Dobrá Niva Castle

Dobrá Niva Castle was probably built after the Mongol invasion in the second half of the 13^th century as a guarding object along the old trade road south of Zvolen. It is mentioned in documents only in 1305/1306. It was the centre of the Dobroniv royal property until the 16^th century. In the 15^th century (1424-1486) it belonged to the property of the queens. The castle was at the beginning of 17th  century in such a bad condition that the administration of the Dobroniv manor was moved to a new building, which was built under the castle in 1609. Only the military garrison remained in the castle. During the Renaissance it changed hands several times, the longest, from 1614 to 1804, it was owned by the Esterházy family. It has been abandoned since the end of the 18^th century and is now a preserved ruin.