We have a thing for Medieval castles. Or, better said, I’ve always had a thing for them. From our early days together, Alex kept mentioning Eger and wanting to go there. We finally made it for our 3rd wedding anniversary (May 2015). And it did not disappoint!

We arrived in Eger, by train from Budapest, on a lovely , sunny day. Having looked at the forecast – and with previous experience of rain showers on our wedding day – , we decided to explore Eger Castle that afternoon.

Coming from the compact and picturesque square, follow the road and keep the Castle to your left. At the crossroads, make a left towards the entrance gate to Eger Castle. While not as mighty as it once was, it is surely still an impressive sight!

A Bit of History

Eger Castle was the last castle to fall to the Turks, but their mark is still strongly felt through the small Hungary. In 1552, a small Hungarian garrison led by Capitain István Dobó defeated the Turks and this great victory had become a novel (“Egri Csillágok “, translated as “Eger Stars “ or “The Eclipse of the Crescent Moon’”). Unfortunately, in 1596 the captain at that time handed the castle over to the Turks.

The minaret which is still standing in Eger dates to this period. During the Turkish rule, churches were converted into mosques and the castle was rebuilt.

The Turks rule started to crumble when they attempted to capture Vienna. The Habsburgs steadily expelled the Turks from the country. Eger Castle was starved into surrender in 1687 , just a year after Buda has been retaken.

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Tickets Info and What to Visit

In short, the entire castle. As you enter via the gate, look at your left: there is a map of the castle and what you can visit. That’s where the ticket booth is also located.

An adult ticket to visit the castle and the permanent exhibits costs 1800 HUF / 6.60 USD. These exhibits include History of Eger Castle Museum, Eger Art Gallery, The Casemates (only with a guide), The Baptistery, The Medieval Cathedral, Heroes Hall (only with a guide) and The Dungeon.

There are also private exhibits, for which you pay extra, but there is a ticket which comprises absolutely everything. These are: The ‘Eger Stars’ Wax Museum , The Mint and The Ispotály Cellar (cafe and 3D cinema).

The exhibits have a lot of info in English, make it easy for the travelers who don’t speak Hungarian to understand about the castle and its history. Unfortunately , the 3D Cinema is exclusively in Hungary. Still, at least the first film was easy to understand even for me, with my limited Hungarian proficiency. The films run at set hours so you will have some waiting to do (but that’s why there’s a cafe around).
For the guided tours, you need to check at an office located near the cafe. Unfortunately we missed both tours, as they were not available when we were visiting.

Checking out the view from the city walls is a must! This is included with the general ticket but it is also available separately as a cheaper ticket (but you cannot visit the exhibits).

It is up to you how you want to tackle the castle and exhibits. We first went to the 3D cinema , then The Eger Stars Panopticum – or a fun collection of wax characters from the novel mentioned above – and then took a break to enjoy coffee. It was now time to check out the exhibitions: we saw the History of Eger Castle Exhibition, checked out the Art Gallery , the Dungeon and the Castle Mint.

We only had to check out the walls and the ruins after this, including the remains of the Gothic Cathedral and The Baptistery . Plus a lot of time spent walking on the walks, soaking up the views and taking photos.
It took us about 4 hours to explore everything but we did take our time and enjoyed it.