For the first time the village of Brezovica was mentioned in writing in 1317, when the Berzeviczi family began to build a castle as their family residence. Michal Berzeviczi was the main contributor. The site is located in the local cemetery, which is on a significant elevation within the village (470 m above sea level). The hill was considerably steep, especially on the southern slope, and the other sides were modified during construction. The flattened top in turn facilitated the creation of the residential parts of the fortification. The location of the castle in this area was very suitable because of the easy control of the family estates. From the castle hill, visual contact could also be established with some other existing castles.
The 50 x 35 m castle complex consisted of an upper, middle and lower castle, with the whole area surrounded by a moat defence system. The original layout of the castle complex was almost a regular triangle. At the highest point, on a plateau at least 2 m above the surrounding area, was the upper castle, where the palace was probably located. Other buildings and perhaps a smaller tower (or parcan) stood on the adjacent platform of the so-called middle castle, which was separated from the upper castle by a strip of deep moat. The lower castle was situated on the northern edge of the castle area, on the lowest plateau, where there were only wooden outbuildings. The castle was entered from the north-east over the moat by a bridge with a gate, which was also protected by a fortified foregate. The whole complex was defended by a moat up to 15 m wide and 17 m deep around its perimeter.
After Michal's death, his son Mikuláš acquired the estates. In 1438 the castle was taken by the town of Prešov for Queen Elizabeth. From 1449 it was in the hands of the Brethren, but in 1458 it was occupied by the troops of Matthias Corvinus. The castle was then apparently abandoned and by the end of the 15th century it had completely disappeared. Its owners moved to more comfortable residences in the village, and their first residence was the original building, which was rebuilt into the present-day Classicist curacy in the village.
Today, on the place where the castle stood you will find only ramparts and ditches. No archaeological research has been carried out on the castle to this day. The establishment of the cemetery, the construction of the chapel and the surrounding roads on its site have meant that traces of the above-ground buildings are no longer legible. However, at least the distinctive original configuration of the terrain has been preserved. Three solitary platforms, separated by an inner moat, testify to the differentiation of the fortification. The circular elevation (12 x 9 m) represents the original fortified entrance, but the ditches are particularly striking. On the south side, the ditch now forms part of an asphalt road which also bypasses the acropolis on the west and east sides. In spite of the modern encroachment on the fortifications, they at least define the extent of the castle, making it easier to read in the terrain. The most striking feature is the moat under the western slope, which even nowadays is of admirable dimensions: 15 m deep and 21 m wide. On the eastern and south-eastern slopes of the fortification there is a large amount of rubble stone, which first points to the fact that the castle was at least brick-built in its foundations, and not all wooden as was assumed until recently.
Source/photo: village Brezovica, korzar.sme.sk, treking.cz, Iveta Vadinová
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