Castle above the village of Vinné
The castle above the village of Vinné has been the centre of the Michalovce gentry ever since the 14th century. The first written mention dates back to 1335 and documents the division of the Michalovce castle among the nobles of the town.
According to the description in the document, the castle had an old gate, tower, palace, St. Margita Chapel, and the house of Vavrinec, which stood outside, but in the immediate vicinity of the castle. At the beginning of the 18th century, after the suppression of the anti-Habsburg uprisings, the castle was destroyed based on the decision of the emperor and the Hungarian Assembly to prevent it from becoming a seat of the rebels. Today, the fortress has partially preserved Renaissance vaults, window and door openings, as well as parts of the original plasterwork. Traces of fireplaces or cellar spaces can also be seen. Coins, rings, keys, and richly decorated tiles were found here.
The castle is currently being repaired by the civil association Zemplín-Uh Castle Road.
You can get to the castle in two ways, you can either "step it up" from the Vinné Lake or choose a shorter route that leads from the village of the same name, Vinné. The castle is located in the Michalovce district and was built on a volcanic circle on the southern slopes of the Vihorlat Mountains.
You can enter the castle above Vinné via a new wooden bridge made in the traditional way, the way the whole castle is/was reconstructed. The association uses traditional inventions to save the monument, including a medieval treadle crane. After crossing the entrance bridge, visitors can order the services of a guide and find out what is currently happening at the castle or go directly to the nearby information centre. The palace, discovered during recent archaeological research, and its wall serves as a gallery for orientation in the history of the castle and the entire area. In the Captain's House (originally the commander of the castle guards), there is a shop with small ceramics, ointments, herbs, syrups, and home-made jams. You can use wooden benches and grassy areas to take a break and relax. We also do not recommend bypassing the viewpoint offering a view of the East Slovak Plain. You can try making traditional carpentry and other medieval crafts on your own.
In addition to the Vinné Lake, the surroundings offer you to visit the ruins of the church under Senderov, the memorial room of František Jozef Fuga (co-author of the design of today's Slovak flag) or relieve stress and boost your immunity in the "forest bath" by the Vinné Lake.
