Füzér Castle in the Zemplén Mountains, Hungary

© ZGPhotography/Alam

Fortress of solitude. Füzér Castle in the Zemplén Mountains, Hungary

Hungary is a country blessed with stunning landscapes and a host of historic castles. From the opulent Buda Castle in Budapest, with its commanding views of the Danube, to Eger Castle, renowned for its heroic defense against the Turks, each site has a story to tell.

Our homepage image shows one such stronghold, Füzér Castle, which crowns the Zemplén Mountains near Hungary's northern border and dates back to the 13th century. Perched at an elevation of over 1,800 feet above sea level, this castle stands on a mountain of volcanic origin. Here, within its ancient stone walls, the crown of Hungary was hidden following the country's defeat by the Ottoman Empire in the 1526 Battle of Mohács. After years of ruin, the castle's chapel was restored in 2016, and the keep was rebuilt to its former glory.