Csesznek Castle Ruins, Csesznek, Hungary

Csesznek castle was built around 1263 by the Jakab Cseszneky who was the swordbearer of the King Béla IV. He and his descendants have been named after the castle Cseszneky. Between 1326 and 1392 it was a royal castle, when King Sigismund offered it to the House of Garai in lieu of the Macsó Banate. In 1482 the male line of the Garai family died out, and King Matthias Corvinus donated the castle to the Szapolyai family. In 1527, Baron Bálint Török became its owner.

During the 16th century the Csábi, Szelestey and Wathay families were in possession of Csesznek. In 1561, Lőrinc Wathay repulsed successfully the siege of the Ottomans. However, in 1594 the castle was occupied by Turkish troops, but in 1598 the Hungarians recaptured it.

In 1635, Dániel Esterházy bought the castle and village and from that time on Csesznek was the property of the Esterházy family until 1945.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Eszter Ambrus (2 years ago)
Not a lot of planned activities to do, but the castle itself is nicely preserved and there is a short exhibition about its history as well.

József Stépán (2 years ago)
Very impressive Castle. Renovations are in progress, but can be visited nevertheless. There is a small exhibition, new toilets, and a souvenir penny press... The Castle itself is on top of a high hill, and the views are magnificent. If the skies are clear you can see very far away. Will visit back in a couple of years, when the restoration/renovation is done.

Ar Tur (2 years ago)
Bridge between towers is closed. Castle is worth to visit. Few minutes walk from parking so it's good for small kids too.

Jonathan Torre (2 years ago)
This castle is special because so many of the exterior walls are in-place. It is easy to imagine how the once illy function castle filled the skyline

Kei Izawa (2 years ago)
The pastoral view from the castle is so peaceful but the castle has origins that necessitated it's construction. It is a beautiful setting. Needs final touches of maintenance but it is a beautiful place to go.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Miroslav Vajdić

Historic Site of the week

Medvedgrad

Medvedgrad is a medieval fortified town located on the south slopes of Medvednica mountain, approximately halfway from the Croatian capital Zagreb to the mountain top Sljeme. For defensive purposes it was built on a hill, Mali Plazur, that is a spur of the main ridge of the mountain that overlooks the city. On a clear day the castle can be seen from far away, especially the high main tower. Below the main tower of the castle is Oltar Domovine (Altar of the homeland) which is dedicated to Croatian soldiers killed in the Croatian War of Independence.

In 1242, Mongols invaded Zagreb. The city was destroyed and burned to the ground. This prompted the building of Medvedgrad. Encouraged by Pope Innocent IV, Philip Türje, bishop of Zagreb, built the fortress between 1249 and 1254. It was later owned by bans of Slavonia. Notable Croatian and Hungarian poet and ban of Slavonia Janus Pannonius (Ivan Česmički) died in the Medvedgrad castle on March 27, 1472.

The last Medvedgrad owners and inhabitants was the Gregorijanec family, who gained possession of Medvedgrad in 1562. In 1574, the walls of Medvedgrad were reinforced, but after the 1590 Neulengbach earthquake, the fortress was heavily damaged and ultimately abandoned. It remained in ruins until the late 20th century, when it was partly restored and now offers a panoramic view of the city from an altitude of over 500 meters.

Do you know an ancient castle or magnificent church near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory.com.

It's absolutely free, easy, and doesn't even need registration!

Upload data

Looks like you are a history fan!

Do you know an ancient castle or hidden ruins near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory. It's absolutely free, easy, and you can do it even without registration (of course you an also create an free account)!

Csesznek Castle Ruins

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Must-See Historic Places in Córdoba

Best of Middle Rhine Valley, Germany

Must-see historic sighs in Luxembourg

Historic Site of the week

Medvedgrad

Looks like you are a history fan!

Do you know an ancient castle or hidden ruins near you?