The oldest part of the castle is in its core standing prismatic tower, originally accessible only from the height of the first floor. It was the head of the almost defunct fortifications. In 1357 the castle was extended by a new Gothic palace north of the tower. The younger palace stood on the east side of the courtyard. On the southwest side was built cannon bastion and two other bastions in the south and east. Probably from this period comes a mighty northwest bastion, protecting the castle from access.The walls of bastions, fortifications, palaces and towers have been preserved to this day. The body of the castle was built from various rocks, such as wetterstein limestone and travertines.

The castle was built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries at the latest, but according to some researchers, already in 1198, when the village is mentioned (Tornus), there was a small castle. This locality was given to the predecessor of the Tornay family as a reward for the services he demonstrated in the defense of the country during the Tatar invasion of Hungary. We can consider him as the builder of a stone castle. The documents state that the castle was not built until 1357, when the village became the center of the castle estate. However, the then owner Ján Tornay expanded and repaired the castle this year. It was therefore a reconstruction of an older castle, which belonged to the Tornay family until 1406.

After the extinction of the Tornay family in 1406 by John II, King Sigismund annexed the castle to the crown. Three years later, he exchanged the manor with Pavel Bešeň of Ezdeg, and for a short time the castle was also acquired by Štefan called Šafár of Branč (1409), from whom the Bebek family acquired the property. Around 1448 he was occupied by Jiskr's troops and after them he was detained by his brothers until 1458. After the conditions were calmed down, the castle was in the hands of King Matej Korvín. Imrich Zápoľský and his wife bought the castle from him in 1476. After his death it was still owned by his widow Uršula Bebek, later the castle was inherited by members of her family. In the years 1540-50, František Bebek carried out new fortification work on the building, which forced the Turkish danger. It was part of a large anti-Turkish fortress system, belonging to the border castles. In 1567, the Bebek family died out with František's son Juraj, who was suspected of preparations for the anti-Habsburg uprising. His property was therefore occupied by the imperial army and the castle belonged to Captain Gašpar Magócsim. After the extinction of the male generation in 1611, the castle was inherited in the female line. The Kátai family is mentioned, later Barbora Móric, and by handing her over to Mikuláš, the property passed to the Keglevich family. The manor already at that time mostly lived in mansions.

In 1652 the castle was occupied by the Turks and in 1678 by the Kuruk troops of Imrich Thököly. A year later, Imperial General Leslie forced them to surrender. However, Thököly received the sultan's help and with the help of the Turks he regained the castle in 1683. However, after the crushing defeat of the Turks near Vienna, the imperial troops gained the upper hand and General Schultz conquered the castle in 1685. Because of the insurgents, he had the castle fortifications destroyed so that the castle would not become their support.

Soldiers were still housed in the castle in 1848, but probably due to their negligence the castle burned down and has been a ruin ever since. Cez 2.sv. During the war, the strategic position of the castle was used by German troops. The Turnian Castle Rescue Association is currently trying to restore the castle.

The rumor says

At night, the wailing ghost of a castle virgin appears on the walls, who out of jealousy shattered a young nobleman and blamed her sister. However, an ordered oath over the dead revealed the truth, and the convicted murderer thrust her deadly weapon into her chest herself.

Bandits and bishop

Once, robbers of the Eger bishop headed for Turnian Castle. The whole procession of the bishop was tied up and dressed in the clothes of church dignitaries. They got to the castle without difficulty, where they collected seven thousand gold coins from the helpless castle lord. They, still disguised as bishops, donated to the mayor of nearby Žarnov, because this settlement had an unjust debt to the lord of the castle, which he cruelly recovered from them. The villagers repaid the debt and came to thank the surprised church dignitary.

The ruins are freely accessible

https://www.hrady-zamky.sk/turniansky-hrad/