Siklós Castle
The first mention of the castle dates back to 1294. Archaeologists discovered its oldest parts in the cellar of the southern residential wing, which could have been the core of the early castle built by the descendants of Palatine Gyula from the Kán clan, as referenced in ancient charters. It was inhabited by the noble family who named themselves after their estate—Siklós—along with their servants. Siklós Castle is considered a product of the great castle-building era that followed the Mongol invasion. It must have been a significant fortress, as even the powerful Kőszegi clan’s troops could not capture it during a siege in 1316.
In 1387, the Siklós family opposed Sigismund of Luxembourg upon his accession to the Hungarian throne, which led to their being declared disloyal and having their castle confiscated. A few years later, the powerful Garai baronial family acquired the estate. They significantly expanded it and even surrounded the town below the castle with stone walls. In 1401, Hungarian nobles rebelled against Sigismund and held him captive in Siklós Castle after Visegrád. However, as the barons could not reach an agreement, local lord Miklós Garai advised restoring Sigismund to the throne. Sigismund never forgot this loyalty—he formed an alliance with Garai and sealed it by marrying two daughters of Lord Cillei to himself and Baron Garai.
By 1440, the castle’s defensive works had been completed, yet even John Hunyadi, the Voivode of Transylvania and supporter of King Władysław, was unable to capture it. After the Garai family line died out, King Matthias granted it to Duke John Corvin of Liptó, but by the early 16th century, it was in the hands of the noble Perényi family. Imre Perényi transformed the castle in Renaissance style and completed the construction of the castle chapel with Italian sculptors. In 1543, Sultan Suleiman’s vast army entered the castle after just three days of resistance. It was liberated from Ottoman occupation in 1686 during the Habsburg campaign to retake Buda. The castle lost its military importance only after the Rákóczi War of Independence. Because its owners were loyal to the emperor, it was not destroyed, but its inner residential buildings were significantly remodeled in the Baroque style.
From 1828, the castle was owned by the Batthyány family, and later purchased by Lajos Benyovszky, a lawyer from Bratislava. After his death, his son Count Móric Benyovszky inherited it. He played a significant public role, being elected three times as lord-lieutenant of Baranya County and as a member of Parliament. After his death, his widow, Lujza Benyovszky (née Batthyány), sold the castle to the Honvéd Treasury.
During World War II, British, American, and Polish prisoners of war were held there. After the war, the castle remained abandoned for a decade, only receiving its current function after archaeological excavations and restorations began in 1955. Successive owners transformed it into a splendid castle residence, following the architectural demands and styles of their time. Today, it houses a castle museum, hotel, and restaurant within its historic walls.
