Uzhhorod Castle, Uzhhorod

Uzhhorod Castle has a thousand-year history. It is the main tourist attraction in Uzhhorod. If you are interested in medieval history and an example of its architecture, you should definitely visit this fabulous place that stands on Castle Hill.

History of the castle in Uzhhorod

The fortress was first mentioned in the chronicle The Acts of the Hungarians. The foundation of the castle dates back to the 9th century and is associated with the legendary Prince Laborets. At that time, the fortress was wooden, consisting of a crib and a palisade. The Hungarians attacked the Laborets' principality and burned the castle. In the 10th century, the territory of the citadel was conquered by the Hungarians, who began to build a new structure.

The owners of the fortress

Uzhhorod Castle was a tasty morsel, and Hungarian kings granted their subjects these lands. Thus, in the early 14th century, King Charles Robert granted the castle to the Italian family of Drugeti. The Drugeti counts owned the palace for almost four centuries. They rebuilt the castle in the 16th century. Italian craftsmen were invited to carry out the construction work, which left a Renaissance influence in the architecture of the palace. Strong fortification walls were built.

The heyday of the property

From the end of the 17th century, the castle in Uzhhorod passed into the hands of György Rakoczy, and later Miklós Bercsenyi became its owner. It was under Miklós and his wife that the castle turned into a pompous count's residence, the center of cultural and political life of the region in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. In the middle of the 18th century, the palace became a religious center, as it housed a seminary until the arrival of Soviet troops.

What you can see on the territory of the castle

The palace's defensive walls are 10 meters high and 5 meters wide. Surrounded by a deep moat, they impress with their power and impregnability right in the center of the city. Uzhhorod Castle is located opposite the main entrance gate. It is a two-story building with more than 40 rooms. The largest hall (formerly a knight's hall) is located on the second floor. It was used to host special events. The castle chapel is noteworthy, where the ceiling was painted on religious themes in 1857 by the artist Ferdinand Vydra.

The dungeons of the fortress once housed casemates, and now there is a tasting room. You can taste all kinds of Transcarpathian wines and plunge into the Middle Ages.

Church of St. George

Unfortunately, only the foundation of the church, which was built in the 14th century, has been preserved in the castle courtyard. It burned down in a terrible fire in 1728. There is a legend that witches were burned here.

Sculptures on the territory of the palace

The castle courtyard is decorated not only with a garden but also with mythical statues. The first thing that catches your eye is the sculpture of the ancient Greek hero Hercules, which depicts Hercules' victory over a multi-headed snake. Not far away is another statue of Greek mythology - Hermes, the guide of the dead souls. There is also an interesting bronze sculpture of a turul bird (falcon), which is associated with the legend of the liberation struggle.

Museum of local lore

The museum was established in 1947. It still operates today. It contains interesting exhibitions:

• Ukraine's largest collection of bronze treasures and Celtic antiquities;
• a numismatic collection;
• Rare manuscripts and printed publications: "The Royal Gospel of 1401, the Russian Bible of 1519, and many other unique books;
• a collection of embroidered shirts and folk clothes of Transcarpathia;
• materials on the history of religion and spiritual culture of the region;
• memorabilia from the interwar period and the Second World War;
• folk musical instruments of Transcarpathia;
• cold steel and firearms of the 16th-20th centuries.

The legend of the palace

The events described in the legend take place in the 17th century, when the castle in Uzhhorod was owned by Count Druget, whose daughter had unearthly beauty. Her fame spread far beyond the city. One day, when the Poles wanted to take the castle, they sent their voivodes to the fortress to reconnoiter the situation. It so happened that one of them met Druget's daughter. They fell in love with each other at first sight. Because of her feelings, the girl told the Pole about all the secret passages. When the father learned of the betrayal, he ordered his servants to wall his daughter in the walls of the fortress. Since then, the soul of the deceased has no peace and wanders the corridors of the palace, waiting for her release from the walls.

Getting to the Transcarpathian Castle

Uzhhorod Castle is located in Uzhhorod at 33 Kapitulna Street. If you are coming from the train station, you should take bus route 5, which will take you to Koryatovycha Street. There is no direct transportation to the castle, unless you have your own car. Therefore, from Koryatovycha Street, go up Dukhnovycha Street, which smoothly turns into Kapitulna Street, and walk to the very end of the street. On the left side you will see Uzhhorod Castle.

Openinghours: from 10:00 to 17:00, Monday is a day off.