Budapest - Castle Palace Budvári Palota

The first castle was built in the 13th C on the south spur of Castle Hill. Its purpose was to provide protection from attacks by Mongols and Tartars. Unfortunately nothing remains of this building. Under King Karl Robert a smaller palace was erected. King Sigismund, who made Buda his residence, had a Gothic castle built, which was considerably extended, in Renaissance style, under Matthias Corvinus.

Although the Castle Palace (Vár-palota) survived during the time of Turkish occupation, it was nevertheless almost completely ruined during the Siege of 1686. Therefore, in the 18th C, a new castle was built, which in the time of the Empress Maria Theresa had more than 200 rooms. The Castle Palace, from now on the residence of the Palatine (the representative of the Habsburg overlords), was rebuilt by the architects Alajos Hauszmann and Miklós Ybl in Neo-Baroque style. A symmetrical layout was created which is focused on the central dome (62m (203ft) high) facing the Danube.

The extensive buildings were badly damaged in the Second World War. After decades of restoration work, in the course of which it was possible to preserve many medieval and Renaissance structures, individual sections are gradually being opened up to the public.

At the southern end of the complex, parts of the medieval castle have been reconstructed. The Buzogány Tower (buzogány means flail or club) near the Ferdinand Gate is impressive. Outside stands the South Tower, which was in existence in the 15th and 16th C.

Outside the walls of the castle a number of Turkish tombstones can still be seen.

In front of the domed building, on the side facing the Danube, stands a bronze equestrian statue by József Róna (1900), representing Prince Eugene of Savoy who opposed the Turks.