Today we leave Eger traveling from right to left skirting Budapest to visit a palace and a little laid back artsy village ending up in Leánfalu for the night, about a hundred mile trip.
The circa-1733 Royal Palace of Gödöllő, or Grassalkovich Castle, is an imperial and royal Hungarian palace located in the municipality of Gödöllő in Pest county, central Hungary. It had a good run of almost 200 years of intended use, and then after 1945 the palace, like many other buildings in Hungary, fell into decay. Soviet and Hungarian troops used the building, some of the beautifully decorated rooms were used for an old people's home, and the park was divided into smaller plots of land. After the fall of communism in 1990, reconstruction and rejuvenation commenced.
Here's a Wiki obtained aerial view of the castle/palace:
(The above picture is © copyright Civertan Grafikai Stúdió (Civertan Bt.), 1997-2006.; http://www.civertan.hu/
It has been verified that Wikipedia Commons user Civertan is controlled by Civertan Grafikai Stúdió and that it is allowed to relicense content copyrighted to this organization. The free-use license may be viewed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Palace_of_Gödöllő#/media/File:Godollocivertanlegifoto3.jpg The photo is unedited except for J-Pegging, and cropping.)
It has been verified that Wikipedia Commons user Civertan is controlled by Civertan Grafikai Stúdió and that it is allowed to relicense content copyrighted to this organization. The free-use license may be viewed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Palace_of_Gödöllő#/media/File:Godollocivertanlegifoto3.jpg The photo is unedited except for J-Pegging, and cropping.)
Lots of time and money have brought much of the past elegance back.
Here's a nice royal chapel. And another one of those fancy heating appliances we've seen many times before in these large sprawling palaces and castles - servants stoke a fire from behind the walls.
A viewing chamber where the head royals could view the chapel goings on without mingling with their minions.
Arrrrgh, I'm a bear rug.
They have period clothing available for those who wish to have fantasy photos taken.
Now in the rear gardens, briefly, before we press on today.
Moving on westward, crossing the Danube River, immediately north of Budapest.
We arrive in Szentendre, a riverside town in Pest County, Hungary, between the capital city Budapest and the Pilis-Visegrád Mountains. The town is known for its museums, galleries, and artists. With its historic architecture and easy rail/river access, it is popular a destination for tourists staying in Budapest. There are many facilities, including souvenir shops and restaurants, catering to these visitors.
The town is located on a side-channel of the Danube River. Here's a pier that adjusts to the river's annual level changes.