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Gödöllö Royal Palace and Palace museum
Lots of roads are heading for city of Gödöllo (34 400 inhabitants), 30 km northeast of Budapest. But especially interesting for tourists are the new long distance theme routes called „Sisi Roads” (German: “Sisi-Straßen”). ...
City: Budapest
Country: Hungary
Lots of roads are heading for city of Gödöllo (34 400 inhabitants), 30 km northeast of Budapest. But especially interesting for tourists are the new long distance theme routes called „Sisi Roads” (German: “Sisi-Straßen”). One is connecting German city of Regensburg with Gödöllö, the second connects former Austro-Hungarian harbor city of Trieste (Italy) via German cities of Augsburg and Niederwittelsbach with Gödöllö, and the third connects Swiss city of Geneva, where Empress Elizabeth, the famous Sisi, was murdered, in 1898, with Gödöllö (information: www.sisi-strasse.info).
Gödöllö (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 park of remembrance is dedicated to „Sisi“, who was also the Queen of Hungary (1837 – 1898).
Today, the Palace is 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).
(See also sections Budapest, fortresses, and Budapest, sightseeing in and around Budapest)
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