The core of the castle was a large prismatic tower, facing the neck of the access ridge. North of it was the fortified courtyard of the upper castle with a palace and other buildings. The castle fortifications followed the rugged shape of the terrain. On its eastern side they placed a Gothic chapel. The core of the castle is surrounded by the first large bailey on the north and west. It was accessible by a prismatic entrance tower with a gate. On the southeast is a large residential building with a rounded corner with stone framing and embossed coat of arms. They built a large round bastion on the northwest corner and a cylindrical tower on the NE. This courtyard housed residential and farm buildings. The second bailey protected the area from north and west. It was accessible by another large prismatic tower with a drawbridge and its moat also increased its safety. The dam was reinforced by a polygonal bastion (NW) and a round tower (NE).Castle walls of individual buildings still stand to a considerable height. They have preserved the openings of windows or entrances and architectural details, stone profiled brackets of the former bay window, arched parapet, cannon and key loopholes, in places and parts of profiled lining. In the premises of the former chapel, there have been preserved ramparts of stone Gothic ribs and on some walls remains of plaster. At least partial restoration and conservation of the castle is attempted by a civic association, which in 2008 acquired the castle into ownership.

The castle was probably built by the Balass family in the second half of the 13th century as an administrative and military center. In the years 1300-1321 the castle was occupied by Matúš Čák Trenčiansky and after his death it was occupied by the royal army. In 1360, the castle was donated by King Ľudovít Veľký Štefan Bebek, a regional judge, for his military service. However, in 1393, the new King Sigismund of Luxembourg confiscated Lietava from the Bebek family for treason. In the following period, several holders changed on the castle estate. They were mainly Stiborors and related Polish nobles. In 1474, King Matej Korvín donated the castle to his military commander Pavel Kinizsi, who substantially fortified and expanded Lietava.

Around 1490, the castle was deposited by Štefan Zápoľský, who in 1445 acquired it as hereditary property. His son Ján Zápoľský donated the inherited castle to his brothers Peter and Mikuláš Kostkovec, who defended Lietava from the attacks of the troops of the second king Ferdinand I of Habsburg. Mikuláš Kostka further improved the castle and saved it from the claims of the Báthory family. After his death in 1558, the entire castle estate passed into the ownership of Mikuláš's son-in-law František Thurz. Thurzo had the castle generously rebuilt in the Renaissance style. In 1621, a branch of the Thurz family died by the sword. The heirs in the women's line divided the Lietava estate, but the castle began to fall into disrepair due to the discord and unwillingness of the co-owners to participate in its maintenance.

Already at the end of the 17th century, the castle served mostly the economic administration and as a grain warehouse. Therefore, it was very easily occupied by the rebel army of Francis II. Rákóczi. The insurgents stayed at the castle until 1708 and finally left it without a fight. The castle inventory from 1729 already documents the slowly decaying castle, while after 1760 the archive was taken away. The castle was subsequently demolished and its depiction from the end of the 18th century now shows only its ruins without roofs. At present, the castle for the rescue of Lietava Castle takes care of saving the castle.

The rumor says

On the west side of the rounded gate, on which the tower of the upper castle stands, signs of a mysterious font are to be carved into the rock. They are said to date back to the time when the priestesses brought pranks there to the goddess Lade. According to legend, its name has been preserved in the transformed name of the castle.

Lietava priest

When the Tatars attacked the country in the 13th century, there were hard times for the locals. The Lieutenants hiding in the church were dragged by the Tatars to the steep rocks, and those who did not give up their faith were thrown into the abyss. When they went to throw the old priest out of the rock, the storm came and the convict suddenly disappeared after the fall, and his cry could not be heard. The Tatars took their feet on their shoulders in the valley above the miracle. However, people found the priest caught in the bush and in this miraculous place the king had a castle built to protect it from the enemy.

Jánošík on Lietava

At the Lietava castle, a manor of three chairs gathered once to advise on how to catch the bandit captain Juraj Jánošík. The best proposal was submitted by an unknown nobleman whom no one knew. He mentioned the upcoming fair in Žilina, where Jánošík will certainly come and the pandurs will easily catch him there and tie him up. All the castle lords from the area wanted to see the capture of the most famous bandit, so they went to Žilina next Saturday. However, what was their surprise when they did not see Jánošík, but on the contrary, after returning home, they found all the looted castles. The cunning advisor was Jánošík himself disguised as an unknown nobleman, and while the lords were waiting for him in Žilina, during that time his upper boys "visited" all the castles in the area.

The ruins are freely accessible

https://www.hrady-zamky.sk/lietava/