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Anyone who has seen “Nosferatu the Vampire”, a 1922 silent film by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, will surely remember the terrible castle that was the backdrop to the story. In reality the building is stupendous, and can be visited perfectly in its motherland: Slovakia.
On the Orava River, Slovakia, stands the castle where the film “Nosferatu the vampire” was filmed, a masterpiece by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau inspired by the famous novel by Bram Stoker. It is assumed that the building was built around the 1267th century, while in XNUMX it was fortified in stone: before that date, in fact, its structure was essentially composed of wood and a few other materials, as was the custom of the era. The transformations to which Orava Castle has been subjected are numerous, so much so that initially the style of the structure was Romanesque, which then became neo-Gothic.
Evocative and enchanting, Orava Castle is one of the buildings that have been best preserved to this day. Built with the aim of making it a military fortress, in 1474 it was made habitable by King Matthias Corvinus, while in 1534 it was restored and fortified by Jan of Dubovec. But it was the Thurzo family, of Hungarian origin, who made the most significant changes to the castle, especially in 1600. Due to a fire that occurred in 1800, it was subsequently rebuilt and modified. Many of its relics were destroyed, although a lot of work was done to recover most of the structure, which was unfortunately seriously compromised. Then, close to the 20th century, other improvements were made, both on an aesthetic level and in terms of restructuring the foundations (considered unstable). Which marked its transition to a place of culture, today used as a testimony to the history of Slovakia.
Today Orava Castle is one of the most beautiful attractions in Slovakia. Not only for the magical aura it emanates, but also for the lush nature by which it is surrounded, which makes it perfect for trips and excursions. Inside the building, events are often organized for tourists, and the exhibition of the Orava museum is hosted, as is the tombstone of Juraj Thurzo, a Hungarian magnate who lived in 1600.
