Top 28 Historic Castles in Hungary [2024]

Wondering about which historic castles in Hungary are the “must-see” castles? Hungary is an old country in the heart of central Europe, with 103 ancient, medieval, and historic castles with fascinating, gruesome, and tragic stories to tell.

Hungarians built their castles in dramatic and spectacular locations. Here are the best 28 historic castles in Hungary and everything you need to plan a visit to them. See how many you can fit in on your next trip to Hungary!

Hungary Castles Map

1. Füzér Castle

Nestled deep in the Zemplén Mountains, Füzér Castle has had a colorful history. It was here that the Hungarian crown was taken after the disastrous defeat at Mohacs.

A particularly infamous owner was the aristocratic serial killer Elisabeth Báthory, who was said to have brutally murdered hundreds of girls between 1590-1610. 

Füzér Castle was also known for being one of the most beautiful ruins in Hungary. For better or worse, it no longer has that honor.

Since 2016 the castle has been completely restored. An interactive museum of 16th and 17th Century Hungarian life, Füzér Castle is jam-packed with activities and shows exhibitions on gem-cutting, wine-making, beer-brewing, and minting.

What better place to step into the daily lives of ordinary Hungarians in Early Modern Central Europe?

2. Boldogkő Castle

Boldogkő Castle means “happy castle” but it’s debatable whether this old medieval fort lives up to its name.

It was the site of some contention over the ages, changing hands a number of times in the wars and intrigues that fill the history of Central Europe.

It was finally blown up on the order of the Hapsburgs in 1701, briefly serving as a Jesuit granary before falling into obscurity.

Today the castle is a museum, complete with costumed tours, military exhibitions, a restored medieval smelter, and the dreaded torture chambers. Make sure to check out the beautiful views of the Zemplén Nature Reserve from Lion’s Rock.

3. Salgó Castle (Salgói vár)

Salgó Castle (Salgói vár) sits on a hill high above the city of Salgótarján, and despite its ruined state must rank as one of the most beautiful castles in Hungary.

The castle was constructed in the second half of the 13th Century, after the First Mongol Invasion (when the need for more fortifications became very apparent).

It was captured and held by Czech Hussites for ten years in the 15th Century and then captured by the Turks in the 16th, apparently without a shot being fired.

The castle was heavily damaged upon its recapture by Hungarian forces and was soon ruined and overgrown. Some restoration has occurred but Salgó Castle retains the same lonely beauty it has held for centuries.

4. Castle of Diosgyor

Originally an old-fashioned motte and bailey, the Castle of Diosgyor felt the full brunt of the Mongol Invasion and was destroyed soon after its completion.

Luckily for us, the castle was rebuilt in its current Gothic style. At first a favorite royal residence, Diosgyor became a customary wedding gift for Hungary’s Queens.

But with the coming Ottoman invasion, the castle fell into disuse and was pretty much ruined by the 17^th Century. Gradually absorbed by the city of Miskolc, Diosgyor was excavated in the Soviet period and finally restored in 2014.

It is now open to visitors, housing a museum and festivals and concerts throughout the year.

5. Eger Castle

Built in the mid-13^th Century with a Gothic design, Eger Castle is most famous for its 1522 siege, in which desperately outnumbered Hungarian defenders withstood a huge Ottoman army.

Although the Ottomans captured Eger sometime later, the defense of the castle went on to become an enduring symbol of the Hungarian nation.

The Turks made key additions during their century-long stay in Eger (including a beautiful rose garden) but the castle fell into decline after its re-capture.

Partially dynamited and then deconstructed for building materials it’s only recently that the Castle of Eger has been restored. Regaining its status as a national monument in 2014 it’s now home to several museums.

6. Drégely Castle

Sitting on a peak in the Börzsöny Mountains, the long ruined Drégely Castle is most famous for being the site of a heroic but futile last stand.

In 1552, this late 13th Century castle was besieged by an Ottoman army numbering over 10,000. The defenders, led by the famous György Szondy were outnumbered by almost ten-to-one but refused multiple offers of surrender.

They held out for over a month, but eventually, the walls were battered down by Turkish cannons, and the small garrison was slaughtered to the last man.

Respecting his bravery, the Ottoman commander buried Szondy with full military honors. The razed castle was used by the Turks for a short while afterward but was ignored after their retreat.

Apart from some brief restoration work around the Fall of Communism, it has remained ruined ever since.

7. Esztergom Castle

Once the capital of Hungary, the first iteration of Esztergom Castle was completed at the beginning of the 11^th Century by modern Hungary’s founder, the King-Saint Stephen I.

Later restyled into a Romanesque-Gothic palace, it remained the center of the Hungarian state until rampaging Mongols forced Hungary’s kings to move their capital to Buda.

Luckily, much of the castle’s core buildings survived the Mongol Invasion, and they remained important through the Renaissance, even attracting the likes of a young Botticelli.

It was only the bitter warfare of the Ottoman period that saw Esztergom decline into a shadow of its former self.

Luckily, extensive renovations have been going on since the 1930s to bring this important historical building back into the limelight, and it’s more than worth a visit.

8. Visegrád Castle

Built high on a bend of the Danube River, Visegrad Castle was prized by a long line of Kings for its command over this most strategic of locations.

Once a bustling and unified castle town, the castle of Visegrad now consists of three separate parts.

At the highest point of Castel Hill is the imaginatively named Upper Castle, a 13^th Century triangular citadel with panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Closer to the river is the Lower Castle and its Solomon Tower, named after the unlucky King Solomon, imprisoned in Visegrad Castle after his abdication.

Finally comes the Royal Palace, an early Renaissance summer residence built by King Mattias Corvinus.

Now housing the King Mattias Museum, this palace was a venue for numerous diplomatic congresses throughout the years and gives its name to the modern Visegrad Group, which first met here in 1991.

9. Tata Castle / Tatai Var Castle

If you’re a fan of the hit Netflix series The Witcher, then Tata Castle might look a little familiar.

Built in the late 14th Century on the northern shores of Lake Öreg, Tata Castle was owned by the likes of King Sigismund and Matthias Corvinus, who remodeled the fortress into a sophisticated royal residence.

But this moment in the sun didn’t last long. Starting in the mid-15th Century, Ottoman raids intensified into fierce border warfare, and the castle suffered severe damage in the next few centuries.

In the 18th Century, Tata Castle passed into the hands of the famous Esterházy family who demolished some of its ruined parts and remodeled others in a neo-Gothic style.

It was only in the Soviet era that the castle was more fully restored, and the Domokos Kuny Museum was founded on-site.

10. Royal Palace of Gödöllő

The Royal Palace of Gödöllő was originally built for the Grassalkovichs, a noble family Baroque in the service of the famous empress Maria Theresa.

An enormously complex and built in an exquisite Baroque style, the palace was eagerly snapped up by the royal family when the Grassalkovich line died out.

From 1867 it became the official Hungarian residence of the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary, including the locally loved Empress Elisabeth.

Becoming the home of the Regent Horthy during the Second World War, the huge palace of Gödöllő had a variety of mundane uses during the Soviet Period.

Parts of the complex became barracks for troops and even an aged care facility, and a lot of the old aristocratic finery began to decay.

Fortunately, Gödöllő underwent serious restoration towards the end of communism and is now a national monument and one of the most impressive Baroque Palaces in all of Europe.

11. Schossberger Castle – Botaniq-Kastély

Schossberger Castle was first built in the late 19th Century by Baron Schossberger in the style of a sumptuous French chateau.

In its previous life, it was notable for being the one-time residence of one of Hungary’s greatest composers, Béla Bartók, but the ravages of history would not be kind to the place.

Falling into decline after the Second World War, Schossberger Castle was used as a primary school before being more or less abandoned in 1973. In subsequent years it became known as a kind of ornate ruin and was often hired out for filming.

All this changed in 2020 when the castle was fully restored and transformed into the BOTANIQ Castle of Tura Hotel, a five-star luxury establishment that must rank as one of the finest in Central Europe.

That said, if you’re not keen on staying the night, you can still walk the castle’s beautiful grounds and gardens.

12. Vajdahunyad Castle

Situated in Budapest’s City Park, Vajdahunyad Castle is actually a copy of the Hunyad or Corvin Castle, situated in what is now Romania.

The castle was built in honor of the one-thousand-year anniversary of modern Hungary’s founding and was originally just a temporary structure built from cardboard and wood.

But Budapest’s residents loved the castle so much that it was later rebuilt in more permanent stone and brick.

Comprising an eclectic array of architectural styles, it now houses the Hungarian Agricultural Museum while the castle’s lake hosts boating in the summer and transforms into an ice skating rink in the winter.

13. Buda Castle

First built in the 13^th Century, Buda Castle (also known as the Royal Castle) has undergone much reconstruction and deconstruction over the years.

A center of power for countless rulers of the capital of Hungary, only the foundations of the old keep remain, and much of the current structure dates from the simplified post-WW2 reconstruction.

Nevertheless, Buda Castle remains a center point of modern Hungarian culture and tourism.

It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, housing the National Library, the Budapest History Museum, and the Hungarian National Gallery.

14. Jurisics Castle (Kőszegi vár)

Jurisics Castle is named after the Croatian nobleman and commander Nikola Jurišić, who famously defended this key fortress against the Turks in 1532, preventing their capture of Vienna.

Although numbering less than a thousand, Jurišić and his men held out against an Ottoman force numbering over one hundred thousand for almost a month before heavy rains saw them end their campaign. 

In more modern times it’s become a military museum, with a number of permanent exhibitions focussing on its illustrious history and live demonstrations of medieval life.

If that’s not enough there’s also a castle bazaar and buffet to quench a right royal appetite.

15. Esterháza / Esterházy Castle

Dubbed the “Hungarian Versailles“, Esterháza (or Esterházy Castle) is the finest Rococo palace in Hungary, if not all of Europe.

The castle is a world apart from the dour medieval fortresses of previous ages, instead, Esterháza was built by the fabulously wealthy Esterházy family as a place of luxury and sophistication.

The family was renowned patrons of the arts and Esterháza was ground zero for their cultural programs. Concerts at the palace attracted nobility from across Europe, while one section was open to the public for musical education.

Esterháza was even home to the composer Haydn for over two decades, with its loneliness supposedly inspiring his famous Farewell Symphony.

Nowadays Esterháza is a world monument bringing in over 200,000 visitors every year, with guided tours of its extensive halls and gardens.

16. Csókakő Castle

With its commanding views of the countryside leading up to the town of Székesfehérvár, it’s easy to see why Csókakő Castle was built.

Constructed in the late  13th Century, the castle on the hill fell to the invading armies of Suleiman the Magnificent without a fight and remained a key Ottoman observation post for almost one hundred and fifty years.

After the Ottomans were expelled the castle fell into ruin and was essentially ignored until the late 19th Century when it was rediscovered by the archaeological world.

Nowadays, Csókakő Castle’s ruins are partially restored, with its gate, drawbridge, and parts of the walls now intact, and work is ongoing to bring it back to its old glory.

17. Károlyi Castle

Constructed in the mid 19th Century by the Károlyi family, Károlyi Castle is of an eclectic Classicist design, one that incorporates many Baroque elements.

You’ll have to contract a guide to take you through Károlyi Castle’s chambers and its extensive grounds (which cover over 50 hectares and include a small lake), but it’s well worth it.

The castle has both temporary and permanent exhibitions covering all parts of history along with a range of cultural and musical programs.

You can also stay at Károlyi Castle, in its 20-room hostel, and eat at its fine restaurant, before kicking back in its extensive library.

18. Bory Castle

Unlike many of the castles on this list, Bory Castle is not centuries old. Instead, it’s a very modern castle, built by Hungarian architect and sculptor Jenő Bory up until his death in 1959.

Made from concrete,  Bory Castle fuses a bewildering number of different architectural styles.

The castle is also a kind of gallery, bedecked with Bory’s sculptures and paintings from his wife Ilona. In fact, the castle was built in her honor and is known locally as “the Hungarian Taj Mahal”.

Bory draws visitors from the surrounding city of Székesfehérvár and across the nation, all intent on visiting this ornate and unique castle.

19. Somlói Castle

Somlói (or Somló) Castle was built on top of an old volcano, and it had a suitably explosive history. Built-in the late 14th Century as a small stone fortress, Somlói Castle was bought by the Bishop of Eger in 1495.

The Bishop spent a great amount of money turning Somlói Castle from a fortified observation post into an Italianate castle-chapel, according to the latest Renaissance fashion.

The Bishop also had the foresight to compliment Somlói Castle with modern military fortifications and a number of cannons. This would come useful when Sultan Suleiman marched north, and despite his victories over the Hungarians, Somlói Castle held. 

When the Ottoman threat faded, Somlói Castle faded too and it’s now a ruin. Luckily for us, the Hungarian government announced in Jun 2021 that is spending almost a million euros restoring the place.

20. Sümeg Castle

At the peak of a barren hilltop, in Hungary’s Balaton Highlands lies one of the best examples of an intact medieval fortress in Central Europe.

Sümeg Castle was built in the late 13th Century and sheltered King Bela IV during the dark days of the first Mongol Invasion. 

It later served as a frontier fortress in the long war against the Ottomans and a key stronghold of the Kuruc peasant rebels in their fight against Hapsburg authority. It was after this rebellion that Sümeg Castle was burned and left in ruins.

Now largely restored and owned by the Papp family, Sümeg Castle shows a number of permanent exhibitions alongside knightly tournaments and war machines and grand feasts, taking visitors right back to its medieval heyday.

21. Kinizsi Castle (Nagyvázsonyi-vár)  

Kinizsi Castle is named after its old owner, the famous Hungarian hero Pál Kinizsi, who lead (and later destroyed) the infamous Black Army of Matthias Corvinus.

It was fought over by various nobles after Kinizsi’s death and suffered Ottoman occupation only briefly. It started to become dilapidated during the 19th Century and was used as a prison before being completely abandoned.

It’s now partially restored, but still retains a lot of the grittiness it possessed as a hard-living Hungarian border fort. A new restoration took place from 2017 until mid-2022 when it newly reopened.

It’s quite fittingly a military museum, and its chapel contains the tomb of the great Pál Kinizsi himself.

22. Festetics Palace

It took the noble Festetics family over a century to construct their palace, but their descendants must have been pretty proud once it was finally completed.

Initially built in the Baroque style, the palace took so long to complete that by its completion in 1885, sections had been updated into the more vogue neo-Baroque fashion.

Dodging the worst effects of World War Two, the palace was nationalized during the Communist period.

In 1974 it was made into the Helikon Palace Museum, named after the Festetics family’s priceless library.

Numerous exhibitions are situated through the palace’s eighteen chambers, while the grounds contain a beautiful set of gardens, a bird park, and an aquarium, as well as an oak tree dating back four centuries.

23. Szigliget Castle

Unlike much of this list, Szigliget Castle gets its distinctive beauty not from how it’s been preserved, but from how it has decayed.

Although now reunited with the mainland, the castle was originally built on a volcanic island in the middle of Lake Balaton and watched over its waters for Turkish pirates during the Ottoman period.

But Szigliget Castle’s real demise did not come at the hands of an invading army. Instead, it came with a lightning strike in the 17th century, that scored a direct hit on a tower storing gunpowder, destroying much of the castle.

That said, even in its ruined state the castle acts as a great museum, with its interior buildings kitted out in the original style and with numerous exhibits from throughout its history.

Make sure to watch re-enactments of medieval battles if you arrive during peak season.

24. Simontornya Castle

Simontornya means Simon’s Tower, and it got its name from its 13th Century builder, Simon, son of Solomon.

Since then Simontornya Castle has had a number of different lives. First an aristocratic stronghold of families like the Lackfis (who added a Gothic touch), then a royal castle and Renaissance-style palatial residence.

When the Turks took Simontornya they made it a thorough military establishment, assisting in their occupation of Hungarian lands.

In the early 18th Century it became a key stronghold of the peasant Kuruc rebels. Finally losing political and military significance it became a simple barn for local farmers.

Now of course it’s a museum, showcasing the area’s local history displaying the works of famous local artists, and teaching classes to students of all ages on Hungary’s medieval history.

25. Gyula Almasy Castle (Almásy-kastély)

While it can be confusing to first-time visitors, Gyula’s Almásy Castle is quite different from the Gyula Castle that sits just across the road. While Gyula Castle is a dour and historic Gothic fortress, Almásy Castle is a refined mansion.

Built in the 18th Century, the purpose of Almásy Castle was not to defend but to impress, and passed through the hands of a series of aristocratic families, all of whom added their own special touches to the buildings and expansive gardens.

After a period of decline in the Horthy and Soviet era, Almásy Castle now operates as an interactive museum of aristocratic Hungarian life.

There are digital exhibits on the daily lives of servants, lessons on how to be a real noble, and a great cafe to grab a bite before you leave.

26. Bükkösd Castle (Petrovszky-var)

Visiting Hungary’s many castles can be so wonderful, you sometimes wish you could stay there forever. Well, for the small price of eight hundred million euros, you can.

Commissioned by the Petrovszky family and Built by Maria Theresa’s personal architect back in the 18th Century, Bükkösd Castle is a beautifully preserved Baroque Chateau with an elegant façade that glows golden in the light.

Bükkösd Castle is now privately owned and visiting it is not always easy. If you’d like to check the place out, make an appointment with the owners and try your luck.

27. Biedermann Castle

Biederman Palace (or Biedermann Castle) gets its name from the Biedermann family of Vienna who bought the land around Mozsgó (and the old mansion that used to occupy the castle’s spot) in the mid-19th Century.

The building now visible was built in 1896 in beautiful Art Nouveau style and served as a sumptuous home for the wealthy bankers (and later barons) until it was nationalized by the state in 1945.

It now serves as a social care home, and its interior is not open to the public. That doesn’t mean you can’t marvel at its beautiful exterior and the beautiful gardens that surround it.

Declared a nature reserve by the Hungarian government, the crowing glory of the Biedermann Castle Park is the Lake of Ornaments, with its curved Japanese bridge leading to a central island.

28. Siklos Castle

Like many other castles in Central Europe, Siklos Castle has worn a lot of hats. At first, it was a key stronghold in Sigismund’s struggle with the Hungarian nobility, then a border fort held by the Turks for a century.

An internment camp in World War Two, it’s now open to the public and part museum and part hotel (that’s also connected to a thermal spa). 

Among a range of exhibits on local history and the castle’s military heritage, you can see the niche where the famous aristocratic humanitarian Dorothy Kanizsai performed her daily prayers.

Siklos Castle can offer visitors a more macabre experience. For down below lies a set of dungeons (for commoners and nobles alike) and a torture chamber for guests who were less forthcoming.

Far less grim is the wine bar, which offers a large and interesting selection from across the local wine-growing region.

Links and Further Information

•  Planning a trip to Hungary? Check out the most beautiful little town of Sopron
• There are so many things to do in Hungary. See all of the best things to do in Hungary from Get Your Guide