New Castle (Girl's Castle)

Wherever you approach the town, you will immediately see the symbol of Bány Selmec on the top of the hill rising on its southern side, the Maiden Castle with its four corner towers and pointed roof. According to legend, the beautiful and wealthy Borbála Rössel had it built. At that time, a gallows stood on the site of the castle, which was clearly visible from Borbála's palace. When she looked out the window, she often shuddered in fear at the sight of the gallows. No matter how much she wanted it to be moved elsewhere, the town would not let her. However, she was determined that there would be no gallows there. After a while, she made an offer to the town that she wanted to build a castle at her own expense, which could be a refuge for the town in times of war. She only stipulated that she could build it wherever she wanted. The town magistrate was very happy to allow her to do so, and she had it built in place of the gallows. Tradition has it that the beauty of Borbála's body was like a precious jewel, the shine of which was made even greater by her wealth. (Her grandfather, Rössel Erazmus, is said to have collected so many gold coins that if they were stacked side by side, they would have stretched from Selmec to Buda on the highway.) She had plenty of suitors, but she was determined never to marry. Borbála spent her days in great splendor, full of lust. Because of her eccentricities, the people called her the witch of Leányvár. When her friends warned her that her great extravagance was consuming her wealth, she threw her precious ring into the waters of the Selmec and declared that the permanence of her treasures was as certain as the ring was certain to be lost. This was frivolous on her part, as the ring was found when a fish caught in the stream was cut open. Borbála died abandoned by everyone and impoverished. At his funeral, a terrible commotion broke out, people fled leaving his coffin on the road, then dogs rushed forward and devoured the body. ; The Maiden Castle was actually built by the city's citizens in two parts between 1564 and 1571 for the purpose of protection against the Turks. The city was protected by twenty-four Italian cannons from attacks expected from the directions of Léva and Bakabánya. When an enemy approached, a black flag was hoisted, when a guest approached, the guard blew a so-called motet. In the event of a fire, the danger was signaled with a red flag during the day and with a lantern at night. The fire watchman blew a trumpet every quarter of an hour, while a guard signaled the whole hours with a bell. That is why the Maiden Castle was called the two-legged clock of Selmec.