Boldogkő Castle, located at the foot of the Zemplén Mountains, was renovated within the framework of the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Programme. During the renovation, they strove for remaining faithful to history and style of the 14th and 16th centuries. Besides that, there are 21st century interactive solutions and programmes that available from spring for interested tourists.
Within the framework of the project titled “Development of Castles in Zemplén and Abaúj Counties”, the development of castles in Sátoraljaújhely and Boldogkő and also the Rákóczi Castle in Sárospatak were realized. The purpose of the investment was to modernize and improve the current conditions of the attractions in the settlements, thereby increasing the number of visitors. During the development, they also made an explicit effort to make seeing the monuments more enjoyable for visitors.
Built on a rock, the romantic Boldogkő Castle rises towards the village of Boldogkőváralja and awaits its guests in a special environment, with a rebuilt palace wing and a beautiful panorama. The palace wing of the castle, built in the 1330s, was restored to its original condition from the support coming from the funding. In addition to the furnished knight’s room with a vaulted window, a contemporary living room was also created in its original place. The northeast tower from the 16th century has also been restored in which a fully equipped kitchen of the same period has been shown.
The furnishings placed on the first floor of the castle are not just decorations, but demonstrate the daily habits of those specific ages in an experiential way. On the ground floor there is a spectacular exhibition of armour and weapons, as well as archaeological finds from previous excavations that awaits visitors. By reconstructing the external corridor running along the eastern wall, the 14th-century route within the castle has been restored to its original condition as well. The 16th-century Bebek cannon received a wheeled cannon base which was reconstructed based on contemporary models. In addition to the drawbridge leading to the castle entrance, the interior rooms of the gate tower were also renovated. In the modern reception building next to the parking lot, the castle’s main cash desk, lavatories, shops and a cafe are found.
Every weekend from 1 April 2024, visitors can enjoy programmes such as guided tours in costume, joustings and a ’weapon’ stand where you can get your hands on medieval weapons and try on armor. In addition to these, you can also visit the largest army of lead soldiers in Central Europe, the forge and the castle prison.
The unified development of Zemplén Castles is in line with the directive on the thematic interconnection of attractions formulated in the basic document named National Tourism Development Strategy 2030.
The program was implemented with European Union funding under the GINOP-7.1.9-17-2018-00028 project.
Find out more about the project in the Project Finder:Details
