Kežmarok Castle, Medieval castle in Kežmarok, Slovakia.

Kežmarok Castle is a medieval fortress in the town of Kežmarok with sturdy walls, corner bastions, and Renaissance architectural features. Inside, an inner courtyard provides access to decorated halls and rooms with painted details.

The castle was first recorded in 1447, when the area was held by the garrison of Jan Jiskra of Brandýs. It stands on the site of a 13th-century monastery church of St Elizabeth, mentioned in 1251, and was rebuilt as a castle in 1462. The Rueber family sold it on 25 May 1610 to Štefan Thököly for 13,000 Hungarian florins; the city bought it in 1702 and it burned in 1787.

The castle has housed the Museum of Kežmarok since the 20th century; the first exhibition opened in the main tower in 1931 after partial repairs. Its displays trace the town's development from its founding to the 1930s through the families who owned the castle.

Visit on weekdays when fewer people are around, making it easier to explore the rooms and courtyards at your own pace. Wear sturdy shoes since there are stairs and uneven surfaces throughout the building.

Beata Łaska, widow of the Duke of Ostroh and wife of Olbracht Łaski, set out from this castle in 1565 on what is recorded as the first tourist excursion into the Tatra Mountains, reaching the Kieżmarska Valley. Her husband, 21 years her junior, later had her imprisoned here while he squandered her dowry across Europe.