Krásna Hôrka rises above Krásnohorské Podhradie in eastern Slovakia, near Rožňava. It is not a single uniform building but a complex of Upper, Middle and Lower Castle, each with a different architectural and historical development. The Slovak National Museum describes the Upper Castle, on a rocky summit, as the oldest section; its Gothic tower and palace, later additions and artillery terrace show how a medieval stronghold accumulated new layers. The three parts matter today because restoration must address them as a connected site while treating their distinct structures carefully.
The castle began in the thirteenth century as a guard post on an important trade route from Transylvania through Košice toward Spiš and Poland. The Bebek brothers began building it after acquiring extensive lands in Gemer. A short interval of control by the Máriássy family interrupted Bebek rule, which lasted from the middle of the thirteenth century to 1566. After the Bebeks died out in the male line, the estate passed to the royal court and was administered by captains appointed by the Hungarian king.
