Visegrad Castle
Visegrad Castle Visegrad Hungary. The Citadel (Fellegvár) and the Lower Castle The Visegrád double castle system is one of the
castles built by Béla IV recognizing the consequences of the Mongol invasion. The fortress preserved its significance until the Turkish invasions. The Citadel had a multifunctional role: it was protecting the valley of the Danube, it was controlling the main commerical route between Buda and
Esztergom, and also served as a custom’s house. The fortress consisted of two parts. The construction of the Lower Castle started under the reign of Béla IV around 1247. It was unique, as the
fortress was not located next to the road differing from the common traditions, but the road was crossing the territory of the castle. The most interesting part of the Lower Castle is the so called Solomon Tower. The Tower was named after a false story, stating that Solomon was guarded in this Tower after loosing in the battle for the throne against King Saint Laszlo and Geza. This unique Hungarian building was constructed based on a southern-
German design. Under the reign of Louis the Great King of Hungary, the famous bell-founder Konrád Gaal was operating in the fortress. Today the Tower is hosting a five-storey museum, introducing the history of
Visegrád to its visitors. www.visegrad.hu SKYtoLAND
