Why This Castle Was Built on the Edge of a Cliff

Perched on a sheer cliff at the border of two rival medieval kingdoms, Najita Castle has stood for over 700 years — and for most of that time, almost no one has seen what is actually inside it. Built as a wooden watchtower in the 13th century, the fortress was gradually transformed into a stone stronghold with Gothic entry halls, a 60-meter well that never reached water, underground dungeons, and a tower room so high that it has a doorway opening onto nothing but air. We gained rare access to its restricted areas — including spaces not open to the public — to find out what this landmark is actually hiding.At the heart of the castle is a centuries-old legend: Princess Omina, said to be the daughter of an Inca ruler, was murdered at the castle gates after smuggling a lost treasure across oceans to hide it within these walls. A mysterious document with unknown symbols was discovered here in 1946, reigniting the belief that Inca gold still lies somewhere beneath the chapel tower. We went inside that exact space to see what archaeologists actually found — and the answer is one of the most significant historical discoveries in the region's modern history. Niedzica is very unique - the borders here shifted in 1920. In 1939-1945, Niedzica and the whole Spisz were joined to the Slovak state under Josef Tiso. In 1945, Niedzica and part of Spisz were returned to Poland (within the borders of 1920).