Hungarian fortresses. Fortresses with museums in Hungary: history lives here
Old castles of Hungary and interesting routes
Cozy and small Eger known primarily for its healing properties thermal springs. They also serve delicious food with incredible Hungarian dishes, and most importantly, they treat you to delicious local wine, which, as the Hungarians say, has no equal in the entire country. We didn’t argue, but we did try some local delicacies, and we made a special video about it (see below!). But first we headed to the local noble residence.
ATTENTION! GOOGLE MAPS IN THE ARTICLE ARE USED AS ADDITIONAL LINKS AND ARE NOT EXACT ADDRESSES
Kishnany Castle in Hungary, Eger city, Hungary
Castle of Kisnana - antique family estate in the village of the same name Kishnane near Eger, almost in Eger, the soft beauty of which makes local tourists curiously explore literally every nook and cranny of the castle. This is not to say that the architecture of the castle is spectacular, but it is attractive, warm, and mysterious.
The history of the castle clearly demonstrates how the architecture of the noble estates of Hungary changed and transformed, starting from the 13th century. Like many other buildings in the Matra region, Kishnani Castle(hereinafter referred to as Kishnana) belonged to the Aba clan and then to the Compolti family. Peter Compolti was fabulously rich and was in the queen's court, which allowed him to pour considerable funds into the construction of the castle, which later went to his two sons.
Towards the end of the 15th century, the Compolti family died out in the male line, and the castle passed into 
property of the Guti Orsag family. The castle was completed: it was equipped with a huge wine cellar near the chapel. The Northern Palace was reconstructed, the window openings were paved with bars in the style of Renaissance architecture.
In 1543 the Ottomans destroyed Kishnana almost to the ground. At that time they occupied Budapest and all surrounding cities, including Eger. For many years ruins of Kishnany Castle no one was doing it. The owners died, the castle actually belonged to no one. During the Second World War, the ruins of the castle were cleared and a training ground for military training was founded on the site of Kishnana. In the 1960s, archaeological excavations were carried out at the site of the ruins, and then the castle began to be restored.
Today's Kishnana it amazes with its ancient beauty: you can’t even say that the castle has gone through difficult times. The Northern Palace received a strong metal roof, all the walls were restored almost from scratch, modern metal stairs and passages were installed, everything is durable, monolithic, reliable.
A huge amount of money was spent on the reconstruction of the castle. The project was financed by authorized organizations of the European Union. The total cost of the project exceeded 340 million forints (approximately 80 million rubles as of November 27, 2018). Restorers in the 2000s. The castle, terraces, and exhibition halls were restored.
The wine cellar has wine storage facilities and a hall for holding events. 
Visitors are invited to admire the castle's past with reference to chronoscope data: to plunge into history, to imagine what the castle was like hundreds of years ago.
The castle is very well equipped: there is even a mobile hall for holding events. For the convenience of visitors, an access bridge and an embankment decorated with lamps leading to the bridge were built.
Kishnani Castle It is brilliantly lit and is a hypnotic sight at night. Naturally, such beauty cannot be ignored. Festivals, games, conferences, tournaments, the famous Hungarian Peach Day (peaches are a dime a dozen in Hungary, they are called “fruits of tranquility”), traditional holidays, major events and shows are constantly held here.
Legends of Kishnana
We all like to recognize legends. And many even travel to touch shrines or make wishes. So here are some reasons for this. There are many legends here, the most interesting ones are about dragons!
The dragon guards the lovers
When Commander Tomas, at the head of the Hussite movement (a religious movement created by John Hus), attacked the castle, Istvan Compolti asked King Sigismund to return the fortress to him. The king arrived at the dinner party to meet Tomas.
There he insidiously mixed an intoxicating compound into the cup of Katka, Tomas’s beloved. She, under the influence of a potion, gave the king the key to the king, he and the courtiers broke into the castle and killed everyone. Tomas, running away, jumped out of the window, and Katka rushed after him.
Sigismund ordered the bodies of the lovers to be covered with stones and called this place a guarding dragon. At the site of the makeshift tomb, a sign was placed that forms two figures; it is designed not to interfere with the dragon.
After a thousand years, according to legend, the king’s knights will return to the castle, the dragon will wake up, and with him the Resurrected Sigismund or his incarnation will again maintain the peace and prosperity of the castle.
Legend of the Sleeping Dragon
The matter was not limited to just one dragon, a stone one. There is a belief that in the forests of the hills near Eger there lived a dragon. He was respected.
And the dragon respected and loved the members of the Kompolt dynasty. When the last member of the family died, 
the dragon mourned him and came to the castle to say goodbye, and there he fell asleep in a thousand-year sleep.
The legend, too, is inclined to believe that in 1,000 years the dragon will wake up and love and happiness will reign in the castle again. In the meantime, luck will favor those who hear the dragon's breath. How to do this?
You need to throw a coin on the floor in the castle, and if you don’t hear a ringing sound, it means that at that time the dragon yawned and absorbed the sound of metal hitting the floor. This means that luck will be with you all your life!
And now we invite you to watch a video about Kishnana Castle. We have made a mini-review of the main points for you: how to get there, what to see.
Video from the town of Egerszalok and excursion to the Castle of Kisnana
Kishnana coordinates: 47.852° N. w. 20.146° E. d. We provide accurate information, since finding a castle is not easy!
And now we move on to more mundane pleasures - to dishes. There’s no other way to call them - the food is delicious!
Restaurant Piroska Etterem in the village of Egerszalok, Hungary
Although the name of the restaurant reads “Piroshka Etterem”, we are not talking about pies. Translated from Hungarian, the restaurant is called the “Red Restaurant”.
We liked that the menu here is provided in Russian, which is extremely convenient, otherwise you might buy a pie, but it turns out that it was red fish! We won’t talk much about the Piroska etterem restaurant: everything is on video. Look, remember. And we lick our lips, remembering: after all, we ate a hearty meal!
Video from restaurant Piroska Etterem
Restaurant address: 3394, Egerszalók, Ady Endre u. 42. Phone: +36 30/ 696 78 48.
We ate, walked, and it’s time to get treatment. Now we are planning to head to the local thermal springs, which are located in Egerszalok. Although, no! First, we will tell you what to do in Eger: since you also came here or are planning to come.
City of Eger: attractions, baths
Before we tell you about Egerszalók and its famous baths, let’s take a mental walk around Eger.
We won’t write much about Eger itself; we’ll just go over its history very briefly and talk about the local beauties. A unique wine called “Eger Bull Blood” is produced here, there are many historical buildings, and the attractions include the above-mentioned castle and thermal springs.
City of Eger is located 130 kilometers from Budapest. Get to Egera very simple on 
by bus, by train. For many centuries, religion played an important role in the life of the city: an ancient bishopric was founded here, and to this day Eger considered one of the key religious centers in Hungary. In the 13th century, a huge citadel was built on Fortress Hill, which is considered the most important landmark of the city. During World War II, Eger was not destroyed like other cities, so many Baroque palaces and temples were preserved in their original form, which attracts historians, cultural experts, architects, and artists from all over the world.
In the city of Eger you can visit the Turkish minaret built in the 17th century, Cathedral, Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Church of the Cistercian Order. In general, as we have already said, the city has a rich history and is directly connected with religious trends, so there are many basilicas and cathedrals here, you can just walk and see everything. There are museums.
Visit the “Valley of Beautiful Women” - local wines are served here. There are also local baths, the most famous is the “Turkish Bath”, it was built in the 17th century, and today there is a modern balneological hospital Eger.
Egerszalok: baths, hotel
Egerszalok - a small village 6 km from Eger, not particularly outstanding. But there are thermal springs with magnesium-calcium bicarbonate water. The spring comes from a depth of 410 meters, and the water temperature reaches 68 °C. Water contains many essential microelements. It is curious that similar sources (if we compare thermal springs in terms of the content of useful substances) are found only in a few places on the globe: in the USA, in Turkey. In Europe, such a source is the only one! In 1992, the waters of the thermal spring were given medicinal status.
Naturally, it was created next to the sources thermal resort. He wears the same name with 
village name - to Egerszalok resort
. It has been operating since 2006 and is a hydropathic and wellness bathhouse (wellness is a healthy lifestyle in our opinion). The resort is located near the foot of the Bükk and Matra mountains in the valley of the Lashko river.
The bathhouse has 17 outdoor and indoor pools, total area which is 1,900 sq. m. Both old people, adults, and children will enjoy relaxing at the resort: there are all conditions.
Outdoor pools are located in the valley: all around there are beautiful panoramas, fresh air, sunshine. Up to 1,000 people can be in the baths at the same time. There are swimming pools, some with seating, some with Charcot showers, there are Jacuzzis, there are pools with animators and water gymnastics trainers working in them, there are pools for children, and even pools with an echo - just for fun: for every taste.
In the baths at the resort you can order massage courses, visit saunas, Finnish and Russian baths, and undergo treatments using ice, beer, sea salt, and honey. There is a cosmetology salon and a SPA salon. You can take a bath with grapes! Seaweed bath! A bath of mud and chocolate, gold and black pearls. They even practice enotherapy - treatment with wine.
If you want to exercise, a well-equipped gym is at your disposal. There is a beach with attractions, a pub, bowling alley, and a self-service restaurant. In general, guys, it’s easier to say what’s not here. By the way, next to the baths there is a lake around which you can ride bicycles and have a picnic on the shore.
Let's talk about the local baths of Egerszalók
The pools are equipped with nozzles from which thermal water. Both massage and benefits. Beware of bruises: the stream is strong.
The pool water differs in temperature: where it is warmer, where it is hotter, where it is cooler. Choose according to your taste. Around there are salt deposits in the form of mounds: they are washed in by a spring, so the area looks no worse than the slopes of Pamukkale in Turkey.
There are indoor swimming pools inside the resort. By the way, here they are called baths, both those inside and those outside.
There are slides built inside, a Charcot shower and a Jacuzzi.
There are pools in which you need to wander alternately in hot and cold water: this is very useful for tone and blood vessels.
During your meals, don’t forget to taste the local Eger Oxblood wine and eat Hungarian goulash. Well, very tasty!
Where to stay in Egerszalok: Saliris Resort Hotel
A sanatorium is a sanatorium, but you need to spend the night somewhere. We have our eye on a nice little hotel called Saliris resort. Its full name is Saliris Resort Spa& Conference Hotel 4*. In total it includes 203 rooms, located at: Hungary 3394 Egerszalók, Forrás u. 6. This is also the address of the baths, by the way.
This is a wellness hotel, a spa hotel and a conference hotel: tour groups often come here, since they can relax and spend time usefully both at the resort and in the hotel itself.
The architectural style of the hotel is typically Hungarian with modern touches. The bar is decorated with Pakistani bricks, the reception area is decorated with ebony wood. Even the wallpaper here is handmade! The rooms look modern, the luxurious design will please even the most demanding and picky clients.
The hotel offers guests a steam bath, sauna, hot tub, massage room and beauty salon.
Among the 203 rooms there are separate presidential suites and 3 rooms for people with disabilities. There are private, connecting and regular rooms. Each room is equipped with a terrace, regardless of its level. There is a minibar, safe, Internet, high-quality TV, landline telephone in the rooms. In other words, your stay at the hotel promises to be very pleasant.
That's where we're going, that's our plan. As soon as we settle in and visit the bathhouse, we will definitely shoot a video and show and tell you everything!
What else to see in Egerszalok
Well, perhaps all that remains is to go through the sights of the area. Not everyone can cool off in the pools.
Be sure to go to the local church, built in 1738 in the Baroque style, where the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary is located. They say it fulfills wishes.
There are unique “beehive” stones and tuff domes here - local flavor. The stones appeared due to volcanic activity. The hardened rhyolite tuffs have marks that look like crosses. People could live inside them, but there is an assumption that the “hives” served as tombs for burying the ashes of the commanders of Stephen the Saint.
The meeting place for travel lovers is Instagram!
Well, that seems to be the whole review. We’ll tell you what we forgot and didn’t remember. Wait for our new video reports and stories. Stay in touch, follow us on Instagram and on! Otherwise, join us, we will be glad to see you and arrange real adventures with a car quest around Europe. We'll select a route and calculate the budget - we'll make a unique trip!
Our personal tag!
Subscribe to our profile on Instagram and we will always be in touch. Thank you very much for your visit!
These three old fortresses, located in northern Hungary, near the border of Slovakia in the Zemplén Mountains, have in common not only geographical location, but also the time of construction. All three castles were built or first mentioned in the 13th century. The most easily accessible, interesting and preserved of them is Boldogko (it is also the most visited), while Fuser and Regets are practically ruins. However, restoration work is being carried out in the Fuser fortress, although very slowly, as I noticed. In any case, heading from the Hungarian Miskolc, where, by the way, there are wonderful thermal springs in caves, towards Slovakia we stopped at all three fortresses, fortunately they are located very close to each other. For the sake of clarity of the story, I’ll probably attach a small map of the location of the castles. And in the title picture is the Boldogko fortress, a powerful and well-preserved fortification.
Here is, directly, a map of the area with castles marked on it. Not exactly a triangle, of course, but they are located nearby, in the same region, although getting to these places without a car would probably be problematic. 
At first I wanted to make three different posts about each castle separately, but then I decided to combine all three together for convenience. Moreover, there is not much information in general, but more photographs. As for the first, best-preserved, Boldogko castle, it was built in the 13th century, like many of its brothers in this part of Hungary, with the aim of protecting the Kingdom of Hungary from raids from the north and east (the formidable Mongol-Tatars are assumed to be at that time) . The exact date of construction is unknown, but Boldogko was first mentioned in 1282. Many times the castle passed from hand to hand by donation, it was owned by royalty, Hungarian nobility and aristocrats, rebuilding and equipping it according to their wishes. The name of the castle translates as “Lucky Stone”, as it was called after the Ottoman invasions of Hungary. The fortress is located high on a rock at the foot of the Zemplén Upland (it is also called Tokaj, since the town of Tokaj, famous for its wines, is nearby). Boldogko welcomes visitors from March 1 to October 31. There are several small exhibitions here: archaeological, military, historical and others. In the last decade, the castle has undergone a massive reconstruction (most likely with EU money), two towers were built, and an observation deck was also equipped at the very edge of the castle rock. In general, I noticed that similar places are now being actively reconstructed in Hungary. For example, in Eger there are quite famous castle and you can go there, but restoration and archaeological work is going on throughout its entire territory. Therefore, lovers of such structures should come in a year or two. 
The next fortress is Regets, also known as the fortress of Ferenc II Rakoczi, a Hungarian prince and leader of the anti-Habsburg national liberation movement in the early 18th century. Rakoczi spent part of his childhood years in this castle. By the way, later his family moved to Mukachevo Castle on the territory of modern Ukraine. Regets is perhaps the most hard to reach place of all three, since it is located directly on one of the high hills of the Zemplén Upland. The castle was built on a volcanic rock 624 meters high. The history of the fortress is absolutely identical to the previous one. Regets was first mentioned in 1298; at the end of the 13th century, the Kingdom of Hungary was actively strengthening its northern borders; they were very afraid of the raids of the Mongol-Tatars in 1241, which, under the leadership of Batu, pretty much battered the Hungarian army. The Mongol invasion, by the way, then contributed to strengthening ties with Catholic Europe. Regets Castle was destroyed in 1686 during the Ottoman occupation and was never restored, with the exception of cosmetic restoration work in our time. 
The Fuser fortress was first mentioned in 1264, but whether it was built before the Tatar invasion or after is not known for sure. The castle belonged to King Béla IV and his family, and then to the powerful Aba clan, which ruled the region independently of the king. During the Renaissance, the castle was expanded and completed, so it looks a little more modern than its counterparts. Although I liked the second castle the most, Regetz, which is located in a very picturesque location. And here, in Fuser, at some point in the 16th century the Hungarian crown was hidden (usually it was kept in Visegrád). This happened after the Battle of Mohács, where the Ottomans defeated the Hungarian army. There is also a version that Elizabeth Bathory, notorious for the mass murder of young girls, was hiding here. Although this fact is unverified, since most of the documents about the Bathory family were destroyed by order of the authorities. The castle was destroyed by Austrian troops during the already mentioned anti-Habsburg uprisings. 
Other castles and fortresses.
Type of tour: Group, Excursion
Duration of the tour: 8 days / 7 nights
Departure from Moscow - air: on Mondays
Departure from Moscow - railway: on Saturdays
Tour program
1 day: Arrival at Budapest, the guide meets the group. Transfer to the hotel. Posting
Staying at a hotel of the selected category. Free time. Optional: “Evening Budapest” with a boat trip on the Danube or dinner at a restaurant with a folklore program and round-trip transfers.
Day 2: Breakfast. Bus sightseeing tour around the city: Buda Castle, Matthias Temple, Fisherman's Bastion, Royal Palace, Gellert Mountain, Citadel, Freedom Monument, Városliget City Park, Heroes' Square, Vajdahunyad Castle, Bath " Szechenyi", St. Stephen's Cathedral, Parliament. Return to the hotel. Free time. Visit if desired thermal baths .
Day 3: Breakfast. Bus tour"Bend of the Danube" in three cities: Esztergom- the center of the Catholic religion in Hungary, the Cathedral. Visegrad- former residence of the Hungarian kings, Solomon's Tower. Sentendre- a city of artists and craftsmen, an Orthodox church, a marzipan museum, a museum of Hungarian wines with wine tasting and lunch. Return to Budapest. Free time
4 day: Breakfast. Free day. Optional: Bus tour on Balaton. In the evening, bus excursion "Evening Budapest" with a boat trip along the Danube.
5 day: Breakfast. Bus tour to the city Gyor- "city of rivers", - Roman-Arrabona and Pannonhalma- Benedictine main abbey. Includes lunch and entrance tickets to the museum.
Day 6: Breakfast. Bus tour V Eger - one of the most beautiful cities Baroque style, famous for its medieval fortress, rich in thermal springs and excellent red wines. Includes lunch and wine tasting. In the evening return to Budapest.
Day 7: Free day. Optional Bus tour V Vienna. Along the way, Gyor (short excursion). On way back Bratislava.
Day 8: Breakfast. Transfer to the Airport. For those leaving the railway there is free time, at 18.00 - transfer to the railway station.
The company reserves the right to change the order of excursions without changing the tour program
Railway 12 days/11 nights cost from 512 EUR
| Hotel | Category | Nutrition | Room type | 7 n. | |
| DBL | SGL | ||||
| Ibis City | 3* | BB | Standard | 512 | 645 |
| City Ring | 3* | BB | Standard | 521 | 687 |
| Ibis Heroes Square | 3* | BB | Standard | 524 | 645 |
| Mercure Buda | 4* | BB | Standard | 533 | 716 |
| Mercure Metropol | 4* | BB | Standard | 533 | 716 |
| City Pilvax | 3* | BB | Standard | 542 | 725 |
| City Matyas | 3* | BB | Standard | 542 | 725 |
| Zara Boutique | 4* | BB | Standard | 552 | 657 |
| Ibis Centrum | 3* | BB | Standard | 553 | 756 |
| Zara Continental | 4* | BB | Standard | 573 | 756 |
| Novotel Budapest Danube | 4* | BB | Standard | 573 | 729 |
| Novotel Centrum | 4* | BB | Standard | 573 | 797 |
| City Ring | 3* | HB | Standard | 619 | 785 |
| Zara Continental | 4* | BB | Deluxe | 655 | 919 |
| City Pilvax | 3* | HB | Standard | 664 | 847 |
| City Matyas | 3* | HB | Standard | 672 | 855 |
| Zara Continental | 4* | HB | Standard | 720 | 903 |
| Zara Continental | 4* | HB | Deluxe | 801 | 1066 |
| Zara Continental | 4* | BB | Suit | 980 | 1570 |
| Zara Continental | 4* | HB | Suit | 1127 | 1717 |
At the Ramada Resort entrance tickets to the water park with a 50% discount.
Flight:A/K Aeroflot
The tour price includes
Additionally offered
Budapest is called "the pearl of the Danube washed ashore." With the matte whiteness of its buildings, constrained in perspective by silvery mountains, the city really looks like a large pearl set in silver. For all guests Hungarian capital The wealth and splendor of its palaces and parks, bridges and the famous Buda Castle make an indelible impression.
View of medieval castle Buda from the chronicles of Hartmann Schidel
In the 1st century BC, one of the Celtic tribes, the Araviscans, was the first to establish a military settlement here, Ak-Ink, whose name means “Abundant Waters.” In the 1st century AD, the Romans recaptured it from the Celts and founded their city, renaming it Aquincum. Soon the rapidly growing Roman colony turned it into an important defensive fortress.
In the 2nd century, Aquincum already had about 30,000 inhabitants, and a separate civil city grew up in the northern part of present-day Buda. During Roman times, Fortress (or Castle) Hill was uninhabited, although archaeologists sometimes find monuments from Roman times here. However, they came here from Aquincum as a suitable building material.
Building of the Budapest History Museum, Hungary
The legionnaires themselves erected the fortified outpost of Counter-Aquincum in the area of the current center of Budapest, at the crossing of the Danube, and on the southern outskirts of Buda - the camp city of Kampon.
View from Buda Fortress
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Aquincum was completely destroyed during the era of invasions of successive peoples, so that even its name was not preserved.
This territory was in the hands of the Avars, Franks, Goths, Huns and many other peoples. An ancient legend says that the leader of the Huns, Attila, instructed his brother Buda to defend the territories conquered from the Romans.
Hungarian National Gallery
Interior of the Hungarian National Gallery
Buda built a well-fortified military camp, which began to bear his name. But later Buda betrayed his brother, and Attila, returning from Italy he had conquered, ordered Buda to be killed and even forbade him to pronounce his name.
Chapel of Princess Alexandra Pavlovna
Portrait of the princess by Borovikovsky
There is another version about the origin of this right-bank settlement: its name comes from the Bulgarian-Slavic word “buda” (hut, house). In science, this version is considered the most reliable.
After the Huns, the Magyars, led by their leader Arpad, appeared in the middle Danube region. Having conquered (or displaced) the tribes living here, the founder of the dynasty of Hungarian kings in 896 chose ancient Buda as his place of permanent residence, which existed even before the arrival of the Hungarians.
In 1242, huge Tatar armies crossed the frozen Danube and destroyed and burned the Danube settlements. King Bela IV, fearing a new invasion of the Tatars, began to build fortresses throughout the country, and it was then that the previously uninhabited plateau of Fortress Mountain attracted his attention. Castle Hill was the lowest of the Buda mountains, rising only 151 meters above sea level, but its location was very convenient for the construction of fortifications.
In 1255, King Bela IV ordered the construction of a fortress here to protect the country, around which a city with a civilian population grew. For believers, the Church of St. Nicholas, the Church of the Virgin Mary and the Church of Mary Magdalene began to be built. A castle was built for the king himself.
By the 14th century, the Buda Fortress had not yet become the center of the country; it became so only in the first quarter of the 15th century. King Sigismund, having become Holy Roman Emperor, finally moved his capital to Buda.
Next to the simple royal residential tower, he built the beautiful Gothic New Palace and began rebuilding the fortress wall, which previously consisted of a fence and an earthen ditch. Bastions that were perfect for that time were erected, and the magnificent castle with its huge knight's hall and the remaining unfinished Truncated Tower served as a place for knightly tournaments.
1497
In the second half of the 15th century, during the reign of King Matthias, the Buda Fortress reached its peak. King Matthias expanded and reconstructed the royal palace, surrounded Pest with a fortress wall and connected it with Buda with a floating bridge.
He invited the talented architect and sculptor A. Fioravanti from Italy, as well as D. Dalmata, B de Maiano and other masters.
During the construction of the royal palace, two architectural styles dominated: first, Gothic, and after the king’s wedding to Beatrice, the Renaissance triumphed.
The halls of the palace had mosaic floors, all rooms were decorated with sculptures, mirrors, carpets; reliefs and fireplaces made of red marble attracted attention not only with their shapes, but also with the sparkling of all shades of stone. The chronicles of those years note that the majestic view of the reception hall of the king and the royal retinue made such a stunning impression on the Turkish ambassador that he even got confused in his speech and could not finish it, although he was a very experienced diplomat. The palace of King Matthias also housed a library, the vaulted ceiling of which depicted the vault of heaven: on it, various configurations of stars marked important events in the life of the king.
Library
Eyewitnesses of the 16th century wrote about the library itself:
Most of the volumes are made of parchment, with silk binding, gilded silver buckles... During Matthias, about thirty painters, experienced masters in copying books, always lived at the royal court...
During the reign of this king, the Church of the Virgin Mary was rebuilt, which, due to its new tower, is called Matthias Church to this day. But with the death of the king, a glorious era in the history of Buda Castle ended.
The head of the archive of early printed books, Gábor Farkas, shows our ambassador a well-preserved copy of the chronicles Hungarorum - this is the first book printed in Hungary: June 5, 1473 by András Hess in Buda.
The beautiful palace began to decline, although the royal court tried to maintain its former splendor and luxury. However, the court staff, burdened with debts, could no longer pay the costs of maintaining the buildings in proper order. Many of them simply began to collapse, and their valuables were stolen to pay off debts.
Albrecht Durer. Emperor Sigismund.
During the Turkish rule, the castle built by King Bela, as well as the New Palace of King Sigismund and the castle of King Matthias were destroyed. The Turks first entered Buda in 1526 after the Battle of Mohács, and the Buda Fortress aroused the admiration of even the conquerors.
Corvinus Gate
The Turkish traveler E. Celebi in his notes constantly calls Buda the “golden apple of the Turkish Empire” because of the houses with red roofs. He climbs Mount Gellert only to see the fortress wall from all sides. The conqueror falls in love with Buda, but cannot save her from death.
1550
The fortress walls are humming from endless sieges, powder magazines are exploding, but the Turks are unable to gain a foothold in this territory. As they retreated, they burned and plundered the palace and the city, most of the buildings were completely destroyed, but even then the beauty of the proud ruins occupying the top of the hill remained.
In 1541, after a long siege, the Turks again managed to capture Buda Castle through deception. The Janissaries of Sultan Suleiman, disguised as guests, made their way through the northern gate, at a signal they attacked the guards and disarmed them.
Royal Palace,
IN last days August, on the day of the 15th anniversary of the Battle of Mohacs, the Sultan's ambassadors arrived to visit Queen Isabella and little Janos Zsigmont. They handed her a decree according to which Transylvania was designated as the queen’s new place of residence, and Buda was taken by the Turks for safekeeping until Janos reached adulthood.
After this, sad events began in the history of the Buda Fortress, which are widely described in historical chronicles. For example, “Janos Podmanicki was a smart man. Having trimmed his beard into a hair shirt, he got dressed and, with a tub on his back, fled from the fortress. Those who remained became prisoners of the Truncated Tower or slaves.
Matthias fountain
Under Turkish rule, the development of many Hungarian cities slowed down greatly, and Buda turned from a royal residence into a border city of a remote province of the vast Turkish empire. The fortress with its magnificent buildings perished: and although they remained relatively intact, their interior was completely destroyed. The royal palace was turned into barracks and warehouses, churches were rebuilt into mosques.
It seemed that even nature itself was helping the destruction of the Buda Fortress. In 1578, lightning struck a gunpowder warehouse, the explosion scattered neighboring palaces, covered the state treasury and the shelter of the kings, which was underground, and threw the cannons from the fortress into the Danube; the fortress gates, as if they were being moved by an unknown power, opened by themselves, the waters of the Danube floated down corpses all day long...
The domination of the Turks lasted for 145 long years. At the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, an army of militias formed from Hungarian peasants tried more than once to recapture Buda Castle, but to no avail.
Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI
Only in 1686, the united Christian armies led by the Lorraine prince Charles and the Bavarian elector Maximilian surrounded the Buda fortress, and a life-and-death struggle began.
Assault followed assault, but the heroism of the Hungarian haiduks, who were always the first to attack, and cannon fire did not bring success. The powder tower exploded again, throwing 800 tons of gunpowder into the air and killing 1,550 people.
The decisive attack began on September 2, 1686. At the Esterdom rotunda, the besiegers made their way into the fortress, the guns fell silent, and hand-to-hand combat began. After the death of Pasha Abdurahman, the Turks retreated to the territory of the royal palace, and then hung out a white banner. Almost the entire fortress was covered with the bodies of many thousands of dead.
A fire broke out and the former royal residence, the beauty of the cities of the Turkish era, the “red apple” with its houses lying in ruins, with burnt valuables, charred walls sticking out to the sky and burnt out windows was such a terrible sight in the bright late summer sun, like a skull lit from the inside on a dark night.
The following centuries were also not particularly happy for the Buda Fortress: plague, earthquakes, rainstorms, and fires followed each other. A gunpowder explosion and a huge fire in 1723 caused destruction no less than the Turkish siege. Its restoration began only in the 18th century, and new buildings in the Baroque style began to be erected over the ruins.
Buda Castle acquired its final form in the 19th century, when it was completely rebuilt by the architect Miklos Ibl. However, its huge buildings with hundreds of halls were almost completely burned down during the Second World War. Hitler's troops first captured the fortress, where the headquarters of the occupation army was located.
When the resistance of the last SS units was broken in February 1945, not a single intact roof or intact facade was left in Buda as a result of artillery and mortar fire.
Forced to retreat, the Germans set fire to the most beautiful historical buildings, their gaping windows looking gloomily onto the city. And then the long and painstaking work of restoring the fortress began, and master restorers tried to preserve as many architectural monuments and remains of medieval buildings as possible.
University opening ceremony in the State Hall of the Buda Palace, 25 June 1780.
Now the Buda Castle is a majestic and beautiful picture. Above the uneven line of roofs of houses and small palaces rise the Gothic domes of churches, the Romanesque towers and arcades of the Fisherman's Bastion, the large facade and dome of the royal palace...
And in mid-August, a crafts festival is held at the Buda Castle. The time for its holding was established according to an unwritten peasant law: in August all agricultural work is completed, and the villagers can take a breather for a while. Part of this celebration is the procession with sheaves: it is held on August 20, and many musicians, singers, dancers and artisans take part in it.
And it ends in front of the Cathedral of King Matthias, where the consecration of the bread of the new harvest takes place. Here on the square, cabinetmakers, blacksmiths, weavers, and potters lay out their products, which are made right in front of the amazed public.
monument to Prince Eugene
Although after the communist reconstruction of Buda Castle many of its elements were irretrievably lost, in 2002 it was included in the List World Heritage UNESCO. The National Foundation for Cultural Heritage of Hungary in 2006 proposed a plan to completely restore the historical appearance of the Buda Castle building.
Interior of Buda Castle
Architectural monuments of Buda Castle
Church of St. Matthias. My separate post about this church
The Fisherman's Bastion is an architectural structure on the Fortress Hill in Buda, one of the attractions of the Hungarian capital. It is a square surrounded by a gallery 140 m long and 8 m wide with conical hipped towers (6 small and one central, symbolizing the seven tribes that founded the Hungarian state), arcades and balustrades, offering a magnificent view of the Danube and Pest.
The fishermen's bastion was built in 1899-1905 according to the design of the architect Friedes Szulek and was conceived as an architectural background for the Matthias Church. Despite its name, the Fisherman's Bastion never had a defensive significance. Previously, on the site of the Fisherman's Bastion there was a square surrounded by a fortress wall, where fish trade took place. In the Middle Ages, Buda fishermen defended this section of the fortress wall in case of military threat, and the Fisherman's Bastion became a monument to the brave fishermen's guild.
Bronze equestrian statue of St. George
Monument to Stephen I in Buda
Sándor's Palace (Hungarian: Sándor-palota) is a palace in Buda Castle. Built in 1806 according to the design of the architect Mihai Pollak for Count Vincent Sandor. From August 1919 to June 1941, the prime ministers of Hungary worked in the Sándor Palace. During World War II, the palace was completely destroyed. Restoration work was completed only in 2002. Since January 22, 2003, Sándora Palace has been the official residence of the President of the Republic.
The façade of Sándor's palace is decorated with bas-reliefs depicting Greek gods and the scene of Count Sándor's knighting. On the eastern wall of the palace there is a memorial plaque in honor of Count Pal Teleki, Prime Minister of Hungary on the eve of World War II. In protest against the decision to allow German troops through Hungarian territory, he committed suicide. The palace's interiors are famous for their tapestries, crystal chandeliers and paintings by Károly Lotz.
Coronation of the last Hungarian king Charles IV in Buda Castle
Sándora Palace is open to visitors only once a year, usually in September, when it hosts an exhibition as part of the annual Hungarian Heritage Days.
The building of the House of Hungarian Wines in Buda. In the foreground is the plague column on Holy Trinity Square
The House of Hungarian Wines is a museum in Budapest, located near the Buda Castle on Holy Trinity Square and dedicated to Hungarian winemaking. The exhibition presents more than 700 varieties of Hungarian wines from 22 wine regions Hungary. Museum visitors can try more than 70 varieties of wine while viewing the exhibition. One of the best varieties offered to visitors for tasting is considered to be a dry red wine called “Egri Bikaver” (translated as “bull’s blood”), produced in the Eger region. Tokaj wines are also one of the main favorites of the exhibition.
In Pest, on Rakoczi Street, there is a Hungarian Pálinka House.
Buda Castle is a historical castle of the Hungarian kings in Budapest. Previously it was also called the Royal Palace (Hungarian: Királyi-palota) and Royal Castle(Hungarian: Királyi Vár). The fortress can be reached by the Buda Sikló funicular (Hungarian: Budavári Sikló) and by bus from the square. Cell Kalmana (formerly Moscow Square). In 2002, Buda Castle, along with the ancient Aquincum and Andrássy Avenue, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Hungary is a country literally teeming with palaces and castles. They witnessed defeats and victories. About 800 Hungarian structures are considered monuments. Each of them keeps its own history.
Hungarian beautiful architecture, original local residents attract more and more more tourists every year. Castles in Hungary will not leave anyone indifferent.
1. Diosgyor
The fortress is located approximately 3-5 hours from Budapest. On all sides it is strewn with chestnut alleys. Diosgyor has museums of medieval weapons, wax figures. But main feature fortresses have special acoustics, because of which music festivals and grand shows are often held, which is why the Diosgyor fortress is also called musical pride countries.
2. Buda
In the capital of Hungary, Budapest, there is another main attraction, Buda Castle. The castle dome can be seen at any time of the year from anywhere in the city.
In ancient times, this castle was the residence of royal dynasties. Buda has seen a lot - both times of peace and war, which is why it has reached our time with many protective structures. The ancient complex also houses the presidential palace, built for Vincent Sandor in the 19th century. But Buda was given over to the residence of the modern president in 2003. After this event, a military post began to stand at the entrance to the castle.
3. Citadel
Also, in the capital of Hungary, on Mount Gellert there is a massive citadel. It is under the protection of UNESCO. It is considered a World Heritage Site. The citadel holds the secrets of history. Nowadays you can see many exhibitions there. The citadel has a huge number of different holes and labyrinths. If you use them, you can get to anywhere in the city.
4. Eger
Perhaps Eger Castle is the best representative of ancient Hungary. Reconstructions and torture chambers, a local mint and war graves are all that will help you learn about the rich history of the ancient Hungarians. And for people with refined taste, there is the Egri Keptar Museum of Art on the territory of Eger. During public events, fairs are usually held here.
5. Esterhazy
Esterházy Castle is the largest structure built in Hungary. It was originally used as stables and a military hospital. Every year, festivals of reenactors with live music and royal scope are held on the territory of this palace.
6. Fisherman's Bastion
Another attraction of the capital of Hungary is the fishermen's bastion. Despite all the beauty of the bastion, tourists coming to Budapest first of all try to visit observation tower this castle, because it offers an unearthly beauty view of the entire city. In the courtyard of the fishermen's bastion, tourists admire the monuments to the heroes of Hungary. Also, in the bastion there is an underground chapel, entry to which is free.
On central square In the bastion there is a monument to St. Stephen, in whose hands there is an apostolic cross - for the Hungarians it is a symbol of faith.
7. Gödöllő Town Palace
The population of this town is only about thirty thousand people. The construction of Gödöllo Castle lasted a quarter of a century, and around this castle there was a beautiful park. From the very beginning of construction, the palace belonged to royal family, but during the Second World War the building was destroyed. Also, during the war this building was used for completely different purposes. There was a warehouse and a nursing home there, and even soldiers lived there. From 1994 to 2007, the building was under restoration.
- Also read -
Of course, this is far from full list palaces and fortresses of Hungary, the list is endlessly long.
