Óvári Vár – Vár- és Intézménytörténeti Kiállítás

About the museum

The history of the castle of Magyaróvár goes back to Roman times, as a camp named Ad Flexum stood on the site of today's castle gate. Construction of the present castle began in 1364. The Ottomans burnt it down in 1529; between 1530 and 1544 it was rebuilt and fortified to the plans of the Italian military engineer Gian Maria del Napoli. In the 17th century it survived two sieges; in 1689 the Ottoman troops retreating from Vienna set it on fire, and it was then rebuilt. In 1766 Maria Theresa gave the Magyaróvár estate to her daughter, Maria Christina.

On 25 October 1818 Duke Albert Kázmér of Saxony founded the agricultural higher education institution here, which several sources count among the first institutions of its kind in Europe. Today the castle is the only building in Hungary in which higher education is also carried on: it is home to the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the Széchenyi István University.

The permanent exhibition on the history of the castle and the institution, on the renovated ground floor, has three parts: “Alma Mater napjainkban” (Alma Mater Today) presents current courses and interviews with recent graduates; the castle-history section, within the walls of the vaulted Palatine's Hall (nádori terem), covers the building phases of the castle, the hardships of the Ottoman period and the Óvár branch of the Habsburg family; and the institutional history section presents the founder of the academy, the work of its great teaching staff and the traditions of agricultural science. The displays are complemented by trilingual texts, touchscreens and interactive elements.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition on the history of the castle and the institution, in the ground-floor rooms of the castle
• Castle history in the Palatine's Hall, between original stone columns and a cross-vaulted ceiling
• History of the agricultural academy founded in 1818 and its famous teachers
• Trilingual displays, touchscreens and interactive elements
• Strauss Kávézó and the castle's public courtyard and park

Permanent exhibition

• Vár- és Intézménytörténeti Állandó Kiállítás – In three parts, the rooms on the ground floor of the castle present current courses, the history of the castle from its construction to the present day, and the history of the agricultural academy founded in 1818.

Operated by

Széchenyi István Egyetem Mezőgazdaság- és Élelmiszertudományi Kar

Admission & discounts

Staff and students of the Széchenyi István University with a valid ID can visit the exhibition free of charge, as can members of professional associations of public collections with a national remit (with at least 400 members).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The ground-floor exhibition space and the café are accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The town is easily reached by Railjet trains running on the Vienna–Budapest line.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Strauss Kávézó in the castle.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

The castle courtyard, the castle stage (320 square metres) and several rooms in the castle, as well as the faculty's lecture halls and foyers, can be rented; wedding ceremonies may also be held within the castle walls.

Plan your visit