here. This was built in 1905 on the remnants of a Baroque brick cistern.

Two legends are associated with the castle. The first tells the story of the beautiful Helena of Čeklís, who intoxicated the Turkish Grand Vizier with her wine and fled to svätojurský hrad castle before the Turkish invasion. She also wanted to trick the enemy by shoeing her horses backwards. As a result, the soldiers remained confused and, in their helplessness and rage, burned the castle down. The second legend, about the candles of Čeklís, might be told to you by the locals.

You can stay in the region for a longer period to explore all the points of interest beyond the traces of history. Golf lovers and sports enthusiasts can visit the largest golf resort with 55 greens, Black River Golf Resort Bratislava. It is located directly in this village, offering a great way to diversify your daily itinerary. Anglers choose the jazero Miloslavka lake as their place of relaxation. A walk through a landscape English park also has its charm; you can experience one at Kaštieli Eberhard in Malinovo. You can go for a swim on hot days at various water areas, with the closest option being Vajnorských jazerách.

You can plan your vacation or stay however you wish. The diverse range of accommodation around hrad Čeklís will certainly surprise you. Our accommodation providers will welcome you even at the last minute and provide you with a place to stay. You can choose from beautiful wooden cabins in Bernolákovo, which are optimal for larger groups, or a comfortable room in guesthouses in Bernolákovo. We will gladly provide you with all available information so you can book the best accommodation.

You can find the ruins of Dračia hrádok, also known as Hadí hrad, in the Malé Karpaty mountain range, on the Úboč hill, approximately 2 km from the village of Borinka. Its origins date back to the 13th century, when the owners of the former royal Hrad Pajštún were the counts of Svätý Jur and Pezinok. The royal origin is also suggested by the similarity of the tower at Dračia hrádok to towers at other royal castles (Hrad Beckov, Plavecký hrad).

This slowly disappearing castle awaits you hidden above the valley of Stupavský potok, at an altitude of 370 m above sea level. There is not much information about what the small castle looked like in the past. An engraving that probably depicts its appearance can be found in Mestská galéria v Bratislave. However, experts differ in their opinions, and there are those who reject this assumption.

The area of the small castle consists of two elevated parts, a central prismatic tower, and the remains of the masonry foundation for the entrance bridge. By all accounts, the small castle perished in the 15th century during the Hussite raids into the territory of Západné Slovensko. Furthermore, it was built on geologically unstable bedrock, which was likely one of the main reasons why it was no longer restored after being damaged.

An asphalt road from the village of Borinka, which continues onto a forest path, will lead you to the remains of the castle. After roughly 800 m, you will come across a small area suitable for parking a car. The yellow-marked trail will take you directly to the ruins after a moderately challenging ascent. From the ruins of Dračia hrádok, you can continue your exploration further and reach the ruins of Pajštúnsky hrad.

If the idea of such a hike excites you, book accommodation near Dračia hrádok today. Záhorie is full of hiking as well as cultural and historical sights well worth seeing. It is entirely up to you which direction you take. An unforgettable experience will surely be a scenic boat cruise on the Dunaj or a visit to Bratislavský hrad. We believe you will enjoy your time in Záhorie and take home plenty of great experiences.

Even near Bratislava, in the village of Borinka, you can head out into nature, where you will discover a piece of history. Direct your steps to Hrad Pajštún, which is one of the sought-after attractions of Bratislava and its surroundings mainly for tourists. You will be captivated by the views of the surrounding landscape and, in great weather, you can see all the way to the Austrian Alps.

The castle was built in 1271 as a guard castle. In the 16th century, it was rebuilt into a Renaissance-style structure, which you can notice at the entrance gate. At the castle, there are 6 stone lion heads with different facial expressions. Originally there were 9. Even though a fire struck the castle in the 18th century, the Napoleonic army brought it to its knees in 1809. Only a ruin remained, which is used today by Bratislava climbers for rock climbing.

The post office directly in Borinka is included among the starting points. We can recommend it because it is the fastest hike to the castle from the village. It will take you about 35 minutes following the red trail. The castle can also be reached from the parking lot in Stupava, in the Little Carpathians. Walking along the yellow trail, you will spend a total of 50 minutes on foot through the Pod Pajštúnom reserve, part of Obora. You can also get there along the red trail from the tourist point Košarisko in the Malé Karpaty Protected Landscape Area.

Evenings around the castle can be spent, for example, observing the sky with falling meteorites. In the summer period, you might appreciate camping. There is no need to be afraid of the legend about the cruel wife. The legend says that a beggar cursed her so that she would suffer for twice eight years. The ruler's cruel wife gave birth to 7 children, kept 1, and had the other 6 killed. At the master's instruction, the maid took the sons to a neighboring castle, where servants raised them. On the occasion of their 16th birthday, they were brought back to the castle and thus the legend about the suffering was fulfilled. Who knows what truth there is to that.

You might also discover other points of interest if you book accommodation near Hrad Pajštún and start exploring the surroundings. The village of Borinka is also interesting for Dračí hrádok. Could this castle have been built based on the legend about dragons? Active holidaymakers will be pleased by the views from the Rozhľadňa Svätý Jur observation tower and the opportunity to go see the pilgrimage site Lurdská jaskyňa Marianka. Christians carry their gratitude here in honor of the Virgin Mary. Even if you walk a lot and remain full of experiences, you can lay your head in apartments in Borinka or in local family guesthouses. The choice of accommodation with us is huge, just choose the right one for you on the subpage accommodation Borinka pri Bratislave.