Photos of Royal Palace of Gödöllő

Godele is only 30 kilometers away from the capital Budapest. This small town is picturesque and famous for the palaces of King Joseph and Queen Elizabeth (Princess Sissi) of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 19th century. The palace was built between 1735 and 1749 and belonged to the noble Grassalkovich family. It was given as a gift to King Joseph and Queen Elizabeth in 1867, but often only Sissi lived. It is the largest Baroque building in Europe except for the Palace of Versailles. The whole building is elegant and atmospheric, and it is also the holiday palace that Princess Sissi loved during her lifetime. After that, it was repeatedly damaged by war and was almost looted in 1945. Only the interior of the church still retains its original appearance. The restoration work began in 1985 and continues to this day. The Manor of Godler Castle is arranged in a double U shape, the main building is in the middle, and there are four side halls on each side. The red roof and the exterior walls mainly in beige, pink and light yellow are very bright. To the north of the main building there is a church, orangery and baths, and to the south there is a park, stables and a horse farm. The palace has a total of 136 rooms. The royal bedroom and the ceremony hall are located in the main building, where many items of King Joseph and Princess Sissi were preserved, as well as many precious portrait paintings. After entering the palace, you can start the tour from the main building. The furnishings in the palace now restore the decoration of the year as much as possible. It is exquisite and elegant. Although it is not too luxurious, it is very comfortable. King Joseph's bedroom was decorated with yellow panelling and grey silk wallpaper, but the king was in Austria all year and did not come here very often. Sissi's suite is located on the second floor, and the walls and decorations are painted in the lilac color she loved when she was alive. The beautiful portrait of Princess Sissi hangs on the wall of the living room, and you can also see the portraits of various politicians who met with the princess. Next to the living room is the study, where you can learn about the scenes of Princess Sissi learning Hungarian language and Hungarian history. Go forward and you will see Princess Sissi's dressing room, where she keeps the clothes she used to wear when traveling and riding horses. Next is Sissi's bedroom, with a full-length portrait of Queen Maria Theresia. Go further and you'll see Sissi's reading room and the bedroom of her Hungarian teacher Ida Ferenczy, now used for the Sissi Memorial Exhibition. After visiting the palace exhibition, don't forget to take a walk in the large garden behind the palace. There is a large open green space, where lavender, hyacinths, daisies and other flowers are planted intermittently, which is very beautiful. There is a marble statue of Princess Sissi in the garden, and the trees along the road are lush, and it is very pleasant to walk in it. You can stop and rest in the cafe in the park, enjoy the beautiful scenery in the park, and imagine the scene of Princess Sissi riding her horse on the meadow.