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Castle reopens as renaissance visitor centre

  • 28 January 2016

State-owned Nádasdy-Szécheny castle in Egervár, Western Hungary has been converted into a renaissance-style visitor centre, attracting many tourists to the region.

The Nadasdy-Széchényi-Castle of Egervár is now a key tourist destination of the Western Transdanubian region. After visiting, people should know almost everything there is to know about how life was in a late renaissance castle.

Oláh Gábor, Deputy State Secretary for Regional Development Programmes

The entire castle was reconstructed to showcase Hungary’s renaissance period of the 16th and 17th centuries. Using high-tech materials, the renovation embraces the unique cultural and environmental assets of the country and presents one of the most important periods of the country in terms of history and arts history.

A lot on offer for visitors

Visitors can avail of an audio-guide system, a touch screen wall, multi-functional rooms, a tourist information point and a gift shop. They can also take a tour of the castle with an actual tour guide or on their smart phones in order to learn about the castle’s history. A renaissance play area for children and an interactive exhibition space are also key features of the renovation.

In the castle’s courtyard, an outdoor theatre was constructed and this is where performances of the so-called ‘Nights in Egervár’ play take place during the summer months.

The castle is environmentally friendly as can be seen in its new geothermal heating system, which provides energy-efficient warmth for the entire building.

Over the past year, the castle attracted some 23 000 visitors.

The project created five permanent jobs and is part of a series of investments to attract more tourists to the region. A similar project has been carried out in Keszthley, where the city’s castle was refurbished to accommodate a museum and a permanent exhibition.

Total investment and EU funding

Total investment for the project “'Everyday life in late renaissance castles' tourist, theoretical, cultural, educational and visitor centre at the Nádasdy-Szécheny castle of Egervár” is HUF 590 750 478 (approximately EUR 1 892 265), of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing HUF 491 327 173 (approximately EUR 1 573 566) from the Operational Programme “Western Transdanubia” for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.