Visegrad, Hungary
The old Hungarian capital, the “second Alhambra”, “earthly paradise” – all these epithets refer to the ancient city with a Slavic name, lying in the bend of the great Danube – Visegrad. It was here, in the Visegrad Palace, in 1993 that an agreement was signed between the presidents of Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary on interaction and cooperation in new economic and political circumstances. The association of these four states was called the Visegrad Four. See Citypopulationreview for weather information.
How to get there
You can get to Visegrad from Budapest by car on road number 11 or use public transport. In summer, you can also arrive along the Danube, which, no doubt, will bring a lot of pleasant impressions. In the tourist offices of Budapest, you can easily book a tour with a Russian-speaking guide.
Visegrad, now a small Hungarian town, and once the capital of the state, is located in the very center of the country, not far from its current capital, Budapest, or rather, about 40 kilometers to the north.
History
The first people appeared in these places in the Stone Age, later this territory was settled by Germanic and Celtic tribes. There is evidence that fortifications in this area were erected by the ancient Romans, although the name itself (also known from Roman times) is clearly of Slavic origin, which indicates the presence of the Slavs here.
In the 13th century, after a devastating Tatar raid, the national hero of Hungary, King Bela IV, restored the ancient fortress destroyed by the Mongols. Construction went on for a long time and painfully, and stretched out for two whole centuries. In the 14th century, the Hungarian royal dynasty of Arpads was interrupted, and Karoy Robert of Anjou ascended the throne, against the accession of which the inhabitants of the then capital, Buda, opposed. The new monarch had no choice but to leave for Visegrad, and at the same time move the capital there.
A bright period in the history of the city fell on the reign of King Matthias: a magnificent Marble Palace was erected here in the Renaissance style.
Having turned into the capital, the city began to actively develop – a large royal palace is being built in Visegrad to receive foreign ambassadors and delegations. Many important historical decisions were made in this palace both for the history of Hungary and for the whole of Europe.
The successor of Karoy Robert of Anjou, his son Lajos the Great, in 1350 returned the capital status to Bude, and Visegrad has since become the summer royal residence.
Entertainment and attractions of Visegrad
A bright period in the history of the city fell on the reign of King Matthias: a magnificent Marble Palace in the Renaissance style of red marble was erected here, which rightfully earned the title of “second Alhambra”.
One day one of the cardinals, who visited Hungary on behalf of the Pope, stayed in this palace. And he was so impressed with this place that he called it “heaven on earth.” Unfortunately, neither the admiration of contemporaries, nor loud and beautiful epithets could save the palace from the destruction that befell it during the Turkish invasion, and later during the Habsburg war for Hungary.
The same sad fate befell the ancient citadel, the only completely surviving part of which was Solomon’s tower. The restoration of the palace began in the 19th century, however, it had to be rebuilt somewhat, and the ancient citadel was restored in 2008, according to the project of architects of the 15th century.
Also attracts tourists and the fortress, which has one feature. According to legend, it was here, in the tower of Solomon, that the notorious Wallachian prince Vlad Tepes, better known to the general public under the name Count Dracula, was imprisoned. Easy-to-language folk rumor “awarded” Prince Tepes with the name of a vampire for those unprecedented cruelties that he allowed himself both in relation to the common people and to his nobles.
Apparently, Vlad Tepes really suffered from serious mental disorders and a penchant for sadism. Such cruelty led to the fact that Matthias was soon written a denunciation of Tepes. But the king was in no hurry to punish the cruel prince, since he was related to him – his cousin was the white wife of Dracula. Then the vassals of the king went to the trick, and wrote a denunciation that the prince was attempting a coup d’etat, and he was forced to call the future Count Dracula closer to him, to Visegrad. Here, in the tower of Solomon, the odious Vlad Tepes met his death. So the “castles of Count Dracula” can also be called the Romanian Bran (the possession of Vlad Tepes) and the Hungarian Visegrad.
In Visegrad, the old town has been perfectly preserved, practically unchanged since the Middle Ages. Here you can wander through the narrow streets, admiring the small, huddled houses and majestic temples, and, when tired, taste the famous Hungarian goulash or skip something refreshing.
In the vicinity of Visegrad, there are various healing thermal springs, which are very popular due to their unique properties.
