Vajdahunyad Castle is a castle in the City Park of Budapest, Hungary. It is a copy of Hunyad Castle, known as Corvin Castle, in Hunedoara, Romania. It was built in 1896 as part of the Millennial Exhibition which celebrated the 1,000 years of Hungary since the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895.
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🇬🇧 Vajdahunyad Castle (Vajdahunyadvár), Budapest
🏛️ Historical Background
Built for the Millennial Exhibition (1896) to celebrate 1,000 years since the Magyar conquest. Originally made of wood and cardboard, it was so beloved that, between 1901–1908, it was reconstructed in stone and brick under architect Ignác Alpár .
Eclectic architecture: Combines Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles, inspired by 20+ historical Hungarian and Transylvanian buildings, most notably the Hunyad Castle in Romania .
Post-war history: Damaged during WWII and the 1956 Hungarian uprising, renovated mid-20th century, and now a protected monument .
Current use: Houses the Hungarian Agricultural Museum – one of Europe's largest, showcasing farming, forestry, wine, fisheries and more .
🎟️ Admission & Opening Hours
Castle grounds/courtyard: Free entry, open 24/7 .
Agricultural Museum:
Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00–17:00 (winter may close at 16:00) – closed Mondays .
Ticket prices:
Adult: 2 500 HUF (approx. €6–7)
Students/seniors: 1 200 HUF
Gate/Tower ticket (optional): 400 HUF .
Notes: Prices may vary slightly by source; official museum site shows adults at 3 000 HUF & concession at 1 500 HUF including tower access .
🚗 Parking & Access
By public transit: Nearest metro station is M1 (Yellow line) – Széchenyi fürdő or Hősök tere, then ~5–10 min walk .
Parking: No dedicated on-site car park. Street parking along Városliget perimeters (e.g. Dózsa György út), with meters. Visitor buses may use nearby lots similar to Buda Castle but cars park in general city park zones .
🌿 Nearby Attractions & Amenities
Within Városliget (City Park): Széchenyi Thermal Baths (boating/ice rink), Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden, Municipal Circus, Museum of Ethnography, Gundel Restaurant, cafés .
Festivals & activities: Summer rowing boats, winter ice skating on park’s lake .
Statue of Anonymous: Famous sculptural tribute within the courtyard .
Nearby Heroes' Square: Iconic landmark, metro hub, museums &...
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Vajdahunyad Castle, situated in the City Park of Budapest, Hungary, is a truly enchanting and romantic castle that is not to be missed. Despite its medieval appearance, the castle was actually built in 1896 and is a fantastical pastiche that showcases the evolution of Hungarian architectural styles and techniques over the centuries.
Today, the castle plays host to a variety of festivals, concerts, and exhibitions, including the Hungarian Agricultural Museum. Originally built on a temporary basis for the Millennium Exhibitions in 1896, the complex was so beloved by the people of Budapest that the city ordered its permanent construction using durable materials.
As you wander through the paths and gardens surrounding the castle, you will come across a number of statues depicting famous Hungarian scientists and economists, as well as the impressive nearly two-meter tall statue of Anonymous, a nameless notary of a Hungarian king, believed to be Béla III. Another notable statue located within the castle is that of Béla Lugosi, the famous Hungarian-born actor who played Dracula on the silver screen. This bust, crafted by a German sculptor, is said to have been placed in Vajdahunyad Castle due to the legend that the original Count Dracula, Vlad Țepeș, was held captive in the original Transylvanian Castle.
In addition to its rich history and cultural significance, Vajdahunyad Castle offers a range of activities for visitors to enjoy throughout the year. In the warmer months, take to the City Park Lake for boating or pedal boating, while in winter, the lake is transformed into a magical skating rink. Whether you're exploring the castle's intricate architecture, attending a festival or exhibition, or simply taking in the natural beauty of the surrounding park, a visit to Vajdahunyad Castle is sure to be a memorable experience that will stay with you long...
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Discovering Vajdahunyad Castle. When in Budapest, consider a visit to Heroes Square. Once you are there, you might want to discover a little more. Not far behind is a really beautiful destination, bringing you back in the past with Vajdahunyad Castle ! It was a cool experience and really nice place to visit.
Lots to discover!
We normally review the places we've visited. So we're kind of cheating since we didn’t visit inside the castle. But we did visit the grounds and were lucky enough to visit during a Spring weekend. There was a kind of food market serving traditional food, attractions and local crafts shops around the castle.
History.
According to Wikipedia, the castle was built in 1896 and it was designed by Ignác Alpár to feature copies of several landmark buildings from different parts the Kingdom of Hungary.
Our impressions.
We really liked our overall visit and lunch. It was nice to discover the grounds and garden. Just a quick note about the “lunch”. Usually the food fair owners don’t accept credit card, so you should have some cash. We never converted money since they accept cards and Euros elsewhere. But in this case it was better to have their currency “Forint”. We paid in Euros and felt like they overcharged us versus people with local currency.
Other than that, it was just fun!
Serge: 4+ Eli: 4
Do we recommend: Yes, it's a really beautiful Castle from outside and nice place to walk around.
Tips:
Get some local currency if you want to buy something around and especially during the weekend food fair. Comfortable shoes are...
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