Hotel in Divín – Divín Castle, Zichy Mansion and Ružiná Reservoir

Divín combines a richly documented local history with prominent buildings and the Ružiná Reservoir. At the castle hill, in Zichy Mansion, at the Church of All Saints and by the water, different facets of the town come together.

Culture and history

The history of Divín Castle dates back to the period of the Ottoman threat: in 1559, the Hungarian Diet ordered Divín Castle to be repaired and converted into a fortress against the Ottomans. Later, in 1670, Imrich III Balassa had the Renaissance Zichy Mansion built in Divín. The fortified mansion has an approximately square floor plan and four corner bastions. Its courtyard is used for various cultural and social events.

The Museum of the History of Divín has been established in Zichy Mansion. The tour is accompanied by a presenter and also includes short animations about Divín Castle in the 17th century and Zichy Mansion at the beginning of the 18th century. The permanent exhibitions cover Divín Castle, the history of the mansion, local history, national cultural monuments, the nature of Divín and its surroundings, hunting trophies, tiled art and mining. In addition, there are workshop exhibitions on local pottery, woodcarving, stonemasonry and blacksmithing.

The area of the original Gothic Church of All Saints also bears traces of the history of fortification. In 1657, the nave of the church was extended; the entire church area was also fortified with a defensive wall and inward-facing corner bastions. In the cemetery on the southern side of the castle hill, below the castle ruins, stands the Chapel of Saint Anne, directly in front of the former castle gate. It received indulgences in 1780; indulgence celebrations are still held there every year, usually on the weekend closest to Saint Anne’s name day. The chapel contains a Rococo altar with an oil painting of Joachim and Anne, as well as a vault fresco on the theme of “Regnum Marianum”, depicting Saint Stephen presenting the royal crown to the Virgin Mary.

Next to the church stands the Baroque rectory. It is best known for the sundial with a chronostich on its façade; this sundial was installed in 1761.

Nature and water

The Ružiná Reservoir lies within the cadastral areas of Divín and Ružiná. It is also used for sports and recreation. At the same time, the reservoir is designated as a non-trout fishing area and serves as a breeding site for many protected waterbird species. Mount Javor also lies within the cadastral area of Divín. At 821 m above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Lučenec District.

The hill on which Divín Castle stands offers views of the nearby Ružiná Reservoir and the surrounding countryside. Thus, both the castle complex and the landscape are visible from this historic site, without the individual areas becoming a single attraction.

Trails and activities

A red-marked hiking trail leads from Divín to Divín Castle. There is also a circular trail around the castle. In the surroundings of Divín, holidaymakers can rent boats, windsurfing boards and other sports equipment at the Ružiná Reservoir.

A tourist information centre has been established in a historic building next to Zichy Mansion. The tourist information centre in Divín has been supplemented with a bicycle and electric bicycle rental service.

More destinations

For further options, you can also view Bulhary, Halič, Veľká Nad Ipľom, Píla, Lehôtka, Stará Halič, Mučín and Rapovce.

To the higher-level travel overview: Lučenec District.