Kastiel sv.Zofie Traditional Cache

Pohladnica Ruzomberka zo zaciatku 20.stor., v popredi Kastiel sv. Zofie

Ruzomberok postcard from the beginning of 20th century, Sophia's Manor in the foreground

[SK]
Historia kastiela

Mesto Ruzomberok vzniklo na vyznamnej krizovatke obchodnych ciest. Pravdepodobne na jej obranu je postaveny kratko po ziskani mestskych vysad v roku 1318 na pravom brehu Revucej nad sutokom s Vahom Kastiel sv.Zofie. Uz na konci 14.storocia ho nachadzame zapisany v historii ako castellum St. Sophiae.

Povodne goticka budova bola v 16.storoci prestavana v renesancnom style, dalsie velke upravy nasledovali v 18.storoci po zniceni Likavskeho hradu za Rakocziho povstania, ked sem bolo premiestnene sidlo likavskej stolice. Pribudli mlyn, pila, palenica, solny sklad atd. Neskor sluzil ako sud a kasarne. (V roku 1906 tu bol odsudeny Andrej Hlinka). V 19.storoci boli povodne samostatne budovy spojene do jedneho celku.

Najvacsie zmeny vsak kastiel este len cakali. Po obsadeni CSSR spojenecnymi vojskami v auguste 1968 kratko vyuzivala objekt sovietska armada a po jej odchode prevzalo zdemolovanu budovu skolstvo. Vsetky plany na pamiatkove vyuzitie ostavali iba na papieri az sa ocitol objekt v 90.rokoch minuleho storocia na pokraji zrutenia.
Pamatam si ako mi mama rozprava, ze ked ich s RZP volali k niekomu v Zofii (zvycajne bezdomovci), tak sa vzdy len opatrne obzerali, kde sa na nich co zruti...

Nadej pre zdemolovany kastiel svitla v roku 2001, kedy sa rozprudila ostra debata o jeho dalsom osude. Nakoniec bolo rozhodnute, ze v priestore kastiela bude postavena Hypernova, ktora sa postara o rekonstrukciu aspon toho, co este slo zachranit.
V roku 2003 bola asanovana zapadna najviac poskodena cast kastiela. Torzo vychodnej a juznej casti bolo opticky opravene, omietnute a zastresene. Zvnutra vsak ostalo ruinou, zabednene okna postupne rozoberaju bezdomovci, z fasady trcia kamenne prvky premiestnene z asanovanej casti ako past na oko a korunu "zrekonstruovanemu" objektu nasadzuje vstupna brana, ktora neviem ako vam, ale mne pripomina akurat niektore scenare z Quake...

The city of Ruzomberok was founded on crossroads of early medieval trade routes. Shortly after gaining the town privileges (1318) the Sophia's Manor was built on the right bank of Revuca river on its confluence with Vah river; most probably to guard this important crossroads. The first written reference of the manor is from the end of 14th century mentioning "Castellum St. Sophiae".

Originally a gothic building, it was rebuilt in renaissance style in 16th century. More alterations followed in 18th century after the destruction of Likava castle during the uprising of Rakoczi, when the seat of Liptov county was transferred here. New outbuildings were built up, a mill, a distillery, a salt storage, a sawmill etc. Later it was used as courts and barracks. (Famous slovak priest and politician Andrej Hlinka was sentenced here in 1906). In 19th century originally separate buildings were joined together into one complex.

The most significant change was still yet to come. After occupation of CSSR by allied forces in August 1968 the manor was used by the Soviet Army for a short time and then the desolate building became the property of college of agriculture. None of the many proposed reconstruction projects was ever realized and in 1990s the building was on the verge of collapse.
I recall my mom talking about the conditions of the interior of the building. She was working in the emergency ambulance and every time they were called to somebody in the manor (mostly homeless) they watched every step afraid of collapsing...

In 2001 a heated debate regarding the fate of the building aroused and brought a new hope for the desolate manor. It was decided that Hypernova shopping mall would be built on its premises and that the company would also take care of the reconstruction of the part that could still be restored.
In 2003 the western most damaged part was demolished. The eastern and southern part were visually repaired, grouted and covered with a roof. However the interior is still ruined, homeless torn apart the boarded up windows, on the facade there are structural elements taken from the older demolished part (they don't go together with the restored part at all) and everything is topped by a new gate. Well I don't know how does it strike you, but for my part it reminds me of some scenes from Quake...

Severozapadny pohlad kedysi a dnes:
View of manor from the northwest once and today:

Zapadny pohlad na hlavny vstup do objektu - kedysi a dnes:
View of the main entrance from the west once and today:

Tak kastiel sv.Zofie ostana mementom, ako to dopadne, ked rekonstrukciu kulturnych pamiatok dostane do ruk komercny subjekt...
Thus the Sophia's Manor remains only as a memento of the way the commercial subject takes care of the restoration of cultural monuments...

Prva verzia kese bola umiestnena na streche budovy, kde sa dal vysledok rekonstrukcie najlepsie obdivovat. Keska sa kvoli zvedavym kameram premiestnila na nove miesto (a tym je zaroven i dostupna 24 hodin denne), vybehnut vsak hore na strechu a obzriet si objekt za to stoji...
Pri vyzdvihavani kasky bude treba trochu nenapadnosti, miesto je sice mimo zaber bezpecnostnej kamery, ale ludia budu na vas zrejme divne pozerat, coze tam stojite. Odporucam prejavovat ocividny zaujem o architektonicke riesenie "rekonstruovaneho objektu" ;-)

The first version of this cache was hidden on the roof of the building, where the result of the reconstruction could be best seen. It had to be moved after more that 2 years because of a new surveillance camera and it is now accessible 24hrs a day. Nonetheless I can only recommend to spend some time on the roof and take a look...
You might need some stealth and caution while taking it out. Although the hiding place is off the view of the security camera, passing people might be wondering what you are doing there. I recommend showing an obvious interest in the "restored landmark". ;-)

V cachi najdete polovicu suradnic pre nanocache GC1CPC9 Likavsky mlyn.
Pokial ste Kastiel sv.Zofie odlovili pred 7.junom 2008, mozete o ne poziadat mailom cez moj profil.

In the cache you'll find the geographic longitude of the nanocache from the GC1CPC9 Watermill of Likavka.