Castle Hrászalkovics (Castle of Gödölö)
Castle of Hrászalkovics is one of the largest Baroque palaces in Europe, located in the town of Gödöllő, half an hour’s drive from Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The picturesque 1.7 hectare palace complex is the second largest in size after the French Versailles. The palace buildings were erected in the 18th century in the Baroque tradition and served as a model for other castles and mansions.
Video: Graszalkowicz Castle
Highlights
Nowadays, the restoration in the Castle of Grašalković is not completed, so not all rooms are available for visitors. Tourists can see the reception hall, grand staircases, front hall, chapel and museum. In the restored rooms, the furnishings of the imperial chambers are fully reproduced. Fine furniture of the XVIII-XIX centuries, ancient paintings and sculptures are exhibited here.
.
Particularly popular is the luxurious Parade Hall, which is richly decorated with stucco with a thin layer of gilding. It contains elegant crystal chandeliers and a beautiful porcelain set. Today weddings are held in luxurious interiors, though they are not cheap. While touring the palace, tourists can visit the Chapel of St. Nepomuk.
.Adjoining the castle of Graszalkowicz is the huge Elizabethan Park, which has an area of 29 hectares. In addition to picturesque alleys, flowerbeds and neat lawns, there is a baroque theater in the park and exhibitions are held. The statue of Empress Sissi is considered to be the decoration of the garden and park ensemble.
.Tourists
From April to October, the palace grounds can be accessed daily from 10.00 to 18.00. From November to March, the Castle of Grašalković welcomes guests from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00. Tickets for adults cost 8 € and for children 4 €. You can walk around the park for free. There is a souvenir store and a cafe in the palace.
.History of the Castle of Grašalković
The erection of the Castle of Grászalkovics began in 1733, thanks to the owner of Gödöllő – Count Antal Grászalkovics I, head of the Hungarian Chamber of Parliament and advisor to Empress Maria Theresa. On his instructions, the project of the buildings was prepared by the Salzburg architect András Mayerhoffer. The construction of the main building and its finishing took thirty years. Then the palace was reconstructed and enlarged several times until it resembled the letter “U”.
.
In the middle of the eighteenth century, the castle had its own stables, a representative reception room, a chapel and the count’s private quarters. At the same time they began to equip the palace park. In 1751, Queen Maria Theresa visited the count’s possessions, and she was extremely pleased with what she saw.
.
Until the end of the 18th century, the owners of the palace were members of the Graszalkowicz family, but then it changed several owners. In 1867, the Hungarian government gave the castle as a wedding present to Emperor Franz Joseph. The emperor and his wife liked it very much. The castle became known as the Royal Palace and was used as a summer residence. Here they organized lavish balls and noisy festivities, so the former castle of Hrászalkovics was called “Hungarian Versailles.”
.
Until 1944, the estate became the residence of the Hungarian regent Miklós Horthy. During World War II, the palace was looted. All the furniture, antiques and paintings were taken out of the building. After the war, one part of the palace was used for military warehouses and the other part was given to a nursing home. The buildings were not properly maintained and deteriorated from year to year.
.
Restoration of the architectural monument began in the 1990s. Today, although the restoration is not yet fully completed, most of the Grašalkovič Castle is open to tourists.
.
How to get there
Hrászalkovics Castle is located 30 km from Budapest. It is not difficult to get here by rented car or by public transportation. There are trains from Budapest, from the Keleti train station, to Gödöllő. You can also take a shuttle bus to this city.
.
