Gödöllö Royal Castle and Palace museum

The famous Gödöllö Royal Palace and Palace museum, once a favorite place of Austro-Hungarian Empress Elizabeth. 

History of Gödöllö dates back to Roman times (period), when Devil's Dykes (Hungarian: Ördögárok) was built south of Gödöllő. It is the former Limes Sarmatiae, a fortified Roman border, built under Roman Emperor Constantine I (312 – 337 AD). But town history only started in 14th century.

Gödöllö Castle/Palace (Hungarian: Gödölloi Kiralyi Kastely) was never built as a fortified castle, but as an pleasure palace (“maison de plaisance“) for Count Antal Grassalkovich. It became summer residence for Austro-Hungarian Empress Elizabeth, in 1867, and her favorite place, when staying in or nearby Budapest. The surrounding Elizabeth park of remembrance with statue of “Sisi” is also dedicated to the former Queen of Hungary (1837 – 1898).

Today, the Palace is also a museum, which records the history of the place, including 20th century. From 1920 it was summer residence of Hungarian regent (Hungarian: kormányzó) Admiral Miklós Horthy (1868 – 1957), but from 1944 German and afterwards Soviet troops were here. In 1950, the palace became a retirement home and was renovated, starting in 1985. In 1997, first rooms were ready for presentation. Today the Palace is state owned. The exhibitions opened on 10th of August, 2001, exactly 250 years after the visit of even more famous Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa to this place. In 2003, the old Baroque style theatre was re-opened, and in 2004 the pavilions on Kings Hill followed. See also the palace church.

In 2011, Gödöllö Palace was seat of the Hungarian EU presidency. Visitors may also enjoy the Palace café (in summer time, also outside), certainly with coffee “Sisi” (coffee, apricot liquor, cream, and cinnamon) and a “quark cream cube”, the favorite sweat of Empress Maria Theresa. There are also sales of souvenirs and other things in the palm tree house. The palace is also used for classical concerts. Try  listening, f. e, Chopin pianist Gergely Bogányi.

(information: www.boganyigergely.hu/eng/index.php).