Castle Hill, located at the confluence of the Danube and Morava Rivers, is one of Slovakia’s most significant archaeological sites. From prehistoric cultures, through the Roman and Germanic period, to the Slavs who built one of their earliest castles here, this site has witnessed continuous human settlement spanning thousands of years. The nearly thousand-year-old Devin Castle was destroyed by Napoleonic forces in 1809, but in the decades that followed, it became a symbol of Slovak national emancipation. During the Communist regime, the location gained notoriety as a perilous escape route to Austria. Today, the Gate of Freedom memorial, situated beneath the castle cliff, honors the memory of more than 400 people who were killed attempting to flee Czechoslovakia.