Szechenyi castle Nagycenk

This Baroque palace is interesting from an architectural perspective. Its importance is enhanced by the fact that Istvan Szechenyi once lived here - the man honoured as "the greatest Hungarian". The palace today is a Memorial Museum.

Guests are received into a French garden on entry through a wrought iron gate protected by the guard house. A projection enclosed with a tympanum protrudes from the centre of this two-storey building with its delicate facade. At the front, Tuscan columns support the Baroque wrought iron balcony. A large relief runs above the windows. The Szechenyi family coat of arms can be seen on the tympanum. The two rows of five windows on each storey lend the building a fine rhythm. Anthony Szechenyi began construction of the mansion in the early 1700's with the reconstruction of the former manor house. Later on Ferenc Szechenyi, an adept of enlightenment and founder of the National Museum, and his son, Istvan Szechenyi, also contributed to the development of the current palace.

The wrought iron balcony above the main entrance was added at the time of Ferenc Szechenyi. In 1838 Istvan Szechenyi expanded the building with two wings joining at right angles on either side which were designed by Mihaly Pollack. The palace flourished under his ownership, and it is known that on its completion in 1840, even gas lighting and water closets served the comfort of guests and inhabitants
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