Visegrad (pronounced vee sheh grod) is a small castle town that lies 45 kilometres north of Budapest in the Region of Central Hungary. It stands on the banks of the River Danube as it curves to the south and meanders its way through Budapest to the Black Sea. As you see the village of only 1700 residents, it’s hard to believe that Visegrad was once the capital of Hungary for more than 200 years, and that was when the country was twice the size it is now!! The area is famous for its 4th century Roman fortifications on Sibrik Hill, the 13th century hilltop citadel, the lower Solomon Tower and the 15th century Royal Summer Palace of King Matthias Corvinus.
Sibrik Hill stands to the north of Visegrad and overlooks the River Danube. Its triangular contours were used around 330 A.D. to build one of the Roman Empires important military camps known as Pone Navata. These fortifications were built to defend the frontier of Pannonia which followed the River Danube. After the decline of the Roman Empire this military camp was abandoned and remained much as it was until the 9th century when the Slovak settlers arrived in the area, and were attracted by the ruins. Later Sibrik Hill saw much of the stone used to build a castle that became a regional centre of the new State of Hungary.
On the hill above the village the original stone Citadel was built in the early 13th century after the Mongol invasions showed the Hungarians that wooden buildings were an ineffective way to protect themselves. King Bella IV had a new fortification ‘system’ built with a citadel on the high ground connected to the Danube via the lower castle and its residential tower, the hexagonal ‘Solomon Tower’. In the 14th century these buildings were improved and extended eventually becoming the Royal Palace in 1325 when King Charles I made Visegrad his primary residence. At its peak the castle and palace contained 350 rooms!! The 15th century saw King Matthias Corvinus create his Summer Palace by reconstructing part of the old palace buildings incorporating the new Italian Renaissance Architectural Style!! At one time the castle and palace were known throughout Europe, and was one of the finest ever built in Hungary. It fell into ruins when the Turkish forces of the Ottoman Empire besieged the town in 1544!!
From the Citadel, impressive views can be enjoyed of the River Danube, it is however a long, hard walk to the top, so if you are visiting, catch the local bus!! If its views you want, take the ferry from Visegrad to Nagymaros on the opposite bank of the river and climb the hills to look back at the citadel!!
Visegrad is also well known for its annual summer festival (July) of the International Palace Games where, during a Medieval Fair, Knights can be seen dressed in period costume performing in tournaments, and craftsmen and dancers can be watched for entertainment!!
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