A trade route run in parallel with the Hron River in the Middle Ages, connecting the mining towns. Several castles, fortified palaces, and keeps controlled the trade route, and played a key role in times of threat imposed by the Ottoman Empire. Today, the Castle Route of the Hron River Valley connects 16 of these sites from Hronský Beňadik to the city of Zvolen. Most sites belong to the GRON region, are open to the public almost all year round, and are easily accessed via hiking trails. In 2021, all stops of the Castle Route were decorated with the same adornment – a welcoming totem. Information panels were installed in castle ruins.
“Pustý hrad” (“Deserted Castle”) in Zvolen, Zvolen Palace, Dobrá Niva castle, and the ruins of the Peťuša Castle, form part of the Castle Route in the Hron River Valley. The ruins of the Žakýl castle are in the Banská Štiavnica region.
K Pohronskej hradnej ceste patria v regióne Stredné Slovensko Pustý hrad pri Zvolene, Zvolenský zámok, hrad Dobrá Niva a zaniknutý hrad Peťuša. V regióne Banská Štiavnica sa nachádza zaniknutý hrad Žakýl.
Počas sezóny sa na hradoch Revište a Šášov konajú komentované prehliadky s výkladom o ich histórii v podaní hradných pánov. Prehliadky sú doplnené aj sprievodným programom. Komentované prehliadky v sprievode historika sa usporadúvajú na zaniknutých hradoch Rudno, Teplica a Breznica a v Biskupskom kaštieli v Žiari nad Hronom. Špeciálne miesto v ponuke majú prehliadky Nočný Šášov s pozorovaním oblohy profesionálnym ďalekohľadom a šesť metrovým podsvieteným modelom Mesiaca Lunalónom.
The peak of the tourism season on the Castle Route is inaugurated with the interesting event “Signals of the Castle Route of the Hron River". Light signals shine from the castles during this event, to imitate smoke and fire signals used to alert castles of danger in the past. Every year, visitors of the Revište castle enjoy the pottery festival “Glgáč”, the Castle and Ruins Night of Terror, the King Race for children, or night theatre shows. For two decades “Šášov Castle Tournaments” and concerts of chamber music have welcomed children and adults to Šášov Castle. Concerts of multiple musical genres are organized in the courtyard of the Bishop’s Mansion in the town of Žiar nad Hronom.
