Amazing places in Hungary that also served as movie sets

Hungary has a lot to offer, no matter what aspect we consider. In the past few years, more and more Hollywood celebrities, including Keanu Reeves and Matt Damon, visited the country to shoot scenes for their upcoming movies. No wonder – there are some truly magnificent sights in Hungary that inspire both Hungarian and foreign directors.

According to Divany, Hungary is full of locations that are excellent for shooting movies of various genres, not least because of the rich history of the country. This also means that the places directors choose are fascinating on their own, without the excitement of knowing your favourite celebrities also set foot there – that is just an added benefit.

Festetics Castle, Dég

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Even though this is a rather modest castle, you will not be disappointed if you decide to visit it. Although the building is in need of renovation (raising the necessary funds is in progress), the huge garden and the lovely lake with an island make it a truly magical place. It also served as a location of two successful movies – a Hungarian and an American one. Some scenes of the popular Hungarian Kincsem were shot here; the entrance appears in the movie for a few minutes.

Jennifer Lawrence also spent time here when shooting Red Sparrow – this castle was the place in the movie where Dominika Egorova received her training.

The castle does not boast of these interesting tidbits, however, which makes the place even more attractive.

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Film Factory, Etyek

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Besides most Hungarian films, some foreign productions also made it to Etyek. Scenes of Hellboy 2, The Borgias and The Martian were all shot here, just to name a few. The place is open to visitors, and you can experience what a film shoot is like on a real set, or you can try the art of dubbing, too. It is a really tourist-friendly place as you can sign up for a number of special programmes.

Old Lake Castle, Tata

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Next to the Old Lake, the castle in Tata really gives off a Middle Ages in Italy-vibe – no wonder that some parts of The Borgias were shot here as well. The place also inspired those working on the series called The Pillars of the Earth. You can walk on the path around the lake in less than two hours while enjoying the forest atmosphere. In the summer, you can go to the beach and have a dip in the lake, enjoy Hungarian beach food or get a taste of sailing. You can even find out what being on a dragon boat is really like.

Schossberger Castle, Tura

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The Schossberger Castle in Tura already looks like it manifested from a movie and the creators of the 2009 Hungarian-French-English coproduction entitled The Secret of Moonacre used this opportunity to the fullest. Although the building is currently under renovation and it will probably get turned into a hotel when the works are done, it is still absolutely beautiful from the outside.

Botanical Garden (Füvészkert), Budapest

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The Botanical Garden (Füvészkert) in Budapest is a pretty amazing place. It has been in operation since 1777 and boasts of a huge orchid and cactus collection. There are, incredibly, banana trees and unique water lilies, too. They also have a system in place according to which you can even adopt the plants to which you get attached.

The Botanical Garden also served as a film location. In the movie adaptation of Ferenc Molnár’s The Boys of Paul Street, Nemecsek, the hero, hides in the water and eavesdrops on the enemy. This scene in the movie was shot in the botanical garden.

Eger Castle, near Pilisborosjenő

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Pilisborosjenő is an idyllic place perfect for some light excursions and exploring – you might want to check out the rock formation resembling a camel. The replica of the Eger Castle was also built here, for the movie version shot in 1968 of Géza Gárdonyi’s novel. Other movies also used this location for certain scenes. Over time, the castle went through some rough patches until it was renovated in 2008.

For more news, check out what Australian actress Margot Robbie had to say about Hungarians.

Featured image: Wiki Commons by CivertanS

Source: divany.hu