18. April 2008.

Gyulavár Castle, which was built in the 18th century and was at the peak of its glory in the 19th century, was renovated in 2007 as a result of a massive investment of over HUF 500 million. Having undergone a major renovation, it evokes memories of a glorious past. The castle, a former residence of the Almássy Counts, is now open to visitors. It is the venue of permanent and temporary exhibitions. A chapel and a beautiful park are both there for the visitor to see. Unfortunately, history's sombre footprints are also present: little of the original furniture has survived the wars and the long decades that followed. Recreating the ambience of things past is more than a test of memory. Herend and its porcelain artefacts had always been objects of appreciation, artistic devotion and expertise of aristocracy and nobility alike. Hungarian aristocracy always had a soft spot for high quality Herend porcelain, which they used in their castles. Today the 'piping room' of Gyulavár Castle is the best positioned place to recreate the building’s alleged past ambiance, to recall the times when the Almássy family and their noble visitors had fun playing cards amid amicable chats shrouded in pipe smoke. From April 2008 on, 19th century Herend porcelain items can also be found there as our contribution to history revisited. These items, all with a history of memorable orders by members of the nobility, are part of the collection of the world's largest treasury of Herend porcelain items – the Herend Porcelain Museum. These objects perfectly blend in with the Castle interior, which has an ambiance of unmistakeable authenticity. A clock made of porcelain with a famous painted pattern bearing the name of Queen Victoria, and a unique tobacco set, decorated with a special technique bearing the name of the Esterházy Family, complete with a card box – these items are among the objects on display. Also among objects of particular interest is Queen Elizabeth's favourite Herend ornament. These splendid items of finesse and royal pieces of art are all on display in a place where they belong – the Gyulavár Castle. The visitor, if in the mood for an outing, should not miss out on the Almássy Castle, where the atmosphere of the past is unmistakeably present. The interior of the salon, furnished with items of Herend porcelain on display until the end of this year, is also well worth seeing as part of our visitors' snapshot of the past.

www.gyulavarikastely.hu

Related persons

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• Queen Victoria
• Queen Elisabeth