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Castle of eternal love in szekesfehervar. Castle of Eternal Love Hungary Bory

In 1923 the architect and sculptor Jeno Bory (Bory Jenő) began building a castle on a hill in the suburb of Szekesfehervar - Öreghegy, in a rural area covered with vineyards. The erected building was named Bori Castle (Bory-vár). This site, with a small house, he bought back in 1912. For 36 years, Jeno Bory (Bory Jenő), with several helpers, built a castle in which various architectural styles.

Today this amazing building is perceived as a symbol eternal love.

Jeno Bory (Bory Jenő) erected a monument to his artistic dreams and marital love. Numerous images of his beloved in sculptures, paintings and poems carved on the stones of the castle and dedicated to her testify to his indefatigable fantasy, the high feeling that Jeno (Jenő) experienced for his wife - Ilona Komoksin (Ilona Komoksin). Everything here is imbued with a romantic atmosphere, every stone of the building glows with the energy of love.

The walls of the castle are painted with frescoes, busts of famous Hungarian architects and painters are placed on the terraces, sculptures of Hungarian kings, Jeno Bory (Bory Jenő) and Ilona Komoksin (Ilona Komoksin) are installed along the walls and in the garden.

The castle, like most of the sculptures, was built from monolithic concrete, which at the beginning of the 20th century was considered modern building materials.

Borie Castle is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. This is the largest building that was built by one person with his own hands.

Bori castle address:
8000 Székesfehérvár Máriavölgy út 54.

Bori Museum-Castle opening hours:
Every day - until October 28 from 9:00 to 17:00 From October 29 to November 12 from 9:00 to 16:00
From November 13 - winter holidays.

Price entrance ticket to Bori Castle:
Adult - 1000 Ft

Companion - 500 Ft
(1-2 parents or close relatives accompanying at least two people under the age of 18).

Ages 6-26 - 500 Ft
Age 62-70 - 500 Ft

Less than 6 years - free.
Over 70 years - free.
Teachers are free.

On the outskirts of the Hungarian city of Szekesfehervar stands an unusual castle.

The area here is semi-rural - semi-rural: private houses, front gardens, and no hint of a castle. Even standing in front of the gate with a sign, you are a little perplexed: well, where is he?

And then you go into the yard, turn the corner - and gasp. And indeed - a knight's castle with turrets, donjons, covered galleries. Steps lead to it, and on the terraces in front of the castle there are flower beds, trimmed shrubs and benches in secluded corners.

The castle is beautiful and unusual. And the most amazing thing is that this grandiose building was actually built by one person. He, of course, had assistants on different stages construction, but the lion's share of the work was done by him himself - Jeno Bori, a sculptor, architect, builder - in general, an Artist in the broadest sense of the word.

He built his castle for 40 years - with breaks for world wars and other circumstances. I built it in my free time. At the same time, he worked on orders, taught at the Royal Hungarian School of Drawing, at the Royal Technical University, for some time he was the rector of the Hungarian University fine arts.

The land with the house and the vineyard was purchased in 1912, and the construction was completed in 1959. Bori turned 80 that year, and he died in December of the same year.

When asked how he managed to build such a palace on his own, he answered: the whole secret is in the use of concrete. If there were no cement, there would be no castle. And yet…

They say moved them great power love - to his wife Ilona, who became his muse. Indeed, everything here is filled with the image of this woman. Sculptures, bas-reliefs, portraits with her image are found here at every step.

However, historical and mythical characters also "registered" in this castle. There is a naked Cain with bloodied hands. Sculptures of Hungarian kings lined up along the open galleries along the perimeter of the courtyard. Warriors, heroes, sorcerers, animals, multi-figure and small-figure compositions intertwined in the space of the castle and took their places. In the covered galleries of the inner courtyard, there are replicas of Jeno Bori's sculptures that he has ever made to order.

So let's take a walk around the castle.

At the entrance, visitors are greeted by the first batch of sculptures installed on the lawn.

Mannequin Pis is hiding in the bushes

Behind him is a young woman with a spiritual face. Ilona, wife and muse

The castle is located on a small hill.

You can climb to the right along the wall along the ladder. It's like a private passage.

The main entrance is on the left, through the flower beds, along a wide slope.

One way or another, you find yourself in a spacious rectangular courtyard - solemn and elegant.

The Twin Tower was built and named after the twin daughters: Ilona and Clara.

Galleries with sculptures

We rise to the upper galleries

Kings and queens

From the top you have a view of Szekesfehervar.

Numerous passages, stairs, bundles of spaces, exits to open galleries and into the halls. A scattering of some signs that you want to read.

The “heart” of the castle is the Family Chapel, where Ilona is represented as Madonna, and the muses of great geniuses crowd behind her: Mona Lisa da Vinci, Rembrandt Saskia’s wife, Rubens’ wife Elena Fourmant and Fornarina, Raphael’s vicious lover, turned into a saint by the Master’s brush ( "Sistine Madonna").

Before visiting the castle, I had not heard anything about the sculptor Bori, nor about the work of his hands.

There are examples of superhuman efforts in this world, something that is difficult for an ordinary person to imagine. I won't talk now about the artistic value of the castle - undoubtedly high. It pleases the eye, surprises and delights.

It remains beyond understanding how a common person could build this! Within one human life, without any exorbitant money (kings and nouveau riches, of course, can afford such a luxury, but - a teacher?), without construction teams and equipment!

Smooth and creative burning, non-stop, life-long. Doing, doing, doing. Was it only love that moved them? I don't know anything about these people. Ilona was also an artist, creative person. But, tell me, if for 40 years your beloved husband spent every free minute at a construction site, you would not have prayed in the end: “Darling, spend this day with me and the children, don’t go to the construction site, leave your castle!” I would beg. I'd hate this castle taking my lover away from me. As does every ordinary citizen. As a result, "No fairy tales will be told about you, No songs will be sung about you."

I think this castle is an expression of love and, above all, mutual understanding of two people. Ilona understood that her husband was obsessed, that he was married primarily to his castle, this is an expression of his creativity. The creation of the castle became the meaning of life for her husband. She accepted this - whether by virtue of spiritual kinship, or great love.

A beautiful story about love, a tale of perseverance and burning, an example of what obsession is able to accomplish and what beauty a single person can fill space in a single life.

Jeno Bori and his family (photo taken from Wikipedia)

Before his death, Jeno asked his grandchildren that when they and Ilona are buried, put a window between their graves so that they can always look at each other. Well, all of a sudden...

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Szekesfehervar. The city of kings, their residence and place of coronation, the tomb of the Hungarian rulers. And for us, first of all, the name Szekesfehervar is difficult to remember. The reason to look here on the way from Miskolc to Heviz was an intriguing place - Bori Castle

Architect's family

With beloved Ilona

Can one man build a castle with his own hands? A reasonable answer is a resounding no. But it turns out that there are no barriers for a passionately and sincerely loving man. A worthy confirmation of this is the castle of Borivar. At first glance, it seems that he came to today from a fairy tale. And it is impossible to imagine that the artist Jeno Bori built it himself, from the first to the last stone.

At first, the inhabitants of the city openly laughed at the strange neighbor, but soon the mockery was replaced by boundless respect. He became the only person in the world who built a house of this magnitude alone. And all for the sake of his only, beloved wife Ilona

Jeno Bory - Hungarian architect and sculptor, teacher, professor, rector of the Hungarian Royal School of Drawing (now the Hungarian University of Fine Arts (1943-1945).

Bori Column in Szekesfehervar

Between 1906-1944 he created more than 185 works of sculpture, mainly in Szekesfehervar and Budapest. Participated in collective exhibitions. Received several national and international awards.

The pinnacle of J. Bori's work is considered to be the castle he built in Szekesfehervar, which is called the castle of eternal love, since Jeno Bori dedicated this creation to his beloved wife Ilona. The construction of the castle lasted for 40 years, from 1912 to 1959 (with a break during the First World War). The construction was carried out personally by J. Bori himself with several assistants.

Bori Castle is the only one of the architectural sights of the city of Szekesfehervar, created in the 20th century. The building is made in an eclectic style, but at the same time harmonious. Located in the northeast of the city, away from the center.

Bori Castle. In its silhouette, various architectural styles are harmoniously combined: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and the walls, columns, domes and even sculptures richly decorating the terraces and balustrades are made of concrete. However, the most amazing thing is that this castle was built by the hands of one man, who for almost forty years tirelessly erected its walls and towers as a symbol of eternal love for his chosen one.

At the beginning of the century, the architect and sculptor Jeno Bory decided to build for his young, charming wife, a castle in the vicinity of Szekesfehervar, around a small house, which he acquired in 1912.

But first World War delayed the execution of this plan for ten years. Enyo Bori had to put on a military uniform and go to Serbia, pitted with trenches. Fortunately, the service at the front was not long: the Architect was transferred to Sarajevo, where he was to complete a number of monumental projects commissioned by the imperial family.

The castle is a truly grandiose and majestic building, which harmoniously combines a variety of architectural styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance

On its territory there are more than 500 various works created both by Jeno Bori himself and by his wife and daughter Clara, and most of them are images of Ilona, created by her husband's hand and decorating every room, every courtyard of Bori Var.

Numerous images of Ilona Bori, the wife of the architect, in sculptures, paintings or poems dedicated to her and carved on the stones of the castle, every corner of it tells about the high feeling that he had for his beloved.

The real temple of Love and the heart of the Bori Var castle has become a chapel, the center of which is sculptural composition: Ilona in the image of the Madonna stands with her head half lowered, and an angel perched at her feet, in which Jeno imprinted himself. On the wall behind the sculpture, beauties of the past, yellow with envy, are depicted, among which there are easily recognizable images of Leonardo da Vinci's Gioconda, Raphael's Fornarina, Rembrandt's Saskia and Rubens' Helena Fourman.

Above the entrance to interior spaces The inscription is inscribed: “Love is God. God is Love”, and next to it are two niches with busts of Jeno and Ilona. He looks lovingly at his wife, and she, as usual, lowered her eyes, and the same mysterious half-smile plays on her lips.

At the same time, this castle is evidence of the architect's love for his homeland, for its history and culture. In the garden, on the terraces and under the arcades of the castle, the artist's studio displays more than 500 works of art made by Bory himself, his wife and daughter.

Walking through the castle, the visitor, as it were, passes through historical eras, coming into contact with their symbols, with the heroes who identify their glorious pages, with the artists and thinkers who have preserved their history for us.

In the garden, among the sculptures, there are fragments of bombs and shells that destroyed what was supposed to bring joy to people. Next to the tombstones of Turkish soldiers who trampled the land of Hungary for 150 years, a monument Soviet soldier, who corrected artillery fire from one of the towers of the castle and died for the liberation of foreign land.

On the terraces of the castle there are busts of famous Hungarian architects, painters and sculptors who defined the European face of Budapest and glorified Hungarian culture.

The walls are decorated with frescoes depicting the essence of various ideologies, scenes of heated battles, and the sublime spirit of romantic dreams.

The sword of Damocles hanging between the towers of the castle reminds us of the moral qualities of a person, and the elephant holding the earthly sphere reminds us of the progress of human thought.

The sculptures of the Hungarian kings, lined up along the perimeter of the fortress walls, seem to tell about the glorious and tragic moments of Hungarian history.

From the cloudy height of the castle towers, a soothing panorama of the surroundings opens up. The time spent in the romantic walls of this castle allows us to shake off the hustle and bustle of worldly everyday life, worries and sorrows.

The castle turned out the way Bori imagined it to be. Galleries and arches entwined with flowers, fabulous turrets with bright stained-glass windows in round windows and decorated railings of narrow stairs. sculptures strange creatures who smile mysteriously from niches hidden in the greenery of grapes ... Enyo Bori continued the construction of the castle until his death, which occurred in 1959.

Ilona died at 89...But the lives of both of them are still in this castle. In the walls built by the hands of Yene Bori for her beloved. In countless portraits of Ilona. In luxurious flowers, which are now looked after by the grandchildren of Jena and Ilona.

In the smiles of the newlyweds who come here - in search of beautiful background for wedding photos? or a fairy tale that one day loving man managed to make it a reality for his beloved?

The reconstruction of the castle, which fell into disrepair in 1980, was started by the seven grandchildren of J. Bori. They set up a foundation and, with the help of various grants, were able to restore the castle to virtually its original state.

Its atmosphere of love for one's neighbor makes the soul purify, making it more receptive to the high impulses that are characteristic of every normal person who has lived through this crazy 20th century.

Here is the aforementioned tower of twins, standing somewhat separately, and then connected by an arched passage to the castle. Under it you can go into a small courtyard covered with ivy. People take pictures of each other under a hanging sword and a cast bas-relief of an arch. Only God is great, says the inscription on it.

Ilona lived 89 years, outliving Jena by 15 years. But their whole life was preserved in this castle. In the walls, in the portraits of Ilona, in the flowers, which are now being looked after by the grandchildren of Ilona and Jena. The fairy tale that a loving man managed to translate into reality for his beloved has been preserved in everything.

P. Szabó Ernő: A várépítő szobrász, Bory Jenő későn született albumáról, Árgus, 2002/5.

Prohászka László: Bory Jenő Prohászka-érmei, Árgus, 2003/03.

Some photos: zhelvetro.blogspot.ru, budapest-hu.ru

Updated 02/07/2019

In the article I will tell you about Bori Castle in Szekesfehervar and others interesting places in the vicinity of the city. You will learn why the castle is called a symbol of eternal love, how to see the ruins of an ancient Roman city and where to find a museum where everything is made of aluminum.

Bori Castle in Szekesfehervar is not located in the city center, so I didn’t talk about it in the article about the sights of Szekesfehervar (you will find a route to get to know the city and a map). From historical center city to Bori castle 5 kilometers. I’ll tell you how to get there below, but for now, the history of the castle and its creator.

Enyo Bori - architect and loving husband

Enyo Bori is a Hungarian architect and sculptor who worked in the first half of the 20th century. He graduated from the sculptural department of the Hungarian School of Drawing, in his youth he traveled to Germany and Italy, where he studied art. marble sculpture. Then he met his future wife Ilona, who was also an artist.

During the First World War, Jenö Bori was drafted into the army, he became the official war artist in Sarajevo. For 30 years, Bori worked at the Hungarian Royal School of Drawing, for some time he headed the Hungarian University of Fine Arts.

belongs to his hand whole line sculptures and memorial plates, many of which are installed in Szekesfehervar and Budapest. For example, in the Várfal park, where the route of walking around the city begins, there is a sculpture of his authorship. They call it that - the Bori column.

The most important creation of Enyo Bori is the castle he built, which is called the castle of eternal love. The architect dedicated it to his beloved wife Ilona. The construction of the castle was carried out intermittently for several decades. Enyo Bori erected the building personally, he had only a few assistants. The architect was also assisted by his wife Ilona. Her paintings adorn the interiors of Bori Castle. Hungarians say that Bori Castle is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest building erected by one person.

Enyo Bori died in 1959 in his native Szekesfehervar. Bori Castle was completed after his death. Now it belongs to the descendants of the architect. Yeno's beloved wife, Ilona, outlived her husband by almost 15 years; she died in 1974.

History of Bori Castle

Jenö Bori acquired the plot of land on which he hoped to build the castle in 1912. But his plans were interrupted by the First World War. As a result, construction began only in 1923. Very soon, the fame of the architect who builds the castle with his own hands spread throughout the country. Curious people began to come to Szekesfehervar to look at the creation of Bori. Soon the name stuck to it - Bori Castle (Bory-vár). The main inflow of funds for the construction came from the sale of paintings and sculptures.

In the decoration of the castle, Enyo Bori widely used reinforced concrete, which was an innovation. Railings, stairs, towers, statues and more - all created using reinforced concrete.

Bori Castle in Szekesfehervar has seven towers, about 30 rooms, in which sculptures, paintings and other works of art are placed. And everywhere there are images of the beloved wife, the architect Ilona. It is not surprising that the name Castle of Eternal Love has become a landmark. One of the towers of Bori Castle is dedicated to twins who were born in the family of an architect.

Useful information for visiting Bori Castle

Official site: bory-var.hu.

Address: Mariavölgy 54.

Working hours: I recommend looking at the current time of the castle on the website (the address is indicated above), since in winter time he does not work. In the warm season, access to the attraction is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.

Entrance ticket price

Adult (from 26 to 62 years old) - 1500 forints (if you accompany at least two children under 18 years old, then 700 forints).
Children and students - 700 forints.
Pensioners - 700 forints.
Children under 5 years old and people over 70 years old - free of charge.

How to get to Szekesfehervar

From the railway station - bus number 31 (further 500 meters on foot) and number 32 (further 120 meters on foot).
From the bus station - bus number 26A (further 120 meters on foot).
By car - I marked a point on the map below, with the help of it it is easy to build a route from Budapest or from the center of Szekesfehervar.

How to get to Szekesfehervar i. There you will also find information about hotels in the city and places for dinner.

Attractions around Szekesfehervar

On the outskirts of Szekesfehervar and its environs there are many attractions. If you have time, I advise you to look into everything, well, or into those that arouse interest and desire.

Gorsium Open Air Museum

15 kilometers from Szekesfehervar are the ruins of an ancient Roman city, turned into a museum under open sky Gorsium (Herculia). Reference point - locality Tats. The official name is Gorsium Régészeti Park.

Excavations of the ancient Roman city began in the middle of the 20th century. During them, historians found out that at first the ancient Romans set up a military camp here, and then founded the city of Gorsium. In 260 AD, the city was destroyed by the barbarians, 30 years later it was revived, but it was already called Hercuia. The city fell into decay at the same time as the fall of the Roman Empire.

In the 20th century, archaeologists unearthed the remains of city walls and gates, streets, a forum, several temples and other buildings. You can walk along all these places.

Working hours

April 1 to October 31 - from 10:00 to 18:00.
November 1 - March 31 - from 10:00 to 16:00.
Monday is a day off.

Entrance ticket price

Adult – HUF 1,200
Students/pensioners - 600 forints.
Free on national holidays in Hungary - March 15, August 20 and October 23.

Museum of the Aluminum Industry in Szekesfehervar

The Aluminum Industry Museum (Alumíniumipari Múzeum) opened on the outskirts of Szekesfehervar in 1971. Initially, it was a small exhibition that aroused great interest. Therefore, they decided to make the museum on a permanent basis, a special building was allocated for it. The museum has collected many documents and photographs that tell about the development of the aluminum industry. But the most interesting thing in the museum, of course, is its exhibits. The museum also collects works of art related to aluminum for display.

Address: Zombori út 12.

Entry fee: 600 forints full ticket, 300 forints - preferential.

Working hours: Tuesday - Sunday - from 10:00 to 15:00, Monday - day off.

How to get there: buses No. 17 and No. 22, stop Szivárvány Óvoda, then 3 minutes on foot.

Ethnographic Museum of Szekesfehervar

The Szekesfehervar Ethnographic Museum (Palotavárosi Skanzen) is located near the historical center and is easily reached on foot. If you are interested in the history of Hungary, its culture, want to know how the Hungarian peasants and artisans lived, then you are here. The museum is a small street with buildings from the past. Small houses, barns, other buildings. The interiors of the buildings also correspond to historical reality.

Address: Rac utca 11.

Working hours: Tuesday - Sunday - from 10:00 to 18:00, Monday - day off.

Entrance ticket price: 600 forints, but pre-registration is required. You can check with the Tourist Information Center at the Town Hall Square of Szekesfehervar.

Firefighting Museum

The Fire Museum (Tűzoltó Múzeum) is located right in the building of the fire department. The exposition presents sets of uniforms of Hungarian firefighters, as well as the tools they used in their work. For example, plumed helmets, which were once required to be worn by all firefighters.

Address: Szent Florian körut 2.

Working hours: daily from 08:00 to 17:00.

Bori Castle and other museums on the map

Marked on the map Bori Castle in Szekesfehervar and all the museums about which in question in the article. With the help of the map it is convenient to build a route, calculate travel time and not get lost.

Have fun walking around Szekesfehervar and its environs.

Always yours, Daniil Privolov.

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But the First World War delayed the execution of this plan for ten years. Enyo Bori had to put on a military uniform and go to Serbia, pitted with trenches. Fortunately, the service at the front was not long: the Architect was transferred to Sarajevo, where he was to complete a number of monumental projects commissioned by the imperial family.

After the war in 1923, he was finally able to start fulfilling his dream. Construction progressed slowly. Working only on weekends, doing almost everything with his own hands, Enyo Bori created this monument of eternal love until the end of his days.

Walking through the castle, the visitor, as it were, passes through historical eras, coming into contact with their symbols, with heroes who identify their glorious pages, with artists and thinkers who have preserved their history for us.

In the garden, among the sculptures, there are fragments of bombs and shells that destroyed what was supposed to bring joy to people. Next to the tombstones of Turkish soldiers who trampled the land of Hungary for 150 years, there is a monument to a Soviet soldier who corrected artillery fire from one of the castle towers and died for the liberation of foreign land.

On the terraces of the castle there are busts of famous Hungarian architects, painters and sculptors who defined the European face of Budapest and glorified Hungarian culture.

The walls are decorated with frescoes depicting the essence of various ideologies, scenes of heated battles, and the sublime spirit of romantic dreams.

The sword of Damocles hanging between the towers of the castle reminds us of the moral qualities of a person, and the elephant holding the earthly sphere reminds us of the progress of human thought.

The sculptures of the Hungarian kings, lined up along the perimeter of the fortress walls, seem to tell about the glorious and tragic moments of Hungarian history.

The castle turned out the way Bori imagined it to be. Galleries and arches entwined with flowers, fabulous turrets with bright stained-glass windows in round windows and decorated railings of narrow stairs. Sculptures of strange creatures that smile mysteriously from niches hidden in the greenery of grapes ... Enyo Bori continued the construction of the castle until his death, which occurred in 1959.

Ilona died at 89, outliving her husband by 15 years.

But the life of both of them is still in this castle. In the walls built by the hands of Yene Bori for her beloved. In countless portraits of Ilona. In luxurious flowers, which are now looked after by the grandchildren of Jena and Ilona.

In the smiles of newlyweds who come here - looking for a beautiful backdrop for wedding photos? or a fairy tale that once a loving man managed to make a reality for his beloved?...

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