Čachtice

Coordinates: 48°43′00″N 17°47′00″E / 48.7166667°N 17.7833333°E / 48.7166667; 17.7833333

Čachtice
Village
Country	Slovakia
Region	Trenčín
District	Nové Mesto nad Váhom
Elevation	203 m (666 ft)
Coordinates	48°43′00″N 17°47′00″E / 48.7166667°N 17.7833333°E / 48.7166667; 17.7833333
Area	32.57 km2 (12.58 sq mi)
Population	3,630 (2004)
Density	111 / km2 (287 / sq mi)
First mentioned	1248
Postal code	916 21
Area code	+421-32
Car plate	NM
Location of Čachtice in Slovakia
Location of Čachtice in the Trenčín Region
Wikimedia Commons: Čachtice
Statistics: MOŠ/MIS
Website: www.cachtice.sk

Čachtice (pronounced [t͡ʃaxtʲɪt͡se], Hungarian: Csejte) is a village in Nové Mesto nad Váhom District in western Slovakia with a population of 3,630 (as of 2004).

The village is situated between the Danubian Lowland and the Little Carpathians. It is best known for the ruins of the nearby Čachtice Castle, home of Elizabeth Báthory who is alleged to be the world's most prolific female serial killer. The castle stands on a hill featuring rare plants, and the area was declared a national nature reserve (Čachtický hradný vrch) for this reason.

History

Prehistoric ettlements from the neolithic, eneolithic, Bronze age, Hallstatt period, La Tène period, Roman periods and the early Slavic period have been found here.

The first written reference to the village dates from 1263. Čachtice has received the status of a town in 1392, but it was later degraded back to a village. In 1847 the parsonage was the meeting place of the first Slovak national and cultural society Tatrín, at which the definitive decision to use the central Slovak dialects as the basis for the new standard of the codified Slovak language was adopted.

Castle

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  Čachtice Castle

The castle was built in the 13th century in order to protect a trade route to Moravia. The most famous owner was the Countess Elizabeth Báthory, who was convicted of numerous murders and nicknamed "The Bloody Lady". She was imprisoned in her own castle and died there in 1614. The castle was abandoned in 1708 and now lies in ruins.

External links

Media related to Čachtice at Wikimedia Commons

• Municipal website of Čachtice (Slovak)
• Slovakia Cachtice (Bathory) Castle