Hungary szesfehervar castle of love. Bori castle is the most romantic one in Hungary. Open Air Museum Gorsium

Updated 02/07/2019

In the article I will tell you about the Bori castle in Szekesfehervar and other interesting places in the vicinity of the city. You will learn why the castle is called a symbol of eternal love, how to see the ruins of an ancient Roman city, and where to find a museum in which everything is made of aluminum.

Bori Castle in Szekesfehervar is not in the city center, so I did not talk about it in the article about the sights of Szekesfehervar (you will find a route for exploring the city and a map). From the historical center of the city to the Bori castle is 5 kilometers. I will tell you how to get there below, but for now the history of the castle and its creator.

Yenyo Bori - architect and loving husband

Jeno Bori is a Hungarian architect and sculptor who worked in the first half of the 20th century. He graduated from the sculptural department of the Hungarian School of Drawing, in his youth he traveled to Germany and Italy, where he studied the art of marble sculpture. Then he met his future wife Ilona, ​​who was also an artist.

During the First World War, Yenyo Bori was drafted into the army, he became the official war artist in Sarajevo. For 30 years Bory worked at the Hungarian Royal School of Drawing, and for some time headed the Hungarian University of Fine Arts.

A number of sculptures and memorial plaques belong to his hand, many of which are installed in Szekesfehervar and Budapest. For example, in the park Várfal, from where the route of walking around the city begins, there is a sculpture of his authorship. They call it that - Bori's Column.

The most important creation of Yenyo Bori is considered to be the castle he built, which is called the castle of eternal love. The architect dedicated it to his beloved wife Ilona. The construction of the castle was carried out intermittently for several decades. Yenyo Bori personally erected the building, he had only a few assistants. The architect was also helped by his wife Ilona. The paintings she painted adorn the interiors of the Bori castle. The Hungarians say that Bori Castle is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest structure erected by one person.

Yenyo Bori died in 1959 in his native Szekesfehervar. Bori castle was completed after his death. Now it belongs to the descendants of the architect. Yenyo's beloved wife Ilona outlived her husband by almost 15 years, she died in 1974.

The history of Bori castle

Yenyo Bori acquired a plot of land on which he hoped to build a castle in 1912. But his plans were thwarted by the First World War. As a result, construction began only in 1923. Very soon the fame of the architect who builds the castle with his own hands spread throughout the country. The curious began to come to Szekesfehervar to look at the creation of Bori. Soon the name was stuck behind it - Bory Castle (Bory-vár). The main influx of funds for construction came from the sale of paintings and sculptures.

In the decoration of the castle, Yenyo Bori widely used reinforced concrete, which became an innovation. Railings, stairs, towers, statues and much more are all created using reinforced concrete.

Bori Castle in Szekesfehervar has seven towers, about 30 rooms, which are decorated with sculptures, paintings and other works of art. And everywhere there are images of the beloved wife of architects Ilona. It is not surprising that the name of the castle of eternal love stuck to the landmark. One of the towers of Bori Castle is dedicated to the twins who were born into the family of the architect.

Information useful for visiting Bori Castle

Official site: bory-var.hu.

The address: Máriavölgy 54.

Working hours: I recommend looking at the actual opening hours of the castle on the website (the address is indicated above), since it does not work in winter. During warmer months, access to the attraction is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.

Entrance fee

• Adult (from 26 to 62 years old) - 1500 HUF (if you accompany at least two children under 18, then 700 HUF).
• Children and students - 700 forints.
• Pensioners - 700 forints.
• Children under 5 years old and people over 70 years old - free of charge.

How to get to Szekesfehervar

• From the railway station - bus number 31 (further 500 meters on foot) and number 32 (further 120 meters on foot).
• From the bus station - bus number 26A (further 120 meters on foot).
• By car - I marked a point on the map below, with the help of it it is easy to build a route from Budapest or from the center of Szekesfehervar.

How to get to Szekesfehervar i. There you will also find information about hotels in the city and places for dinner.

Attractions in the vicinity of Szekesfehervar

There are many attractions on the outskirts of Szekesfehervar and in its vicinity. If you have time, I advise you to look into everything, well, or into those that arouse interest and desire.

Open Air Museum Gorsium

15 kilometers from Szekesfehervar are the ruins of an ancient Roman city, turned into an open-air museum Gorsium (Herculia). Landmark - the settlement of Tatz. The official name is Gorsium Régészeti Park.

Excavations of the ancient Roman city began in the middle of the 20th century. During them, historians found out that at first the ancient Romans set up a military camp here, and then founded the city of Gorsium. In 260 AD, the city was destroyed by barbarians, after 30 years it was revived, but already called Hercuia. The city fell into decay at the same time as the fall of the Roman Empire.

In the 20th century, archaeologists unearthed the remains of city walls and gates, streets, a forum, several temples and other buildings. You can walk along all these places.

Working hours

• April 1 to October 31 - from 10:00 to 18:00.
• November 1 - March 31 - from 10:00 to 16:00.
• Monday is a day off.

Entrance fee

• Adult - 1 200 forints
• Students / seniors - 600 HUF.
• Free on Hungarian national holidays - March 15, August 20 and October 23.

Aluminum Industry Museum in Szekesfehervar

The Aluminum Industry Museum (Alumíniumipari Múzeum) opened on the outskirts of Szekesfehervar in 1971. Initially it was a small exhibition that attracted a lot of interest. Therefore, they decided to make the museum on a permanent basis, a special building was allocated for it. The museum contains many documents and photographs that tell about the development of the aluminum industry. But the most interesting thing about the museum is, of course, its exhibits. The museum also collects works of art related to aluminum for the exhibition.

The address: Zombori út 12.

Entrance cost: 600 forints full ticket, 300 forints - concessionary.

Working hours: Tuesday - Sunday - from 10:00 to 15:00, Monday - closed.

How to get there: buses no. 17 and no. 22, stop Szivárvány Óvoda, then 3 minutes on foot.

Szekesfehervar Ethnographic Museum

The Szekesfehervar Ethnographic Museum (Palotavárosi Skanzen) is located close to the historic center and is easily reachable on foot. If you are interested in the history of Hungary, its culture, want to know how the Hungarian peasants and artisans lived, then this is the place for you. The museum is a small street with buildings from the past. Small houses, barns, other buildings. The interiors of the buildings also correspond to the historical reality.

The address: Rác utca 11.

Working hours: Tuesday - Sunday - from 10:00 to 18:00, Monday - closed.

Entrance fee: 600 HUF, but pre-registration is required. You can check with the Tourist Information Center at the Szekesfehervar Town Hall Square.

Firefighting Museum

The Firefighting Museum (Tűzoltó Múzeum) is located right in the building of the fire department. The exposition presents sets of uniforms of Hungarian firefighters, as well as the tools they used in their work. For example, plumed helmets, which were once required to be worn by all firefighters.

The address: Szent Flórián körút 2.

Working hours: daily from 08:00 to 17:00.

Bori Castle and other museums on the map

Marked on the map Bori Castle in Szekesfehervar and all the museums referred to in the article. Using the map, it is convenient to build a route, calculate travel time and not get lost.

Enjoy your walks in Szekesfehervar and its surroundings.

Always yours, Daniil Privolov.

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Among the sights of the Hungarian city of Szekesfehervar there is one special one, impressive not for its antiquity and architecture, but for the unusual history of its creation.

This is Bori Castle, or as it is also called the Castle of Eternal Love or the Hungarian "Taj Mahal". Seeing it, it seems that he was in a fairy tale about Snow White or a princess, it seems incredible that one man architect and professor Bory Jenő invented and built it.

Starting the creation of the palace alone at the beginning of the 20th century, he spent 40 years on it. In 1912, Bori bought a plot of land with a small house on the outskirts of the city, and began building his fairytale castle for his beloved young wife. In connection with the outbreak of the First World War, construction was suspended for ten years, and then resumed, it lasted until 1959. All construction work was carried out by Yeno Bori personally with several assistants, he created a monument in honor of his beloved wife Ilona and the feelings for her, which he carried through all his life. This monument of great love combines all kinds of architectural styles, a huge number of sculptures, paintings, bas-reliefs - everything is dedicated to the Creator's Museum.

On the territory of the castle, a huge rose garden, a courtyard and a terrace are filled with sculptures of Hungarian kings and famous people, in the chapel there is a sculpture of a wife in the image of the Madonna.

And in all rooms of the castle, paintings, frescoes and sculptures depicting Ilona, ​​on the walls are carved lines of poetry dedicated to her. Everything in the castle is imbued with the master's love for his wife, until his death in 1959, Jeno continued to create his castle, Ilona died in 1974 at the age of 89.

Olga Stepanova

Reading time: 10 minutes

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To visit Hungary and not look at least a couple of castles is a real crime! A significant and very striking part of the architecture (and, of course, history) of Hungary is castles and fortresses, the walls of which are a silent reminder of the battles, warriors, state secrets and love stories of the country.

The abundance of ancient fortresses in Hungary is amazing - more than a thousand, 800 of which are architectural monuments.

Choose the ones that you must definitely look into with us!

It is impossible to pass by such a sight!

The castle is only a little over a hundred years old, and it is part of the exhibition created for the 1000th anniversary of the country in 1896. A park with exotic trees appeared here only at the end of the 18th century, at the same time canals were laid and swamps were drained, which King Matthias I Hunyadi previously liked to hunt.

In the modern park you will find artificial lakes for boat rides, a small chapel, Renaissance and Gothic courtyards, an exquisite palace, an Italian palazzo and much more. Each tourist considers it his duty to touch the pen in the hand of the statue of Anonymous in order to get for himself a drop of genius and wisdom of the legendary chronicler.

Don't forget to stop by the Agricultural Museum and sample some Hungarian wine.

And in the evening you can enjoy the magic of music right on the territory of the castle - concerts and festivals are often held here.

Vysehrad - Dracula's castle

Yes, yes - the famous Dracula also lived here, not only in Romania.

The fortress was built in the distant 14th century. Vlad Tepes the 3rd, better known as Dracula, according to legend, was her prisoner. However, after the king's forgiveness, "bloody" Vlad married his cousin and settled in Solomon's tower.

Dracula's castle has gone through difficult times - residents have hardly seen a quiet life. The list of stories of the fortress includes not only sieges and invasions of enemies, but also the theft of the Hungarian crown.

Founded by the Romans and erected after the invasion of the Tatars, today Dracula's castle is a place adored by tourists.

In addition to viewing the architecture, you can watch a theatrical performance with the participation of the warriors of the "Middle Ages", buy souvenirs at an exhibition of artisans, take part in competitions and have a tasty meal in one of the local restaurants (of course, according to medieval recipes!).

This place with a fantastically beautiful park (the trees are more than 3 centuries old!) Is located not far from the Kehidakushtani resort.

The castle from the middle of the 17th century belonged to a noble family and was reconstructed more than once. Today, it houses a museum of the Counts Battyani family, with 1800-century-style numbers, Queen Sisi's shoes, and even an exhibition for blind tourists who are allowed to touch the exhibits with their hands.

Another part of the castle is a hotel where you can have a good rest, and then play billiards or volleyball, ride a horse, go fishing and even fly in a hot air balloon.

One night here will empty your wallet by at least 60 euros.

The legendary place of eternal love. Of course, with its own amazing history.

This architectural masterpiece was created by Yeno Bori for his beloved wife Ilona (artist). Laying the first stone in 1912, the architect built it for 40 years, until the war broke out. After Jeno had to sell his sculptures and paintings in order to continue the construction, which he was doing until his death in 59 AD.

His wife survived him by 15 years. Their grandchildren were already engaged in the reconstruction of the building in the 80s.

This triumph of architectural fantasy in the Art Nouveau style is located right in the center of Budapest.

The history of the palace began in 1880, when Thomas Gresham (approx. - the founder of the Royal Exchange) bought a huge residential building here. The palace grew up in 1907, immediately standing out from the mosaic panels, bright figures, flowing floral ornaments and wrought iron among the traditional buildings of the center.

After World War II, the palace, which was badly damaged by the bombs, was privatized by the government as apartments for American diplomats / workers, after which it was transferred to the American library, and in the 70s it was simply given to communal apartments.

Today, the Gresham Palace, run by the Canadian center, is a fantastic hotel from the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The city of Keszthely, the most famous on the shores of Lake Balaton, is famous for the Festetics castle, which once belonged to a noble noble family.

It was created on the model of the luxurious mansions of France in the 17th century. Here you can see Hungarian weapons of various eras (individual copies are more than a thousand years old!), A valuable library with unique engravings, with the first printed books and even notes signed by Haydn and Goldmark, fantastically beautiful interior decoration of the palace, etc.

A ticket to the castle costs 3500 Hungarian HUF.

You will find it just 30 km from Budapest.

Rebuilt in the Baroque style, the palace has changed throughout its existence.

Today, it houses the neo-Gothic Memorial Museum of Beethoven (a close friend of the Brunswick family, who composed his Moonlight Sonata in the castle) and the Museum of the History of Kindergartens (note - the owner of the castle fought for children's rights all her life), concerts are often held and themed movies.

In the park of the castle, which occupies over 70 hectares, there are rare tree species - more than three hundred species!

It is also called the Versailles of Hungary for its amazing splendor, serious scale and luxury of decoration.

Located a 2-hour drive from Budapest (approx. - in Fertede), the palace "began" with a hunting mansion in 1720. After that, having considerably expanded, the castle was overgrown with many decorations, a park with fountains, theaters, an entertainment house and even a small church, turning into an expensive and truly luxurious palace from the hand of its owner, Prince Miklos II.

Famous for his active support of artists (note - for example, Haydn lived with the Esterhazy family for more than 30 years), Miklos organized feasts and masquerades every day, turning life into an eternal holiday.

Today, the Esterhazy Palace is an amazingly beautiful Baroque museum and a wonderful hotel.

Located in the city of the same name, this "building" in the Baroque style appeared in the 18th century.

In the course of construction, which stretched for 25 years, the owners of the palace changed several times until the moment when it completely passed into the hands of Emperor Franz Joseph.

Today, the castle, restored in 2007 after the aftermath of World War II, pleases tourists with its decoration and historical exposition, as well as modern entertainment - equestrian and musical shows and performances, memorial programs, etc.

Here you can buy souvenirs and taste national dishes, as well as look into a photo laboratory.

Originating in the 13th century in the city of the same name, the fortress acquired its modern look only in the 16th century.

Most of all, it became famous for the confrontation between the Turks and the Hungarians (note - the first ones outnumbered the defenders by more than 40 times), which lasted 33 days until the enemy retreated. According to legends, the Hungarians won thanks to the famous invigorating wine called "bull's blood".

A modern fortress is an opportunity to feel like a medieval archer in a shooting gallery, help the staff of the fortress museum to bottle wine (and at the same time taste it), explore the underground labyrinths and the execution exposition, and even mint a coin for yourself with your own hands.

Do not forget to buy some souvenirs, visit the knights' tournament and relax gastronomically.

This fortress owes its name to the aristocrats who created it in 1162.

The modern castle grew out of a simple wooden structure and today is a chic hotel that seduces travelers around the world with its sophisticated antiquity.

At the service of tourists - 19 comfortable rooms and even count's apartments filled with antique furniture, Persian carpets and tapestries, a hunting hall with "trophies" from the surrounding forests, a Baroque chapel with an icon of the Virgin Mary and wine from local bins for dinner.

In summer, you can drop in to a jazz concert, dine at a gourmet restaurant, visit the pool of the balneological resort for free, and even hold a wedding.

And in a huge forest park - ride a bike among plane trees with magnolias and go fishing.

This castle is considered the historical heart of the country. It can be seen from anywhere in Budapest, and no one can ignore the excursion to this famous place.

Consisting of 3 fortresses, the 13th century castle was repeatedly revived after the Turkish and Tatar invasions, and after the fire of the 2nd World War it was restored with great care.

Today, transformed and refurbished according to new technologies, the castle is a real pride of residents and a place of pilgrimage for travelers.

Time to pack your bags for your trip! By the way, did you know

If you liked our article and you have feedback about castles and palaces in Hungary, share with us. Your opinion is very important for us!

Castle of eternal love

Castle of eternal love

To truly love is to make a loved one happy. Unfortunately, eternal love is rarely found in our lives, so stories about this magical feeling are carefully kept by people all over the world.

In the center of Hungary there is a small town of Szekesfehervar, which means "white throne fortress" in Russian. This is the former residence of the Hungarian kings and the place where many of them found their peace. But not only the monarch's history attracts tourists here, they go to listen to a completely different story.

It began in 1905, when a student of the Faculty of Arts Yeno Bori, walking down the stairs, noticed a pretty girl with a mysterious half-smile on her face. Without saying a word, they walked on, hand in hand, down the street and through life. They got married a few years later, and in 1912 Jeno bought a small house in the vicinity of Szekesfehervar. Then the talented architect and artist was born with the daring idea of ​​putting the whole world at the feet of his beloved.


The war delayed its implementation for 10 years. And in 1923, the master was finally able to announce to his wife Ilona about his intention to build a castle in which all architectural styles, all the achievements of world art, expressing the idea of ​​eternal love, would harmoniously merge.

The neighbors, who learned about this plan, only sarcastically laughed and shrugged their shoulders, considering Yeno an eccentric. Only Ilona, ​​when meeting them, lowered her eyes according to her habit, and the same mysterious half-smile froze on her face. She was generally very silent. Eyewitnesses claimed that they had never seen Bori's spouses talk: they walked only embracing, Ilona's head was invariably inclined towards her husband.

The spouses believed that true love opens up other languages ​​to a person, before which vain human words lose all meaning. A declaration of love in one of these languages ​​was the beautiful castle that Jeno built stone by stone for 14,600 days, almost 40 years of his life. He became the only person in the history of the world to single-handedly build such a structure.


Now Bori Var Castle is a favorite place for tourists and lovers. It is believed that couples who visit this place will never be separated. This "magic" is quite natural: the place, literally saturated with great love, will be able to share its sacred energy with visitors for a long time to come.

The Castle of Eternal Love is a majestic structure in which Gothic, Renaissance and Romanesque styles miraculously coexist, without at all evoking a sense of gaudy eclecticism. Its territory houses more than 500 works of art created by the hands of Jeno himself, his wife and daughter. In every room, every courtyard, there are numerous images of Ilona, ​​author's works of the artist Bori.

The sword of Damocles hangs between the two towers at the entrance to the castle, reminding those entering about the true values ​​of human life. The courtyard is surrounded by a gallery supported by a hundred columns, and there are statues of heroes, thinkers and artists who glorified the Hungarian people.


Above the entrance to the inner chambers - the inscription: “Love is God. God is love". Nearby there are two niches in which busts of Jeno are located, whose gaze is riveted to the image of his wife, and Ilona, ​​who habitually lowered her eyes and folded her lips in the same half-smile. She was embarrassed when Jeno expressed his feelings in front of strangers and asked not to do this, but the happy lover was adamant and never tired of repeating: "You would be the envy of all the beauties of the world, immortalized by brilliant artists - so I love you!"


The chapel became the heart of the castle - a real temple of love and family relations.


On its central wall there is a pictorial and sculptural composition, where Ilona is depicted in the image of the Holy Madonna.

And behind her stood the beauties, yellowed with envy, in whom it is difficult not to recognize the Mona Lisa of Leonardo da Vinci, Fornarina Raphael, Saskia Rembrandt and Helena Fourment Rubens.

At the feet of the Madonna is an angel bowing, in the image of which Bori portrayed himself.

For all 40 years, Jeno Bori, who erected the "dream castle", shone with happiness. His imagination was inexhaustible, creative energy gave him wings. One by one, all his wishes were fulfilled. He wanted to make his beloved the happiest of all women living on Earth - and he did it.

God fulfilled his dream of a daughter, like two drops of water like a mother, beyond all expectations: Ilona gave birth to twins, Ilona's daughter became an exact copy of her mother, and Klara inherited her father's character and talent. Also, the dream of happy parents about a hussar came true, who, according to Jeno's joking conviction, arrives in this world, unlike other children, riding a stork.


The walls of the castle keep the entire history of the life of the Bori family. The walls of the rooms are covered with photographs in which Jeno and Ilona are visibly aging. Only one thing remains unchanged: the tenderness in their views at each other is timeless.
1959 was at the same time the date of completion of the construction of the castle and the end of the earthly journey of the remarkable master Jeno Bori.

Ilona outlived her husband for 15 years, during which every morning she began by going around her possessions. After the morning ritual, she raised her eyes to the sky and again smiled mysteriously. She did not cry at the funeral: everything in the castle told her that her husband was here, next to her. Shortly before his death, Jeno ordered graves for himself and his wife. At great depths, he asked to make a window between them. When the grandchildren asked my grandfather about his strange whim, he replied: "This is so that my grandmother and I can talk, remember you."

Do not forget their grandparents and 20 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who agreed to take turns living in the castle, supporting the fire in the great family hearth, illuminating and warming with their Love all those who want to know the power of true feelings.


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After watching this video, you can take a kind of tour of the castle of love:

In 1923, the architect and sculptor Bory Jenő began building a castle on a hill in the Szekesfehervar suburb of Öreghegy, in a countryside covered with vineyards. The erected building was named Bory Castle (Bory-vár)... This site, with a small house, he bought back in 1912. Over the course of 36 years, Bory Jenő, with several assistants, has been building the castle, which reflects various architectural styles.

Today this amazing building is perceived as a symbol of eternal love.

Bory Jenő erected a monument to his artistic dreams and conjugal love. Numerous images of his beloved in sculptures, paintings and poems, carved on the stones of the castle and dedicated to her, testify to his irrepressible imagination, to the high feeling that Jenő had for his wife, Ilona Komoksin. Everything here is saturated with a romantic atmosphere, every stone of the building is ablaze with the energy of love.

The walls of the castle are painted with frescoes, busts of famous Hungarian architects and painters are placed on the terraces, sculptures of Hungarian kings, Bory Jenő and Ilona Komoksin are installed along the walls and in the garden.

The castle, like most of the sculptures, was erected from monolithic concrete, which at the beginning of the 20th century was considered a modern building material.

Bori Castle is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. This is the largest building ever built by one person.

Bori castle address:
8000 Székesfehérvár Máriavölgy út 54.

Opening hours of the Bori Castle Museum:
Every day - until October 28 from 9:00 to 17:00 From October 29 to November 12 from 9:00 to 16:00
From November 13 - winter holidays.

Entrance fee to Bori Castle:
Adult - 1000 Ft

Accompanying person - 500 Ft
(1-2 parents or close relatives accompanying at least two people under the age of 18).

Age 6-26 - Ft 500
Age 62-70 - 500 Ft

Less than 6 years old - free.
Free for over 70 years.
Teachers are free.