Prison fortress: black pages of the Palanok Castle (PHOTOS)

For centuries the castle was widely known as an impregnable stronghold, and later became notorious as the highest security prison of the Austro-Hungarian Empire – the Austrian "Bastille".

The history of the Mukachevo Fortress – Palanok Castle – is interesting and complicated. There are also black pages in it. From 1782 to 1896, it accommodated first a warehouse and then a political prison. It is rumored that the names of the prisoners jailed there were disclosed only after they died. In more than 100 years, over 20,000 prisoners were detained in the prison. And none managed to escape. 

 According to legends, criminals in the Palanok were not only detained, but also tortured. Such were the traditions in medieval Europe.

But the castle itself was ruthlessly tortured while it was accommodating the prison for more than ten years. During that time, the castle lost its defensive function, and numerous secret passages, long corridors and spacious rooms were bricked up. A lot of interesting things, that could have changed our understanding of Palanok history, disappeared from the fortress.

Prisoners would often get sick in damp rooms with thick stone walls. Rats and snakes were crawling on the walls. And often prisoners died from serious illnesses and lack of food.

It is rumored that during one year the prisoners were fed only carrots, which at the time were in abundance and cheaper than bread. That made the keratin content in the body increase and their skin become yellowish.  The most dangerous prisoners were chained to the walls, which made their life unbearable.

It is interesting that it was during this period, and more precisely in 1805-1806, that the Holy Hungarian Crown was kept in the Mukachevo Fortress hidden from Napoleonic troops.

And the XX century, a vocational school was located there which also negatively affected the historical value of the fortress. 

Mukachevo.net based on open source materials