Castles in Northern Hungary

Castle ruins, restaurated old mansions are giving you an unique experience if you make a trip to Northern Hungary. Thanks to its history the region has many interesting castles, fortresses, mansions. Major part of the castles are in ruins, some of them reconstructed. Mansions are usually are in use as hotel. Castles and fortresses had an important duty during history of Hungary, since the 13rd-14th century till 18th century. These walls saw the horde of mongols, turkish troops, took part in Independence movements and fights. Nowadays these castles are the only witnesses of great battles and loss of many many lives during the centuries. These are worth to visit, and giving you an extra experience of Hungary as you can not see these kind of castles anywhere in the world. Beware..most of the castles are on hilltops...

Holloko

Among the hills of Cserhát the castle of Holloko stands on a cliff only for a few steps away from the Old village, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The castle is visited by many tourist all-year-round.

According to contemporary documents the earliest buildings were established by Kacsics nation, among them were the pentagonal old tower. In the 14th century Mate Csak took over the castle, from whom the army of King Karoly Anjou took it back. In the next decades it belonged to the baron Szechenyi family. Though its owners tried to build up its defences, by the 16th century it lost its military position.

In 1550 Gyorgy Kapitany captain of the castle fighted his famous duel with the Aga of Szandavár. After the expulsion of the Turks the castle became useles and were partly destroyed by the Habsburg army. Then the local inhabitants continued with removing the stones of the castle. The restoration, started in 1960-es put an end to the destruction of the castle and made it possible to open up a castle museum behind its old walls at present.

According to the legend András Kacsics kidnapped his neighbour's wife and kept her in his castle. The lady's wet-nurse - being a witch - managed to convince the devil to help her to set the lady free. The devil's sons changed into crows and disassembled the castle stone by stone, in this way the lady became free. But the crows carried the stones into the hill of Szár and built the castle of Hollókõ at its present location.

More about Holloko

Fortress of Sirok

On the east range of Matra vulcanic peak can be found the robust block of Castle of Sirok. As a result of the reconstruction work taking place in the present days a solid road service leads to the monument so we can reach the many centuries old walls with comfortable strolls.

We take our footsteps to a special scene because the builders of the castle in the 13th century used the inner side of the mountain as well and they engraved tunnels and smaller or bigger rooms into the volcanic stone.

It was taken from Aba clan by King Karoly's troops from Anjou dynasty, the people of the surrounding villages had to serve the lands of the castle. In the 1560's gun bastion lower castle was built but it was useless because the cowardly guards gave over the castle to the Turkish without any fight. More than hundred years past when the imperial mercenary took it back who partly exploded the defending walls.

Without owner the weather constantly destroyed its walls until 1960s since when the castle, which is in harmony with the nature, has been reconstructed in several steps. Nearby the so called Barát (Friend) and Apáca (nun) cliffs are situated. According to the folk tradition these cliffs are hiding a couple who grew stiff because of love unhappiness.

More about Sirok

Fortress of Eger

If you mention the name of the town of Eger everybody thinks of the castle from the middle age, standing above the narrow streets of the baroque inner-town.

On the castle hills above the stream of Eger the first circular church was founded in the years after the establishment of the Hungarian State. Not long after that it was followed by the episcopal cathedral, dedicated to St. John the evangelist. At the beginning the groups of parochial buildings were not fortified, as the shelter castle of the bishop of Eger was on the top of the nearby hill of Felsõtárkány.

In order to replace the castle, which had been destroyed by the mongol invasion, the church of Eger had been strenghthened by stonewalls. On the basis of this in the following centuries Eger castle emerged gradually and became an important role player in this region of the country.

In 1552 the castle survived its most famous battle - well-known to everybody -, when István Dobó and his army successfully fought back the Turkish attack. At the end of the century the castle became the possession of the Ottoman Empire until 1687. Having lost its military role, its defences were gradually destroyed until the archeological works stopped it. The fortification, simbolizing the never fading heroism of the defenders of Eger still requires work of generations to assure it will be available for our descendens to see.

According to a local legend the high ground "Kiralyszeke" (King's chair) in the North from the castle was named after King St. Stephan, who was sitting in his tent, set up exactly in this spot, while he was watching the building of the first cathedral.

More about Eger

Castle of Diosgyor

Diósgyõr, hidden between the hills of Bükk used to be an independent settlement in the middle age until the rapidly growing town of Miskolc assimilated it in the 20th century. For those, who would like to go back to the distant past centuries's world, it is highly recommended to visit the castle of Diósgyõr.

Thanks to the archeological works, carried out since 1960-es, the history of the castle is well-known. Three fortresses followed each other on the cliff, situated above the stream of Szinva.

After the settlement of Hungarians Miskolc nation settled down here, its castle was destroyed by the mongol invasion. On the same place baron Ákos family constructed new buildings. In 1360-es King Louis ordered to build a courtyard with 4 towers, where the royal court stayed sometimes for months.

Through a long century the actual Queens possessed it as a wedding gift from their husbands. From the 16th century it was fortified against the advancing Ottoman armies and its walls saw the enemies many times. It was destructed during the Thököly kuruc war of independence, then the local inhabitants removed its stones.

The restoration and protection works on the romantic castle started in 1953. At present there is a castle museum behind its restored walls. But the castle of Diósgyõr is also famous about the summer musical festivals.

According to the legend of the past centuries there was a nuttree in the castle's garden, where Queen Mary Anjou met her secret lover, a knight of lower origin.

More about Miskolc

Boldogkovaralja

In the North-Eastern direction from Miskolc town there is a narrow cliff, crowned by the walls of the Castle of Boldogko.

The castle was first mentioned in a certificate, issued by Andras (Andrew) the III. In the beginning of the 14th. century the castle was occupied by Aba Amadé, then it belonged to King Károly (Charles) Anjou. During the middle age among others the nobel families Bebek and Czudar possessed the castle.

The enlargement of the castle's walls followed the changing needs of its owners. Ferenc Bebek, thief-knight even minted counterfeit coins, the metal forge of which was later discovered by archeologist.

In the 17th century the castle was no longer an important military base. In the 19th century the nobel family Péchy turned the remaining covered rooms into a grain storage and they made reconstruction works on the walls. The professional restoration works only started in the 1960s, which continued at the beginning of the 21th century. In the course of restoration works of this century the lower courtyard, once protected by wooden pillars and which surrended the place in front of the present stone castle was uncovered.

At present days the Castle of Boldogko - thanks to the castle friend's society - organizes summer castle plays for those, who are interested in past historical times.

More about Boldogkovaralja

Sarospatak

The town of Sárospatak is situated on the bank of river Bodrog in the Northen part of Hungary. In 1534 Peter Perenyi ordered the building of the old tower and residential palace.

During the years it was owned by Ferenc Dobo, the son of the captain of the castle of Eger. Then for a short period of time Bálint Balassi had the legal ground for its ownership by secretly marrying to Krisztina, the daughter of Ferenc Dobó.

Later it was possessed by the family Lorantffy, where Gyorgy Rakoczi I. married into and at last the castle became the estates of the Rákóczi family. That was the period when the castle obtained its final form and its residential buildings were altered in accordance with the renessaince style. But as a retaliation against the "kuruc" revolution the kaisers army blew up some parts of the castle, however the residential wing stayed intact as it was inhabited permanently. Today there is a castle museum within the old walls.

There are a lot of legends, kept alive by the nation about the castle, most of them related to his Majesty Ferenc Rákóczi II. According to one of them when the "labanc" chased the lord of the "kuruc", he order to put the horse shoe reverse on the horse feet in order to decieve his pursuer. So the kaizers army went into the opposite direction, while his majesty arrived into a safe place.

More about Sarospatak

Fuzer

On the Northen part of the Zemplen mountains stands the castle of Fuzer in a cliff. You can drive your car until the parking lot, situated next to the houses of the village, from here a beautiful walking path leads to the hilltop.

It is likely that one of the members of the Aba family ordered to build the castle. It was first mentioned in a charter from 1264. Many times it was part of the King's properties, then it was possessed by baron Perényi. In 1526 Péter Perényi, guardian of the crown - after the crowning of János Szapolyai - hide the crown in the castle of Füzér for a year. In the 17th century the owners of the castle fortified it in accordance with the military theory and built an Italian tower around the castle gate. The last pledge taker was Ferenc Bónis. The general of the town of Kassa ordered to set the castle on fire to avoid becoming a hiding place for the rebels.

Later Karolyi landlords commissioned Kalman Lux, architect to carry out the most urgent preservation works on the castle, which was in a deteriorating condition.

From 1970 Istvan Feld and Juan Cabello archeologists examined the remains. Since 1992 the excavation and restoration works are carried out under the supervision of Zoltán Simon. Meanwhile the society of castle friends was established by the local inhabitants. In the summer castle plays revive the history of the castle.

More about Fuzer