castle of boldogko

Ok, this attraction is definitely off the beaten path, but what an adventure! It looks ominous perched on the hilltop. The hike to get inside can be steep for some...but there are handrails everywhere I looked, so take your time...you can do it!The fortress is built that high to prevent attacks, so it makes sense, however, now it provides an awesome look out. We had small children in our group and not once did I feel they were in danger here. There is also a working water wheel that you can play on! So much fun!The entrance fee is about 5$, no tours and less English. I did not expect much in this area. However, the staff are friendly and the detailed models upstairs are exquisite. If you find yourself in the area with a car, just go!

This picturesque medieval castle is set in rolling hills south of the border with Slovakia and north of Tokaj. Well worth visiting if you are in the area tasting wine but you need to be careful as it is quite rough hewn and vertigo inducing....the vineyards and sunflower fields below the dark blue green hills are a contrast to the great plain way below the battlements. End of August, sky filled with martens and swallows. Also amazing models of historic battles with hundreds of little lead soldiers high up in the castle.

I liked it all though there weren't many English translations until you reached the top floor. Very quirky gift shop. Stupendous views and friendly red squirrels.Downside was the authentic stone walk from paying kiosk up to the ramparts, I don't think it has been renovated since mediaeval times so watch your step and wear sensible shoes.

Boldogkő vára [Happy Castle Rock in English] is a medieval defensive castle fortress located outside the village of Boldogkőváralja in northeastern Hungary, near the Slovakian border. I was fortunate to make a visit to the castle in early March with my aunt and three cousins. We had stayed overnight in the city of Miskolc, and decided to make a trip to this castle. The castle is about an hour’s drive northeast of Miskolc. It turned out that this visit was a highlight of our trip to Hungary! As we drove through the countryside on a cold, crisp day, the rock promontory where the castle is built could be seen for miles before we even got near the village. Our Hungarian GPS took us right through the small village of Boldogkőváralja, and it was interesting to see the rural farm houses, the small shops, and the local people. This rural scenery was certainly a world away from the hustle and bustle of Budapest! We drove up the hill to the castle’s parking lot, and had to ask if the castle was open, as there had been a huge snow storm the day before. We were in luck; the castle was open! The staff hadn’t been expecting any visitors after such a big snow fall.You must be able to climb steep stairs in order to get up to the castle. After climbing up the snowy stairway, and paying our entrance fee of about $5.00, we began our adventure. We were lucky, in that a worker at the castle took pity on us travelers, and offered to give us a guided tour, even though guided tours are not offered with admission. Our group consisted of four North Americans and one Hungarian, so we really lucked out that our cousin could translate the guide’s comments for us. I got the impression that not many North Americans visit here, so we were a bit of a tourist attraction ourselves! We gave the worker a generous tip when we were finished, as he really went out of his way to help us make the most out of our visit, and our tour was not a part of his regular job duties.The castle itself has been partially restored, and it was easy to imagine the isolation and desolation that soldiers and workers would have felt while living, working, and fighting up on this barren rock cliff many centuries ago. Our tour started in the original dungeon/torture chamber, complete with replicas and a few original instruments. It was chilling to think of the men and women who probably died on this very spot. This was a fortified castle used for defense and war…it was not a palatial castle for a king’s court. Life here could have been cruel and harsh.The upper ramparts provided magnificent 360 degree views of the village and the surrounding countryside. One of the most amazing views is seen through a portal opening at the far end of the castle…a lone wooden lookout tower perches precariously on the brink of a rocky ridge, at the very end of a long, wooden walkway. Although this famous view can be seen on the Internet, you have to see it in person to actually appreciate the beauty! Inside the upper floor of the castle there was a large collection of hand-painted toy soldier dioramas, all depicting war scenes from centuries ago. Our guide told us that this was the largest collection of miniature metal toy soldiers in eastern or central Europe. In another area of the interior rooms were many types of weapons used in Hungary over the centuries. The cross bow was said to be one of the most accurate weapons, and skilled archers could easily pick off foot soldiers from a great distance.Our guide also told us many stories during our hours at the castle. He told us of captured prisoners being dumped into a deep pit and left to die, of the poet Bálint Balassi living there and writing poetry in the late 1500s, of counterfeit coins being minted there and how the forgery machinery was found, of many bloody battles won and lost, and of the problems there would have been in supplying the soldiers with food. I don’t think our trip would have been half as exciting or informative without our special guide! Unfortunately, the gift shop was closed when we visited, as it was too early in the season. However, the on-site restaurant, Castrum Boldua Étterem, was open…and you won’t want to miss it if you visit the castle. The restaurant takes you back in time, and you'll have medieval feast.A visit to this castle was well worth the trip outsideBudapest!

Castrum Boldua je stredoveká reštaurácia pod hradom Boldogkő. Klenbovitá pivnica je vybavená dobovými drevennými stolmi a lavicami s tkanými kobercami. Polievky sú podávame do misiek z pálenej hliny a konzumujú sa drevennými lyžicami, ostatné jedlá sa konzumujú ako v stredoveku – rukami. Kapacita reštaurácie je pre cca 120 osôb. Návštevníkom sú k dispozícii časti brnenia a látkové kostými, v ktorých sa môžu odfotiť. Súčasťou hradu je aj vyhliadka s dohľadnosťou niekoľko desiatok kilometrov.

Случайно обнаружила (спасибо tripadvisor), что у нас почти по пути (из Мишкольца в сторону Словакии) будет этот замок. Наверное, венгры его берегут для себя: сайт замка – только на венгерском, информация в замке – только на венгерском, в нашем путеводителе по замкам Венгрии даже название его не упоминается. Итак, вкратце: предположительно построен в 13 веке, затем переходил в собственность от одной знатной семьи к другой, пока не был национализирован в 1945 году. В 2002 году венгры начали замок усердно восстанавливать и реконструировать. Сейчас это отличное место. Интересный замок, несколько экспозиций, большая выставка оловянных солдатиков, потрясающие виды на окрестности. И все это совсем за символическую оплату (взрослый билет чуть больше 100 рублей). Во время нашего посещения, кроме нас в замке не было самостоятельных туристов, только чуть раньше прошла организованная группа венгерских школьников. Нам понравилось, что никто из персонала не следит за тобой, не пытается руководить процессом осмотра, что в каждом углу не сидит по старушке (как в наших музеях). Из сотрудников мы видели только кассира на входе и продавца в сувенирной лавке. Замок открыт с апреля по октябрь с 10 до 18 часов, но лучше уточнить заранее время работы. Если нет возможности попасть внутрь, то можно хотя бы погулять вокруг замка. Дорожка вдоль стен очень живописна.Когда от места не ждешь чего-то особенного, а получаешь массу положительных впечатлений, их эффект наверное удваивается. У нас так стало с Castle of Boldogko. Будете рядом – обязательно заезжайте.