To the Manor Born
More than 1,500 castles, palaces and manor houses have been built in Hungary down the centuries. Many can be traced back to the influence of King Béla, who initiated an extensive building program after the Mongol invasion in the 13th century. Most of these buildings, including the Buda Royal Palace, have been destroyed and rebuilt many times since, resulting in an intriguing collage of architectural influences. Today, many welcome visitors and some even offer accommodation.
Budapest and the Danube Bend
In addition to the Buda Royal Palace, the towering ruins of Visegrád reflect both the military and strategic significance of this small but ancient town along the banks of the Danube. The imposing fortress was built by King Mátyás at a time when Hungary was flexing its muscles on the international stage. This is further emphasised by the lavish palace in the town below.
Balaton
Lake Balaton has always been treasured by Hungarians and it is no coincidence that it is surrounded by castles and other fortifications. Some 30 kilometres to the north of Keszthely, the castle of Sümeg dominates the skyline from its vantage point atop its solitary limestone hill. Originally built as a defence against the Mongols, it was the only fortress that didn’t fall to the Turks, but it did finally succumb to the might of the Habsburgs. In the sixteenth century, the town of Nagyvázsony was on the border between Turkish and Habsburg-ruled Hungary. The 90 foot-high castle keep is still intact today and is complemented by the Zichy manor house, which also has its own riding school.
Pannonia
The area of Transdanubia to the north of Lake Balaton was caught in the crossfire for much of the long-drawn-out conflict between the Magyars, the Turks and the Habsburgs. The scores of castle ruins in the region are a lasting legacy of the battles fought out over the centuries. In 1532, 800 soldiers held an army of 60,000 Turks at bay for 25 days at the city walls of the delightful town of Kőszeg on the Austrian border, halting their progress to Vienna. Today, Jurisics Castle and the historic medieval town stage tournaments in the summer months, as well as a Renaissance festival in August. The 250 year-old manor house in nearby Nagycenk was the family home of Count István Széchenyi and the Eszterházy Palace in Fertőd is also open to visitors. Remarkably, the Benedictine Abbey in Pannonhalma, founded in 996, has survived every war in Hungary’s history. It is one of the few medieval cloisters still standing today, although it has had a few makeovers and even functioned briefly as a mosque. Sárvár, with its pentagon-shaped Nádasdy Castle, is also home to a Renaissance mansion decorated with lavish paintings and furnishings, as well as a fine collection of medieval weaponry. What’s more, many of the trees in the arboretum are more than 300 years old and the park houses a modern thermal spa hotel, one of the most popular in Transdanubia.
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Castle-Hopping in Pannonia
The following itinerary is for travelers whose special interest is in historical mansions, castles and palaces. There are almost a thousand buildings in present-day Hungary that qualifies as chateaux, castles or mansions and 800 of them are registered as historic monuments, including parks. North West Pannonia is particularly well endowed with castles and manor houses. The following two driving itineraries will take you to some of the most elegant and noteworthy stately homes and palaces.
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Itinerary for Northeastern Hungary
The following itinerary is for travelers whose special interest is in historical mansions, castles and palaces. There are almost a thousand buildings in present-day Hungary that qualifies as chateaux, castles or mansions and 800 of them are registered as historic monuments, including parks. Northern Hungary is particularly well endowed with castles and manor houses. The following two driving itineraries will take you to some of the most elegant and noteworthy stately homes and palaces.
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