Pustý hrad (castle)

Pustý hrad is a castle complex in the cadastral territory of the town of Zvolen. It consists of the Lower and Upper Castle. Many years of archaeological research proved the existence of an older prehistoric stone-earth rampart, on which a medieval wall was built. The oldest medieval building in the castle of Pust7 hrad is the tower of the Royal Comitatus Castle from the 12^th century. Together with the adjoining fortification, it is located on the highest point of the castle hill. In addition to the findings of the Lusatian culture, sherds of the Kyjatice culture were also found here. The strategic position of the hill was also used in the Late Stone Age, as evidenced by the findings of the Baden culture. The demise of Zvolen Castle is dated to the middle of the 15^th century. Archaeological research has been carried out here since 2009 by the Institute of Archaeology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Nitra, remote workplace in Zvolen.