A nógrádi vár az Ipoly folyó által félkörívbe fogott Börzsöny belsejében megbújó Nógrád község névadó vára, amely a környező vidékből hatvan méterre kimagasodó, nagy területű fennsíkot koronázza.

A 11. század várépítkezéseinek megfelelően fagerendákból alkotott, kazettás szerkezetű, majd földdel töltött várfalak jelentették a védelem erejét. Így épülhetett a nógrádi ispánsági vár is.

Az évszázadokon át királyi kézben lévő birtokot Árpád-házi IV. (Kun) László adományozta a váci püspökségnek. A fennsík egyik sarkában – mély szárazárokkal elkerítve – létesült a belsővár, melynek jelenleg igen csonka maradványokban látható épületeit a 15. század második felében emeltette Báthory Miklós váci püspök. Ebben az időszakban készült el az a nagyméretű, három emelet magas öregtorony is, melynek csonkja messziről jellegzetessé teszi a nógrádi várromot.

A korabeli feljegyzések szerint a magas lakótorony mellett reneszánsz díszítéssel, minden kényelmi berendezéssel ellátott palotaszárnyat alakított ki Jacobus Tragurinus itáliai építőmester, de megfordult a nagyszabású munkálatokon Hunyadi Mátyás király udvari építésze, Giovanni Dalmata is. Az építkezések végét az 1483-as évszámmal jegyzett, sárkányos, farkasfog díszítésű Báthory-címer jelzi, amit a feltárás alkalmával találtak a belsővár feltöltődött árkában. A külsővár védelmét eleinte ágyúrondellák, majd a 17. századtól kezdve ó-olasz típusú bástyák látták el.

1544-ben a közeledő törökök elől megfutamodott a helyőrsége, visszafoglalására csak kerek ötven esztendő múltán került sor. Az Oszmán Birodalom csapatainak második megszállása 1663 őszén történt, amikor 27 napi ostrom után voltak kénytelenek feladni posztjukat a királyi zsoldosok. Az 1685. évnek egy nyári viharában villám csapott a belsővár magas öregtornyába, felrobbantva az ott tárolt puskaport. Az óriási robbanás teljesen megsemmisítette a belsővárat, ezzel gyakorlatilag védhetetlenné téve azt. Ezzel katonai jelentőségét végleg elvesztette, falait a könyörtelen időjárás és a környékbeli lakosság bontó kezei fogyasztották meg.

1949-ben kisméretű ásatást végeztek a belsővár árkában, de a helyreállításra 1997-ig várni kellett. Ebben az időszakban egészült ki az új-olaszbástya, kapott védőtetőt a kerek rondella, és felállították az országzászlót. Nógrád vára – a magyar történelem ezeréves néma tanúja – öregtornyának messziről látható csonkjával várja a távoli múltra kíváncsi látogatókat.

Castle of Nogradi

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Drégely Castle (Hungarian: Drégely vára) is a 13th-century hilltop castle in Nógrád County, Hungary. It is in ruins, but being restored.

The ruin of Drégely Castle sits on a 440 metres (1,440 ft) high peak of the Börzsöny mountains in Hungary. The area is in the administrative territory of Drégelypalánk in Nógrád County. But it is easier to reach the castle from Nagyoroszi on surfaced road. The castle district is in the area of the Danube-Ipoly National Park.

The small castle was probably built by the Bozók branch of the Hunt-Poznan family in the second half of the 13th century, during the Árpád dynasty, by order of Béla IV. It was first mentioned as Latin: Castrum Dragul in a charter of 1285 as the possession of Demeter of the Hunt-Poznan family. The proprietors had to surrender to Máté Csák III in 1311. After the death of this oligarch in 1321 the castle was overcome by the army of Charles I of Hungary. At that time Drégely Castle served as the county dungeon and held the archives of Hont County.

In 1390 King Sigismund exchanged the castle with the Tary family for lands in Somogy county. Later the King reacquired Drégely because of the despotic measures of the Tary family and their castellan.

In 1438 Drégely was gained by the Archbishop of Esztergom. The high priest rebuilt the castle to be his hunting seat.

Drégely came under military control again after the fall of Buda in 1541. It became part of the border castle system designed to repel invaders of the Ottoman Empire. Archbishop Pál Várday spent much money to strengthen the castle. In 1543 Esztergom, the centre of the archdiocese, fell. Next year the castles of Vác and Nógrád fell too. Drégely became part of the first line of defence for the kingdom. In 1544 Várday appointed György Szondy to be castellan of the castle and the governor of the Drégely estate. Szondy tried to fortify the small fortress against Turkish invaders. Várday died in 1549, and the local guards were no longer paid regularly. In the same year lightning struck the castle, but it hardly damaged the walls or the gunpowder depot.

In 1552 Hadim Ali Pasha of Buda laid siege to the castle at Veszprém and captured it on 2 June. The Turkish army turned its attention to the castles of Hont and Nógrád counties. The army of Ali Pasha – about 10,000 to 12,000 strong – got below Drégely Castle on the morning of 6 July. The defenders of the castle consisted of 120 men hired by King Ferdinand and 26 warriors sent by the royal mining town of Banská Štiavnica (then Schemnitz or Selmec). Ali Pasha immediately called upon Szondy to surrender. After the Hungarian refusal Ali the castle's outer wooden wall be set on fire. Because of the first combat the defenders withdrew into the inner stone castle. At the following dawn, Turkish engineering corps built a counterfort on a place called Várbérc ("Castle Crag") where Turkish artillery started a cannonade against the castle gate using three cannon and six howitzers. The cannon fire continued for two days.

On 9 July 1552 the high castle gate and its tower collapsed. That was when Ali Pasha sent the priest Márton as envoy to persuade Szondy to surrender. Szondy refused again, but he sent his two pageboys accompanied by two noble Turkish captives to Ali. They brought the message that the castle would be defended until the last breath. Szondy asked Ali to educate the two boys in exchange for the release of the two Turkish prisoners, and for himself to be buried with full honours. As reply to Szondy's repeated refusal Turkish troops started a decisive attack on the castle. Szondy was shot in his knee and the subsequent bullet killed him. The defenders were killed until the last man. Drégeéy fell, but Ali paid tribute to the brave dead castellan.

During the siege of Drégely the royal army of about 8,000 camped at Levice (then Hungarian: Léva), but the commander of the army, Erasmus Teuffel, did not take any action to help the besieged castle. The fall of Drégely started a chain of defeats of castles of Hont and Nógrád counties. Ottoman troops conquered nine-tenths of the castles in the two counties in short order, because most of the defenders of the neighbouring castles deserted. At the end of the July there was an enormous gap in the Hungarian border castle system. The royal army belatedly tried to stop the Turkish troops at Plášťovce (then Palást) but in a two-days battle they were utterly routed, and 4,000 German and Italian warriors were deported to Istanbul.

The completely ruined stone castle of Drégely was not renewed. Turkish troops used its remnants as a watch-post for a while, then in 1575 built a new earth fortress in near village of Palánk. The castle hill returned to forest. The building lines of the former castle were disappearing.


Drégely Castle

Vysehrad - a small town in Hungary. The history of this fortress city is full of events, full of drama. 
Vysehrad is located on the right bank of the Danube north of Budapest. The main attraction of Visegrad - Visegrad famous castle, the former estate of the King of Hungary, Matthias Corvinus. At the city-fortress are several castles and the citadel. 
Visegrad city located on the border of the western territories and lands of the Slavic peoples. That is why, people's lives Visegrad, was never quiet: the constant invasion of enemies, siege heroically seasoned inhabitants, famous prisoners Salamon tower, and of course - the kidnapping of the Hungarian crown, got a huge response - this is far from a complete list of stories Visegrad fortress. 
Like many other castles of Hungary, Visegrad fortress erected after the Tatar invasion. But, the first foundation of the city, the castle was built, even in ancient times, the Romans, who lived on these lands, built fortifications to defend against enemies. 
This unique castle in Hungary, embodied in its architecture the best traditions of the southern German design. Nowadays, Visegrad Castle is a five-story museum, which is open to visitors. The most popular for tourists, the place is a citadel, fortress element Visegrad. In addition to the citadel in the fortress buildings include upper lock, lower castle, the royal palace. The building is located on the top of the citadel of the Castle Hill. All construction was carried out in the wrong geometry. Once visitors enter the territory of Visegrad fortress, the first thing they pay attention - a magnificent appearance and layout of buildings garden areas. 
Virtually all parts of the Visegrad fortress made ​​in the Gothic style: everywhere beautiful carved doors and frames, stained glass windows adorn the apple. Among the exterior design is dominated by the castle ornaments in the form of simple geometric shapes. Of particular interest is the roof of the fortress: tower design, like a needle stick into the sky. 
As for the interior of the Visegrad fortress, then, and here everything is presented in the Gothic style furniture era Gothic ponderous and simple in its execution. Basic furniture - bulky cabinets and chairs, tables regular shape (rectangular or round), massive beds. Carpet set, are practically everywhere, hiding tiled floor. 

  Visegrad fortress: periods of formation 

Despite the fact that the territory on which the fortress city, occupied Hungarians preserved original, Slavic, the name of this place: "high city". The first written mention of the Visegrad fortress dates to the beginning of XI century. 

During the reign of Karoly Robert of Anjou: building a royal residence 
Karoly Robert of Anjou took the throne after the king died Andras II, the last representative of the Árpád dynasty. During the reign of Karoly Robert, it was decided that, the capital of Hungary (instead of Buda), will be Vysehrad. It was after this event, in 1320, began significant for the city-fortress, change. The city became actively developed: the construction of a royal residence - the majestic palace, which, in consequence, hosted such distinguished guests as the King of Poland, Casimir III, Duke of Bavaria, Wittelsbach Henry and many others. However, with the death of Robert Karoly, and stopped development of the Visegrad fortress: King Lajos the Great (son of Robert Karoly), again, I would go back in, and left Visegrad fortress. 

During the reign of Matthias Corvinus: Renaissance castle 
King Matthias (Matthew) Corwin - ruler who breathed "new life" in Visegrad fortress. It was under his leadership was changed style walled city: in the architecture of the fortress, and in the interior, evident skill masters Renaissance style. Increasingly, guests of the king of the Visegrad fortress, became great artists: painters, poets, philosophers - the best minds of the Renaissance. 

Period of turmoil: the Turkish invasion 
Despite the fact that, initially, the fortress was of primarily defensive in nature, all fortification system collapsed under the onslaught of the Turkish invaders. Turkish invasion that occurred in the XVI century, brought to the walled city of devastation and poverty. Repeatedly attacked the forces of the Ottoman Empire, the citizens leaving their homes and flee. King's palace was completely destroyed, was almost destroyed and the fortress. 

Renaissance 
Many years Visegrad castle was in ruins. Its revival, which continues to this day, started in the XIX century. Connoisseurs of art called Visegrad castle paradise on earth: 350 luxury rooms, with practically completely restored interior, allow visitors to enjoy the beauty and feel all the solemnity of the atmosphere that prevailed in the abode of kings. Stories about the magnificence of the palace quickly spread beyond Hungary. Visitors arriving in Visegrad fortress take back with them not only souvenirs, but a lot of positive emotions and from what he saw. Wineries Visegrad fortress - one of the places most frequented by tourists. In the courtyard there is a chapel and a system of fountains. According to one local legend, during feasts, instead of water, fountains filled with wine. 
Tourists visiting Vysehrad, and today can experience the atmosphere of the past. Every year in early July, the Visegrad fortress hosts the International joust. Participants theatrical action returns during the Middle Ages. Warlike knights, dressed in powerful armor, skillfully managed with their racers, while masterfully wielding weapons, compete for the heart of his beloved lady. Exhibitions artisans - good chance to buy a unique handiwork of craftsmen. In addition, the program includes a variety of pageant competitions, participate in that can be anyone: Competition troubadours Competition Dodgers match at halberd and much more. And, already, after an exciting program, raging hunger will help meet the chef restaurants located within the county. All dishes are prepared according to medieval recipes.