Have you heard about the mysterious legends of these Hungarian fortresses?

Hungary boasts a number of spectacular castles and fortresses that still remained in relatively good condition despite the weathered centuries and bloody battles. Even though most of them stand seemingly uninhabited, there are a few ghostly creatures that still call these ancient relics home. So the next time you are visiting one of these medieval Hungarian fortresses and suddenly get a weird feeling that you are not alone, you may just be right.. Scroll at your own risk!

Siroki Fortress – haunted by the red demon

Tucked in the eastern side of the Mátra mountain range in northern Hungary, the Siroki Fortress towers over the region from 296 meters high on the top of a volcanic peak. The history of this enigmatic place stretches back centuries before the era of the Árpád dynasty as it already functioned as an important stronghold during the time of the Avars, a 6th-century nomadic tribe often associated with the Huns. Sadly, the Turkish occupation took a toll on the once-powerful fortress and only its battle-scarred ruins remained to witness what it used to look like. 

There are many ghost stories linked to the building among which the most famous is the story of Gizella Kompolt, also known as the red demon. As legend has it, the fortress was once governed by an eccentric baroness who inherited it after his father’s death. Gizella had fiery red hair and her beauty made every man go weak on their knees. For a long time, she did not show any interest in marrying someone. She was rarely seen smiling and preferred playing with guns instead of cultivating romantic fantasies. However, faith had interfered and she tragically fell in love in the end. 

One night, 7 brave warriors stopped by the fortress and asked for shelter; one of them instantly captured the beautiful baroness’s heart but the others also set their eyes on the attractive redhead. The 6 lovestruck soldiers eventually decided to battle for Gizella’s hand. Her love interest, however, sadly lost his life early on in the fight for which she took bloody revenge: she plunged her sword into the 6 other warriors and then threw herself off the highest peak into the deep. To this day, her spirit still roams the dark corridors and passages of the fortress. As well as her sighting, her grievous inconsolable moans are also often heard throughout the fortress, especially in the wee hours. On frequent occasions, locals have also spotted the 7 warriors accompanying Gizella on her nightly walks.

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Hollókő Fortress – built by the devil’s sons

History and legend are inseparable at this UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hollókő. Nestled behind the Cserhát mountain range, the abandoned fortress has been towering over the tiny quaint village since the 13th century. Its serene atmosphere is only interrupted by tourists, otherwise, the ruins stand still and silent. However, the sleepy ambiance of the fortress seems to have made it difficult for one former resident to leave. According to the folktale, András Kacsics, the lord of the neighbouring settlement Pusztahegy, set his eyes on a stunning young woman from the village whose ravishing beauty was known in countries near and far.

The only issue was that the woman was already married to someone else so he decided to kidnap her and lock her in one of the dim cells of his castle that was being built at the time. To the lord’s great misfortune, the woman had a secret: she was raised by a crafty old witch, who immediately rushed to her rescue. The witch made a pact with her cousin, the devil, and at his command, the devil’s sons, in the image of ravens, came to the fortress under construction every night to steal the stones one after the other. The ravens carried the stones in their beaks to a nearby hill where they built a new fortess  – now known as Hollókő which stems from the two words holló (raven) and kő (stone).