Haunted Prison of Pavol Baračka
In the 16th century, around the place of today’s VÚB and close to the Upper „Water“ City Gate, there was a townhouse. J. Branecký narrates a tale of a witch who was hanged in this house around the middle of the 19th century. For some reason, devils would not accept her soul into the hell but instead would join it to haunt in the house.
Nobody wanted to live here because of big noise and tumult, so the original owner sold the house to Pavol Baračka, captain of Trenčín Castle and second lord of the district of Trenčín. Baračka was known to be fearless of any man or thing. However, because of exceedingly active ghosts, he would not be allowed to rest in peace either. So he came up with a great idea.
His jurisdiction would extend over a prison house filled with all kinds of robbers, murderers, and villains. He ordered that four rebels, who had already been condemned to die, be cast in the cellar of his haunted house. The following day found two of them already dead and the remaining two were redeemed from their future suffering by the speedy and merciful act of the headsman. The story tells us that Baračka’s experiment was so successful, that crime in the District of Trenčín dropped to a minimum. Robbers and bandits were moving to farther regions to avoid that “hellish” prison of the captain of Trenčín castle.
It is most likely that this tradition was to be believed and continued, for after the death of Baračka the house was bought by Juraj Motešický and changed into permanent prison. As part of safety measures, a chapel was built attached to the prison house in 1827, since some prisoners had already escaped while taken out to attend Masses at the Parish Church. Juraj Chlebaňa who was condemned after having stolen a ram from the sheepfold of the Senator Szilvay, rendered a more detailed description of the ghosts. His account gives us the exact number of twelve devils and one chained witch. Devils had black fur growing all over their bodies and horse-like hoofs on their feet. The witch was so ugly that poor Juraj could not even look at her. At midnight, all of them began to dance and yell. To make the performance even more impressive, they would blow sulfur smoke. Chlebaňa’s account of the story was partly supported by a prison guard who claimed to be awakened by the hellish noise, although his sleep would generally be deep and sound. The prisoner saved his life only by constantly repeating the name of the Lord, which apparently had a demoralizing effect on the devils. His saved life was not to last long, however. Two days later, while attempting to escape, he was shot to death by hayduck Veselica.
Just to add that Pavol Baračka preferred to move into his mansion in Trenčianske Teplice – now place of a restaurant bearing the same name.
Nobody wanted to live here because of big noise and tumult, so the original owner sold the house to Pavol Baračka, captain of Trenčín Castle and second lord of the district of Trenčín. Baračka was known to be fearless of any man or thing. However, because of exceedingly active ghosts, he would not be allowed to rest in peace either. So he came up with a great idea.
His jurisdiction would extend over a prison house filled with all kinds of robbers, murderers, and villains. He ordered that four rebels, who had already been condemned to die, be cast in the cellar of his haunted house. The following day found two of them already dead and the remaining two were redeemed from their future suffering by the speedy and merciful act of the headsman. The story tells us that Baračka’s experiment was so successful, that crime in the District of Trenčín dropped to a minimum. Robbers and bandits were moving to farther regions to avoid that “hellish” prison of the captain of Trenčín castle.
It is most likely that this tradition was to be believed and continued, for after the death of Baračka the house was bought by Juraj Motešický and changed into permanent prison. As part of safety measures, a chapel was built attached to the prison house in 1827, since some prisoners had already escaped while taken out to attend Masses at the Parish Church. Juraj Chlebaňa who was condemned after having stolen a ram from the sheepfold of the Senator Szilvay, rendered a more detailed description of the ghosts. His account gives us the exact number of twelve devils and one chained witch. Devils had black fur growing all over their bodies and horse-like hoofs on their feet. The witch was so ugly that poor Juraj could not even look at her. At midnight, all of them began to dance and yell. To make the performance even more impressive, they would blow sulfur smoke. Chlebaňa’s account of the story was partly supported by a prison guard who claimed to be awakened by the hellish noise, although his sleep would generally be deep and sound. The prisoner saved his life only by constantly repeating the name of the Lord, which apparently had a demoralizing effect on the devils. His saved life was not to last long, however. Two days later, while attempting to escape, he was shot to death by hayduck Veselica.
Just to add that Pavol Baračka preferred to move into his mansion in Trenčianske Teplice – now place of a restaurant bearing the same name.
City Map
Partners
