Budatín castle was built as a guarding castle in the second half of the 13th century near the confluence of the Kysuca and the Váh, where tolls were collected. At the beginning of the 14th century, originally royal fortress passed into the hands of Matthew III Csák and the castle, especially towers were fortified, and inside the fortress a new palace was built.
Since 1487, the new owner of the castle was Gašpar Suňog, whose family owned it until the end of the 18th century. At the half 16th century, the castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. The Turkish threat from the south, and more uprisings at the beginning of the 17th century forced Suňogs to fortify the castle in the Renaissance style. At that time, the Gothic castle was changed into comfortable Renaissance palace.
During the Baroque period in the 17th century, effort was concentrated on building a chapel and finishing various building of the castle and surrounding it by the park. After the Suňog family died, the new owners were the Csákys, who owned the castle until 1945. During the revolutions of 1848/1849, imperial troops seriously damaged the castle, which was repaired in 1870, and was serving as a barracks. The park's size was reduced by the construction of Košice-Bohumín Railway in 1872. The last major reconstruction was done in the 1922-1923, based on the historical and romantic motives. Today, the castle houses three exhibitions of the Považie museum.
References:The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.
The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.
The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.
The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.