BP_booklet_text_EN

THE VAJDAHUNYAD CASTLE
The end of the 19th century brought a special
series of events for Hungarians. The nation
was celebrating the foundation of the state. The
Millennium Exhibition of 1896 was part of these
celebrations. The event resulted in construction
of many new buildings. One of them, found in
the Városliget, was this castle with its four different
architectural styles designed and carried
out by Ignác Alpár. These buildings all display
the stylistic features of other monuments from
Hungary’s past located elsewhere in the country.
The Romanesque period building group includes
the Ják chapel, which still today is a consecrated
place where Roman Catholic mass is celebrated,
the Tompa Tower by the lake and the stone
bridge with the lion statues. The Gothic building
complex includes the Nyebojsza Tower, which is
a copy of the tower in Hunedoara, the great hall
and the Apostles’ Tower. The definitive elements
of the Renaissance-Baroque building group are
the palace in Austrian Baroque style, the Catharine
Bastion Tower, and the French Tower
visible from the lake.
Due to the budget constraints and short
construction deadlines, at first the building
complex was largely made from wood,
but in consideration of the great success,
it was later rebuilt from more durable materials.
The work was completed in 1908.
After the conclusion of the celebration,
the castle was given to the Museum of
Hungarian Agriculture where visitors are
always welcome.
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