Visegrad

To the east of Esztergom, where the river is forced by the mountains to turn southwards, the castle of Visegrád was built on the top of a hill rising above the Danube. The view of the Danube Bend is one of the most beautiful panoramas in the country.
Soon afterwards a royal palace was built here, too, and Visegrád became the permanent seat of the royal court. In the parts of the upper and lower castle that have survived, the structure and operation of a mediaeval King's court can be precisely followed.
Its second great age was in the 15th century when, in the spirit of the Renaissance, King Matthias extended the palace. The three main parts of the palace built on 5 levels are the Matthias Palace, the Chapel and the Beatrix Palace, named after Matthias' Italian wife.
The renovated formal courtyard of the Visegrád palace and the reconstructed red marble Hercules fountain together form a monument of unsurpassed beauty.

"From Visegrad, the earthly Paradise" - is how the Pope's envoy, used to luxury and finery, signed a letter when he saw the wonderful palace of the great Renaissance sovereign, King Matthias (1458-1490), with its 350 rooms and red-marble ornamental wells.

The gigantic building was one of the most luxurious royal residences of that age. The Renaissance Ornamental yard and the Hercules wells that poured wine on celebration days were excavated from debris 15-meters deep and renovated by archaeologists.

The five-storey, thirteenth-century Solomon tower has its original wells and statues. It is one of the biggest and least-damaged Roman-era towers surviving in Central Europe. The courtyard today is used for mock battles. The tower is a part of the defence system connecting the thirteenth-century Water Bastion on the Danube side and the castle on Castle Hill. It defended the royal seat moved here from Buda in 1316.

The Sacred Crown was guarded for 200 years in the Citadel , built between 1245-55. The first "Central European Summit" was held in this building; here the participating countries signed an economic contract boycotting Vienna. The castle has a wonderful, panoramic view of the Danube Bend, and historical exhibitions are held in its renovated halls.

Three sites in the neighbouring peaks are worth mentioning: one is the remains of the Roman military camp on Sibrik Hill, built about 330 AD. The second is the Nagyvillami lookout tower on Fekete Hill and the biggest hiking centre in the proximity of the capital, with a bobsled run, yurt-camp, camp, forest restaurant, playgrounds and game-preserve.
The third lies in the Apatkut Valley: it includes the Ordogmalm Waterfall, Magda Spring and the Telgarthy Pasture, an ideal place for a picnic. A terraced, open-air bath with a 33-meter-long swimming pool was built on the thermal water well of Lepence Valley. In July, the 3-day-long Visegrad Palace Games recall the world of knights' tournaments.

Source: Nr. 1. hungarytourism.hu

Thermal Hotel Visegrad Visegrád - Hotel**** Ár: 28.900 / éjtől The Thermal Hotel Visegrad is situated in the picturesque surroundings of the Danube bend, next to the Lepence thermal bath, in Visegrad. The town located 40 km north of Budapest.

Castle of Visegrad A Roman stronghold stood on the Sibrik hill, south of today's castle. Material from its ruins were used when a fortress for the regional commander...