Built up by one man: the Taródi castle – PHOTOS

http://www.sopronikirandulas.hu/sopron/tarodi-var.html

A reporter of origo.hu visited the wonderful Taródi Castle in the Lövérek, and writes that he has seen on of the most special private castles of Hungary. Thus, he definitely suggests that people should know about the castle and visit it.

The Taródi castle, called the Mad Castle by some people of Sopron, has been up for 65 years now. István Taródi fulfilled his dream when he built up the castle on his very own. The construction on the Sopron Mountain’s Nándor high ground took him, a man weighing 56kg, 50 years. But he succeeded, his desire to create, his love for two-hand work and a great amount of spare time resulted in the Taródi castle.

He purchased the land in 1951 and started the construction of the stone castle in 1959. Incredibly, he carried out the whole building alone, no one helped him! At dawn he prepared all the tools he needed for that day, then went to work, spent there 8 hours, after his work he built, shaped and beautified the castle.

The reporter met Taródi’s son, István Taródi Jr., who even took the visitor to the tower of the castle. After a difficult way through the caracole, they arrived to the top and could see the most exquisite panorama of Sopron, an even more breath-taking view than what the many other beautiful towers of the Lövérek show.

Also, the beautiful castle hosted a film crew earlier, in 1985, when the A fantasztikus nagynéni (Fantastic Aunty) was shot there. Ferenc Zenthe and Éva Ruttkai starred in it, and attended the castle, which was chosen by the director.

The builder aimed to record every moment of designing and implementing of the castle, he even published a book on his work. And this book tells how he passionately walked and biked through the country, looking at the castles, when he was young. He was most affected by the castle of Somoskő, near Salgótarján, thus, it comes as no surprise that the Taródi castle resembles it.

But in the Sopron-based castle there is a swimming pool, which is filled with water every spring. There is also a mysterious tunnel under the castle, which was – as the other castles back then – used for keeping wines in it. Yet, the interior is remarkable too: a wooden picture of the 1951 castle, the ancestor of the Taródi one, and exhibited pictures, showing the development of Sopron, can be seen.

However wonderful this experience is, it seems that the school trips and the family holidays stopped including the visit to the castle in their programmes in the past few years. As if all the interest had been gone, which would be a shame, for the reporter claims that everyone should see the wondrous building at least once; the experience is something that shall not be missed.

The Taródi castle awaits guests every day of the week, from 10am until 6pm, though the winter season (November-April) makes the owner close the gates at 4pm. Entrance tickets shall be bought for an amount of 600 HUF for adults, and 400 HUF for children.

Photos: sopronikirandulas.hu/sopron/tarodi-var

Copy editor: bm