Lietava Castle, Medieval castle ruins in Žilina District, Slovakia.

Lietava Castle is a medieval ruin located in the Žilina District, standing at 635 meters elevation in the Súľov Mountains of northern Slovakia. The stone structure sits between Lietava and Lietavská Svinná-Babkov villages and retains its Gothic and Renaissance architectural features throughout its remains.

The castle was built after 1241, most likely as an administrative and military centre, on a rocky ridge above the Amber Road. In the early 14th century it was held by Máté Csák III; after his death in 1321 royal troops took it and returned it to the Balas family. In the 16th century the Thurzó family rebuilt it in Gothic-Renaissance style and kept a garrison of 285 mercenaries in 1530. After Imre Thurzó died in 1621 the estate was divided among heirs, and by 1698 the castle was uninhabited, with its archive moved to Orava Castle in the 1760s.

The castle's name appears in old records as Litova, Letava, Lethowa and Zsolnalitva. A garrison of 285 mercenaries was stationed here in 1530, making its own gunpowder; by 1604 only 12 soldiers remained. The Thurzó family added arcaded parapets and Renaissance portals, and the chapel still shows the springing of Gothic ribs.

The ruin is reached via a blue-marked hiking trail from Lietava village, with the climb taking roughly thirty minutes through forested slopes. Sturdy footwear is needed since the path is steep and the remains are unprotected, so care is required while exploring the site.

The grounds feature a four-story tower built by the Balas family, which remained a central structure through numerous expansions and modifications over time. This tower shows how individual noble families adapted their buildings to changing needs and circumstances.