Noszvaj

is only 12 kilometres away from Eger, situated next to the Bukk National Park, on the gentle southern slope of the Bukk mountains, in the valley of the Kanya Creek. Visitors are attracted by the picturesque scenery, the clean air, the thermal bath in the neighbouring village of Bogacs, the close proximity of Eger and last but not least the village's own baroque-style castle and the adjoining recreational and educational centre

Noszvaj was one of the villages belonging to the Eger bishopric as early as 1248. The late baroque-style castle, a miniature masterpiece of Hungarian castle architecture, was built by Baron Samuel Szepessy between 1774 and 1778. Szepessy, heavily indebted due to the construction works, had to sell the nearly completed castle to Baron Anna Vecsey and her family. As it happened, the castle was named after neither its builder nor its first owner but after Anna Vecsey's second husband, a French-born marquis - everyone calls it de la Motte Castle. The reason is probably that the fine wall paintings inside the building were commissioned by the marquis and their style gives the rooms a French atmosphere. Inside the castle

From the main street of the village through a corrugated iron gate visitors can enter the French-style garden, bordered by the main facade of the castle and two wings built later, in the shape of a U. A few steps lead to the bower-painted sala terrana on the ground floor. An elegant flight of stairs lead upstairs, where the ceiling of the hall is decorated with the painting of Janos Lukacs Kracker depicting Aurora's triumph and the wall paintings show architectural caricatures of Roman gods. The centre door leads to the main lounge, where painted niches of side walls have stone vases decorated with flowers, and paintings on the ceiling celebrate wine drinking. The reception room and another one, named Roman Room after its wall paintings, are to the left. Next to them is the loveliest room of the castle, the Bird Room; its unique features are the wall paintings of colourful exotic birds by Antal Lieb and its painted chandelier. The castle being symmetrical, similar rooms open to the right, housing an exhibition of trophies. The De la Motte Castle now functions as a museum.
More attractions :
Wine cellars
Caves - usable as houses, these caves were built into the soft riolit

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