One of the oldest castles still standing in the territory of Slovakia is located in the north-eastern outskirts of the city of Partizánske, in the suburb of Šimonovany, which in the past was a village separate from the city – one with a rich history. The present day outline of the Gothic-Renaissance castle dates from the 15th century, when, in 1426, King Sigismund permitted the local lords of Šimonovany, the Simonyis, to rebuild the defences of their fortress. However, for a long period of time, the site had been occupied by a small Late-Romanesque castle that consisted of a bastion that...