Batthyany Castle

Battyany Castle is located in Hungary next to the famous Lake Balaton near the thermal resort of Kehidakushtany. It rises in the middle of an ancient park. Some trees have been growing here for 3 or more centuries. The building was built in the middle of the 17th century.

History of Battyany Castle

The ancestors of the counts of Battyany - the Arpads - began to build a fortress back in the 15th century for protection from enemies. Their genealogy dates back to the 9th century. After 200 years, the counts of Battyany strengthened the castle and built a powerful bastion with 4 wings with impregnable well-fortified towers in the center of the fortress. In the 18th century, such fortifications ceased to play any role in the outcome of military confrontations. And another of the Counts of Battyany rebuilt the building in the then fashionable Baroque style, adapting it for balls and entertainment.

The building of Battyany Castle was reconstructed several times after that, and only in 2000, after restoration, it returned to its original historical appearance and the rough charm of a medieval fortress.

Exposure

Now there is a museum of Count Lajos Batthyany, who in 1848 became the first ever Prime Minister of the Hungarian Republic, and in 1949 was shot by the Austrians. You can get acquainted with the rich furnishings in the mansion and visit an interactive exhibition that describes the history of the whole family. The exhibition of antique shoes is of great interest, especially among women and children. There's even a pair of shoes worn by the famous Austrian Queen Sisi.

An exhibition where you can touch and try on everything

It is interesting that Battyany Castle has a unique exhibition for visually impaired and even completely blind people. It operates under the motto “touch with your hands” and exhibits exact replicas of historical artifacts, some of which you can try on. These are, for example, antique wigs, which were very popular at the end of the 18th century. This exhibition for the blind is organized in honor of one of the last Battyani - Laszlo, who lived in the castle before the Second World War. The count was a skilled ophthalmologist and treated the poor for free, for which he was canonized by the Catholic Church in 2003.

Hotel

In the ancient fortress you can not only visit the exhibition, but also relax. In one of the parts of Batthyany Castle there is a hotel, the rooms of which are furnished in the style of the late 18th - early 19th centuries. Guests who want to live in an ancient fortress have access to the Internet, car rental and secure parking. They offer thermal pools, a sauna, a jacuzzi and a massage parlour, a hairdresser, a beauty salon and a solarium. Active tourists have the opportunity to rent not only a bicycle, but also a horse. You can go fishing, take to the skies on a hang glider or hot air balloon, play billiards and table tennis, bowling and volleyball. There are bright and safe playgrounds for guests with children, and comfortable conference rooms for business people.

The excellent restaurant offers dishes from all cuisines of the world; in summer, outdoor grill dinners are organized. Many people hold weddings and other celebrations in the ancient Batthyany Castle.