Where to go around Budapest ?

We collected major sights around Budapest, which are close, easy to go and worth a visit. Check it out...

Godollo, Royal Castle

Godollo is only around 20kms away from Budapest. The Royal Palace built in the 17th century. Empress Elisabeth (wife of the Habsburg Empire Francis Joseph), specially loved to stay in Godollo.
The Palace has a double U shape, and is surrounded by an enormous park. The building underwent several enlargements and modifications during the 18th century, its present shape was established in the time of the third generation of the Grassalkovich family. By then the building had 8 wings, and - besides the residential part - it contained a church, a theatre, a riding-hall, a hothouse, a greenhouse for flowers and an orangery.

Recently the Palace was reconstructed.

The utilisation of the main front wings of the Palace was designed as a clear and well-developed architectural project. The first floor's 23 rooms (nearly 1000 sq. m.) accommodate the interior exhibition. The emphasis was laid on the revival of the atmosphere of the royal period and the introduction of the time of the Grassalkovich family.

Reconstruction is the principle of the interiors completed so far creating the state as it was around the 1880s. One of the most striking features of the Empress Elisabeth Exhibition is its historical accuracy.

The painted lobby and the Grand Hall on the first floor are also used for various programmes, with a link to the programme organisation and gastronomic activity unit on the ground floor.

Right before the double drive there is a car park for the visitors, suitable for 60 cars and 5 buses at a time. The visitor service units and the connected infrastructure are situated on the ground floor: cloak-room, ticket office, tourist information centre, toilets (also for the disabled), payphone, etc. Various retail units are found on the northern side: a souvenir centre, photo studio, while on the southern side there is a coffee shop and several function rooms. The northern front garden, at the main façade with its so-called Italian bastions and walkways was reconstructed with historical authenticity in 1998. The cheerful inner court is a resting place, where various outdoor programmes are held. The 26-hectare English park, which is open to the public every year, was declared a nature reserve in 1998. Its botanical curiosities are much appreciated by the visitors. Riding competitions are held in the park annually.

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How to get to Royal Palace Godollo
Just take red underground to last stop Ors Vezer tere, than walk opposite to the Suburban train (HEV) station and take a train to Godollo. The suburban train stops just opposite the palace.

Skanzen, Szentendre

Szentendre itself worth a visit. This small town just a stonethrow away from Budapest. Beside of its many museums, cafes and restaurants, here you can find the biggest open air museum in Hungary. Its called Skanzen, which displays folk architecture, interior decoration, farming and way of life in Hungary from the 18th century.
The permanent exhibitions are real interesting, and you are able to go around on a small railways in the museum.
Beside the permanent exchibitions, there used to be many other event, on easter, christmas and other occassions.

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How to get to Skanzen, Szentendre
Take suburban train (HEV) from Batthany square (this is opposite the Parliament on Buda side) to Szentendre direction. From station of Szentendre take bus no. 7 to the skanzen.

Fortress of Komarom

The system of historic forts is situated in and around the “twin” towns of Komarom, Hungary, and Komarno, Slovakia on opposite banks of the Danube River. Even taken individually the forts on both sides are genuine historic and cultural treasures, representing the highest level of military architecture of their time and having survived unaltered since the beginning of the 20th century. These forts, and their predecessors have been built and rebuilt over the centuries, but their current forms show the most skilled building techniques and styles from the second half of the 19th century (1852-1890).

After the World War II the Soviets built the biggest ammunition-magazine of the Southern Army Group in the Fortress of Monostor. Several thousands of waggons of ammunition were forwarded from the strictly guarded objects. The leading role of the march out, the ammunition and explosive releasement and the renovation works fell to the share of the Hungarian Army.

In 2000 the Fortress of Monostor Military Culture Center Non-Profit Company brought into being by the organizations financed by state budget assumed the maintenance of the fortress. The Non-Profit Company attained a whole series of programs in time passed by and its long-term plans allude to the gradual and complete rehabilitation of the fortress. They plan that the Fortress of Monostor preserves its in Europe unique 19th century atmosphere, fits the requirements of the protection of historic buildings and assures primariness of fostering the military traditions.

The exhibition arranged in the Museum of Military History is on show from 1998, which displays the military history of the fortress from the 15th century. The fortresses of Komarom were put on the candidate list of the historic buildings of the Hungarian World Heritage on 1st December, 2000.

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How to get to Fort Monostor, Komarom
By train from Budapest to Gyor direction. Take off at Komarom (Intercity trains are not stop at Komarom), and have a short walk along the Danube river till the fort. Train ride takes little bit more than 1hour, cost around 12-13EUR round trip.