Sümeg Castle

A paved path leads from the Franciscan church to an imposing, extensive ruined castle on the 260m (853ft) high hill above Sümeg. In the 16th C the castle was the property of the bishops of Veszprém, who extended it in 1552 with Renaissance Italian-style bastions against the Turks, who were unable to take it. At the beginning of the 18th C it was an important military base of the Rákóczi rebels resulting in its being set on fire and blown up by the imperial troops in 1713. Some parts were reconstructed after 1959 including a residential tower in the south of the courtyard (castle museum). Above the inner castle entrance is the coat of arms of the Veszprém Bishop Vetési (2nd half 15th C). From the castle hill there are wonderful views of the surrounding area.