One of the most preserved and the most visited Slovak castles, the majestic Ľubovňa castle is situated above Poprad river on a limestone crag. Castle was built near Stará Ľubovňa by Andrew III at the end of the 13th century and the first reference to the castle comes from the year 1311. Gradually, it became an important administrative, military and economic centre.
In 1412, the peace treaty was signed by the Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxembourg and the Polish King Władysław II Jagiełło (Jogaila) on Ľubovňa castle and in the very same year, on 8th November, Sigismund of Luxembourg issued a charter which put 16 towns of Spiš region and the castles: Ľubovňa and Podolinec into a deposit of the Polish King. Thus, Ľubovňa castle turned into an administrative hub of the deposit area and as well into the seat of Polish mayors.
The central part of the castle included a circular tower, a Gothic palace and a kitchen. During the Renaissance castle reconstruction in the second quarter of the 16th century, a rondel and an auricular bastion became pillars of the defence. After fire which struck the castle in 1553, a Renaissance palace was built. Before 1627, during the service of Stanislav Lubomírsky as a mayor, the first period of the Baroque reconstruction took place which gave rise to the construction of the high bastion with an entrance to the first courtyard of the castle (depicted on FDC), the first courtyard and the east bastion. Later on, a Baroque palace and a chapel were added. The FDC cancellation portrays ground plane of the castle.  In 1656 – 1661 the Polish crown jewels were deposited in Ľubovňa castle, which has been visited by several Hungarian and Polish kings.
On 9th November 1772, the castle was returned back to the Hungarian administration. In the 19th century, it was owned by the Raisz family and between 1882 – 1945 by the Zamoyski family. Its gradual reconstruction began in the 1960th and today the Ľubovňa castle possesses almost its original historical layout.
   
Andrej Janovský