The Gyula Castle was built in the 15th century and is now the only flatland brick castle in Central and Eastern Europe that is still intact. The castle is situated in a beautiful park and there is a lovely boating pond in front of it. Within the ancient walls of the castle there is an exceptional museum with 24 exhibition rooms that tell the history of almost seven centuries. The rooms include a dungeon, torture room, workshops, kitchen, pantry, a Lady’s Room, the Knights’ Hall, a Chapel, and other residential areas. There is a beautiful view of the city from the lookout tower. On a clear day you can admire the Bihar Mountains of neighbouring Romania from this vantage point. The castle was built by János Maróti and its extension is the legacy of János Corvin, the son of the great Hungarian king, Matthias. It was he, who had the cannon tower (rondella aka Corvin Bastion) built.
History reloaded
This more than 600-year-old fortification, used to be one of the three strongest forts in the country, along with the castles of Eger and Szigetvár. When the Turks attacked the castle, 2000 soldiers fought heroically for an unprecedented 62 days against a huge Turkish army. In 1566 the castle was eventually occupied by the Turks. Visitors can ring the bell of the Chapel in honour of the heroes of the siege. With the aid of interactive digital devices, you can reconstruct and visualise the siege and the layout of the 16th century castle.
