Székesfehérvár: a Budapest day trip
Only one hour by train from Budapest, Székesfehérvár is a lovely little town situated between the big Hungarian capital and lake Balaton.
Székesfehérvár used to be a royal residence as capital of the Kingdom of Hungary and held a central role in the Middle Ages. Sadly, most of the original city was destroyed by the Turks but it was rebuilt by the Habsburg Monarchy.
The city centre is a short walk away from the train station and holds many remarkable buildings, churches and musea.
The first place you will probably encounter is the central square and Saint Stephen’s basilica; the basilica was built in 1235 by King Béla IV.
Most of what you see today, however, was from after 1777, when the city was reconstructed. The interior is baroque in style and the towers were begun at the beginning of the 19th century.
In the middle of the square, stands proudly the Országalma, the apple fountain, one of the symbols of the city.
Pass in front of the yellow-façade Bishop’s Palace and just stroll around the cobbled streets, admiring the beautiful buildings and ancient heritage.
Don’t miss the Black Eagle Pharmacy Museum (Fekete Sas Patikamúzeum) with its wooden window panes. The Black Eagle Pharmacy stands on the site of the town’s first pharmacy (1688 to 1971).
It now houses a museum.
In 1745, the Jesuits purchased the building and made it into a museum that exhibits instruments and containers used in the past by pharmacists to make their preparations. The items of equipment, turned wooden jars, large tincture press and inscribed in a mortar are all from the time of the Jesuits.
Visit the Medieval Ruins Gardens with the remnants of the original city, or dive into the King St. Stephen Museum, a very remarkable collection of Hungarian historical legacy and customs.
But the main attraction in Székesfehérvár is Bory Castle, on the outskirts of the city.
Do not miss it although it is not the easiest to get there, but absolutely worth it!
Taking a taxi from the city centre is doubtlessly the best option (note: there is no Bolt in Székesfehérvár) or you could try to catch the local bus; from the bus station, take bus #26 or #26A and from the train station #32. Make sure to tell the bus driver you’re going to Bory Vár because none of the buses will take you directly there and you won’t know otherwise when to get off.
Bory Castle a beautiful mansion, built by the sculptor Jenő Bory and his wife. The building took from 1923 to 1959 to build.
Today the castle contains a wide range of architectural styles ranging from Scottish, Romanesque, and Gothic. Most of the complex is open to visitors, for a fee, and you can freely climb the towers, and walk through the gardens and the sculptures, all originals by Bory.
Inside are several galleries featuring Bory’s paintings.
It is really romantic and very scenic.
Our next adventure is Sarajevo in Bosnia, come along…
