Nógrád Castle
This castle is a little different from the others. If you like adventure, you'll love it. It's accessible by car or bus, but you can also get to the castle from Kismaros on mountain bike trails.
From afar, you can see its soaring corner tower, which has inspired many artists. The castle, which has seen better times, is nowadays best seen from the ruins, but it is still very atmospheric. One of the oldest castles in Hungary, it is mentioned as the estate of the Bishop of Vác in the 11th century. During the Renaissance, under the rule of Bishop Báthory, it flourished, and like the castle of Vác, Nógrádi was renovated and made the centre of the region. From the castle, which stands on a high hill, you can see far into the distance and still enjoy a beautiful view of the countryside. This shows that it was once a strategically important castle in a well-defended position. The Ottoman era certainly left its mark on the castle, but the real blow came afterwards. Lightning struck the castle's tower, where the powder magazine was located. A huge explosion brought an end to the once prosperous castle. Archaeological excavations have unearthed treasures that prove this.
Today it is mostly just waiting in the name of, but is an extremely cosy place. A favourite destination for families and adventure seekers. Nowadays there are regular craft fairs at the base of the castle, where you can find handicrafts from local producers, an excellent activity in itself. One of the best summer events, however, is the Nógrád Castle Games, held in June in and around the castle. Traditional groups perform, battle scenes, handicraft programmes and gastronomic specialities await the new castle inhabitants.
If you want to get out and about and like the adventurous historical atmosphere, then the Nógrád Castle is definitely a good choice!
Address: 2642 Nógrád, (signs indicate the route when you arrive at the village)
Készítette: Civertan, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons