The Károlyi Kastély in Fehérvárcsurgó is a heritage site where visitors can discover a chapter of European history, immerse themselves in the art de vivre of Hungary’s former nobility, and engage with today’s cosmopolitan and ever-evolving culture.

The Palace

VIRTUAL TOUR

EXPLORE THE PALACE

The Károlyi Kastély was designed in the 1840s by the Austrian architect Heinrich Koch, renowned for the many Neoclassical palaces he created in Bohemia and Hungary for some of the most prestigious families of the Austro-Hungarian nobility. In Fehérvárcsurgó, the U-shaped palace rises at the heart of a 50-hectare English landscape park.

Visitors can explore twelve historic rooms, as well as the chapel and the cellars that date back to the Baroque origins of the estate.

CULTURAL CENTER

A EUROPEAN HERITAGE SITE FOR CULTURE

More than a historic monument, the Károlyi Kastély is a place for exchange and discovery, actively contributing to the cultural life and development of the region, between Budapest and Lake Balaton.

Led by the Joseph Károlyi Foundation, the programme focuses on social sciences, the arts, music and nature. As a member of the European network of Heritage Sites for Culture, the Foundation’s mission is to open Hungary to Europe and Europe to Hungary.

A BRIEF HISTORY

THE MANY LIVES OF THE PALACE

The origins of the Fehérvárcsurgó estate date back to the 17th century. During the golden age of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the estate became a gathering place for aristocrats, political figures, and members of the cultural world, remaining so until the Second World War. The conflict marked a profound turning point: the palace was successively occupied by German and Soviet forces, before being nationalised by the communist regime and transformed into an orphanage.