Visegrád

Visegrád is a small town on the right bank of the Danube at the picturesque Danube Bend, some fifty km north of Budapest. In the fourteenth-fifteenth centuries, for about a hundred years, it was the seat of the royal court in Hungary. Thus, it is best known for its medieval and Renaissance remains, the royal castles and palace. However, archaeological research into Roman times also goes back more decades. The Roman frontier along the Danube, between Visegrád and Esztergom, had been the most fortified part of the Pannonian limes in the late Roman period. Archaeological sites comprising the limes here (two fortresses amd eight watch towers) show a very varied picture with regards their archaeological-historical significance and their after-life in the Middle Ages. One of the is them is the fortress on the Sibrik Hill, which was reused as a county centre and fortification from the eleventh century onwards. In the Middle Ages, Visegrád was one of the most important royal centres, temporary or for a period, permanent residence of the king. The royal forest area of the Pilis nearby was an important factor in its development, while the two major fortifications built in the thirteenth century contributed to the military importance of the site. The Upper Castle, built on one of the highest hills dominating the Danube Bend is one of the most spectacular fortifications in Central-Europe. The lower castle, a large thirteenth century donjon is a superb example of Late Medieval royal fortifications. From the early fourteenth century onwards, a royal palace also emerged at Visegrád, archaeological excavations carried out here from the 1930ies revealed significant parts of this building complex. Several periods of restaurations and reconstructions transformed the archaeological site into a major museum complex. Rich archaeological material from the palace excavations, original and replica pieces of late Gothic and early Renaissance fountains and the reconstructed royal garden are the most important features to be seen in the palace complex. Very important archeological finds from the nearby medieval urban settlement of Visegrád are also on display in the exhibition halls. The palace complex and the Upper castle were one of the first monuments which were reconstructed by computer aided techniques from the medieval heritage of Hungary.

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