Považský hrad (other names: Hrad Bystrica, Bystrický hrad, Vágbeszterce vára, Waagburg, Bistrizza, Bestruche castrum) is a ruin of medieval castle on the right side of the river Váh, near Považská Bystrica in Slovakia. It is thought to be the essential part of silhouette of Považie and Upper Váh region especially. It is built on a cliff 497 meters above sea level. It was one of the most important castles guarding the valley of the river Váh. At the peak of its fame it was home of around 400 people. It is famously known as an "eagles nest" of the important Hungarian noble family of Podmanitzky. History The first settlement of the castle cliff is dated to Púchov culture, also a Celtic coin was found on the hill. The exact year of establishment of the Bistrizza castle is not known, but it is assumed that it might have been around 1128 AD. There are doubts that the castle in those times might have been made of wood because of the presence of two other wooden castles in present-day Slovakia. For the shift from wooden castle is probably responsible Béla IV, after the invasions of Batu Khan. However, the first written reference is from 1316, closely connected to Matthew III Csák. The next holder of the castle was county judge Alexander Köcski. Together with his son Miklós, they ruled from 1325 to 1354. From 1354 the castle belonged to Pál Ugali, chancellor of ex-county judge. During last few years of the 14th century, King Sigismund gave the fortress to palatine Sudivoj, but the owner was quickly changed, and from 1400 to 1425 it belonged to Stibor of Stiboricz. Then it became the possession of a king. In 1458 Matthias Corvinus of Hungary donated the castle, the town and 16 surrounding villages to László Podmanitzky for his devotion to him, preceded by violent death of his father Antal Podmanitzky in the service of the king. His diligent work for the ruler prepared a good position for his sons and great upsurge of his possession. His sons had important roles in the future of middle Europe. Jan Podmaniczky became the Archbishop of Zagreb and personal mentor of Vladislaus II. His brother Stefan Podmanitzky became Archbishop of Nitra, he crowned both János Szapolyai and Ferdinand I as the kings of the country, but later he took the Habsburgs' side due to their stretching influence around