Smolenice Castle, 15th-century castle in Little Carpathians, Slovakia.
Smolenice Castle is a 15th-century fortress built on the eastern slope of the Little Carpathians in Slovakia. The structure contains two wings connected by a central tower and was constructed using ferroconcrete building materials.
The original fortress was destroyed during Rakoczi's War of Independence in the early 1700s. It was comprehensively rebuilt in the 20th century under the direction of Count Jozef Palffy.
The castle functions as a conference center for the Slovak Academy of Sciences, hosting researchers and scholarly gatherings. Scientists from around the world come here to participate in symposia and educational events throughout the year.
The castle is most accessible during warm months, with extended opening hours in July and August. During transition seasons like May, June, and September, visits are limited to weekends.
The reconstruction in the 20th century brought together craftspeople from five different countries who contributed diverse building techniques. Italian, German, Austrian, Hungarian, and Slovak artisans combined their methods in a single structure.
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