A Magyaróvári Vár

The history of Magyaróvár Castle has Roman roots, as a castrum (camp) called Ad Flexum stood on the site of the present castle gate. Around 1250 a hexagonal unfortified residential tower was built, which was destroyed in 1290. The construction of the present castle began in 1364, which changed hands several times until 1522, when it was royal property for 6 years, and finally burnt down by the Turks in 1529. Between 1530 and 1544, the castle was rebuilt and its defences reinforced to meet the Turkish threat, according to the plans of the Italian military engineer Gian Maria del Napoli. At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, the L-shaped annexe, locally known as the castle captain’s building, was built next to the castle gate in a modified form. During the 17th century, the castle and its fortifications were improved several times. It survived two sieges during this period, once successfully repelling the forces of István Bocskai, who burnt the town, in 1605, but in 1619 it surrendered to Gábor Bethlen’s forces without a siege. It was rebuilt again and survived several sieges by the Kuruc armies until 1712, when it lost its military importance. The castle then belonged to the imperial court, and in 1766 Maria Theresa donated the Magyaróvár manor and its seat to her daughter, Maria Christina. In 1818, the building took its present form, the second floor was built in 8 years, and it was here that the predecessor of the university faculty, the Magyaróvár Higher Private Institute of Economics, was founded by Archduchess Maria Krisztina’s husband, Prince Albert Kazmér of Saxony-Teschen. In this way, the castle has served and continues to serve higher education purposes. In 1953 it was listed, in 1960 it was renovated, and after five years of archaeological excavation and wall research from 1973 onwards, it was restored in 1980 and was granted the status of a listed building in 1997. It is the only castle building in Hungary where higher education activities take place. The building is surrounded on the south, west and north sides by its surviving fortifications, its basement system, the castle garden (formerly a moat), the castle bridge and castle gate, and then the moat and the Lajta River.