PHOTOS: The beautiful Hungarian Sümeg Castle has been renovated

Sümeg Castle, photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás

One of Hungary’s most beautiful castles has reopened its door to visitors. With the inauguration of the eastern wing of the Sümeg Castle, one of the most famous historical sites of Veszprém County can now be seen in all its glory.

From the beginning of the 11th century, Sümeg and its surroundings were owned by the Bishopric of Veszprém as a royal donation. When Fehérvár and Veszprém both fell, Sümeg Castle became one of the main bastions of the Transdanubian region, which even the Ottoman army never managed to capture, HelloMagyar writes.

Reopening of Sümeg Castle

A ceremony was held to mark the renovation of the eastern wing of the castle. The EU financed the renovation with HUF 1.1 billion (EUR 2.6 million). Thanks to the renovation the cultural attraction is now open to visitors all year round.

Zsanett Oláh, Managing Director of the NÖF National Heritage Protection Development Nonprofit Ltd., said that the castle had been in decline for decades, but now it was attracting more and more visitors thanks to its 21st-century facilities. In the courtyard, there will be jousting tournaments, and open-air performances, while the interior features an exhibition of the history of the castle and, everyday life in the Middle Ages, as well as castle models, a cinema and interactive tools.

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Photo: sumegvar.hu

Imre Papp, the castle’s captain, recalled the history of the castle, pointing out that it has been run by his family since 1989. Initially, the fortress had 10 percent Hungarian visitors and 90 percent foreigners, but this ratio has now been reversed, he said. The fortress employs more than 200 people a year, and there are free open days, during which visitors can learn about the programmes and improvements.

The Bishop’s Palace of Sümeg has also been renovated

The Bishop’s Palace of Sümeg was opened to visitors in November 2021. As the NÖF website points out, the former residence of Márton Padányi Biró, Bishop of the Veszprém Diocese, will be open to visitors in its Baroque splendour.

The renovation work was preceded by a long period of research and restoration work, which renewed the interior spaces, revealed fragments of former frescoes, and brought new life to the Rococo stucco decorations. Restored artifacts have been returned to their original places in the palace, but surprising and significant discoveries have also been made during the exploration of the centuries-old walls. The beautifully restored palace offers interactive exhibitions, a café and a museum shop. Moreover, it can be visited together with the castle at a discount with a combined ticket. You can find more information about the castle HERE.