Charming Hungarian castle close to Lake Balaton awaits tourists
The Castle of Sümeg is situated atop a mountain, just a couple kilometres away from Lake Balaton. It is one of the most significant tourist attractions of the ‘Hungarian sea’. The charming castle has been renovated and now the unique atmosphere and the special exhibitions await visitors.
The history of the Castle of Sümeg
The one-of-a-kind Castle of Sümeg was built in the late 13th century by Béla IV of Hungary. The castle was a hideaway for the king during the Mongolian invasion. The shape of the castle changed significantly over the years. In response to the Ottoman wars in Hungary, the castle was fortified to serve as a major frontier fortress. Now, it has a unique irregular shape, two towers and is about 125 metres long and 80 metres wide. The Sümeg Castle is one of the most well-preserved castles of Hungary.
The renovation process
As turizmus.com reported, the castle went through a lot of changes lately. As the castle was one of the most important strategic and military points of the country for a long time, it was kept in good condition. In the 18th century, the fortress became deserted and there was no one to take care of it. During this time, its condition deteriorated. However, in the 20th century, there were initiatives to restore the building to its original beauty.
The real breakthrough came in the 21st century, when its renovation finished in the framework of the National Castle Program, in cooperation with the National Heritage Protection Development Non-profit Ltd (NÖF), using EU funding. The ultimate goal of this restoration was to show the castle in its most complete period, the late 17th century. The previously available services have been significantly expanded and are now awaiting visitors, providing the same high standard programs and tours.
The new exhibition
In designing the exhibition, it was particularly important to show the everyday life of the people once living within the walls of the castle in a spectacular, experiential way. Therefore, the restored ground floor spaces feature contemporary presentation of the castle’s 16th century rooms. For example, the baker’s home and workspace, the cook’s home and a Renaissance kitchen equipped with tools typical of the period.
Visitors can even try on period clothes and take pictures at the selfie points. The upstairs area offers a modern experience to tourists, a minimalist 21st century exhibition. Visitors can explore spectacular models, graphics, theoretical 3D reconstructions. In addition to that, there are short films playing in the rooms, presenting the history of the fortress. Tourist that are up for a small game can experience the thrill of discovering the finds hidden beneath the surface: there is an interactive archaeological game projected on the floor of the room.
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