Gödöllő (Hungary)

Gödöllő is a town in the Budapest metropolitan area, in the Pest County. It is the administrative centre of the Gödöllő district. Its attractions include the Royal Palace and the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences. History In the 18th century, Gödöllő belonged to Count Antal Grassalkovich, an adviser to Empress Maria Theresa. In the 1730s, the count conceived the idea of creating a Catholic town with a magnificent palace at its centre. Construction began in 1733. The work continued for over 25 years and was completed in 1760. The palace became a masterpiece of Hungarian Baroque architecture. A vast park was laid out around it. When the line of the Grassalkovich princes came to an end in 1841, the palace passed into the ownership of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elisabeth. They turned Gödöllő into a summer residence and renamed it the Royal Palace. From 1920 to 1944, the palace belonged to the Regent of Hungary, Miklós Horthy. During the Second World War, the building suffered severe damage and lay derelict for a long time. Part of it was used as a care home, whilst another part served as storage facilities. After the war, the palace served as a base for Soviet military units. In 1990, they were withdrawn, and the palace remained abandoned. The area around the palace was built up with standardised housing typical of the socialist era, and it lost its original appearance. In 1994, work began on restoring the palace complex. By 2007, the main building and its interiors had been fully restored. Work is continuing on the side wings and the park’s pavilions. Attractions (5) Grassalkovich palace Grassalkovich Castle was built in the 18th century for Count Antal I Grassalkovich. In the second half of the 19th century, it served as the residence of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth (‘Sisi’). After the Second World War, the castle fell into disrepair, but restoration work began in 1996. Today, it is the largest Baroque palace in Hungary open to the public. The green space surrounding the castle was once divided into three parts. Opposite the main façade lay the lower park. Behind the ornamental courtyard lay the upper park, now known as the Castle Park. The area on the other side of the HÉV line, now Erzsébet Park, was known as the ‘Princely Pleasure Park’. Hamvay mansion The Hamvay-kúria houses the Gödöllő Town Museum and a cinema. The building was constructed in 1662, and in the mid-18th century, Grassalkovich added a second storey, converting it into a guest house. The cinema opened around 1930. From 1948, it housed a primary school, and the museum opened in the 1970s. The collection eventually took precedence over all other functions, apart from the cinema, and the building became a museum in 1988. The town market is situated in the museum’s courtyard. By the end of the 1990s, the building had been completely renovated. Agricultural University The Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences (Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem) in Gödöllő was founded on 1 February 2021 on the basis of the University of St Stephen (SZIE). The latter, in turn, was established on 1 January 2000 following the merger of several educational institutions. Arboretum It covers 190 hectares and was founded in 1902. Planting was completed in 1914, and until the Second World War it was considered Hungary’s largest dendrological garden. Since 1960, its area has increased to 350 hectares, 90 per cent of which is used for forestry research, whilst 10 per cent serves as a park area. In 2017, construction began on a narrow-gauge railway leading to the arboretum. Old railway station The refurbished Royal Railway Station in Gödöllő was opened on 18 June 2011. The refurbishment cost 1.34 million euros, of which 1.14 million was provided by the Norwegian Fund. How to get to? By train There are several railway stations in the town. Opposite the palace is the ‘Gödöllő, Szabadság tér’ stop, where the H8 commuter trains stop. In the southern part of the town is a modern station served by international and commuter trains (the H8 also stops here) as well as express trains. From here, you can reach Keleti Station in Budapest in just 30 minutes. Tickets for the H8 trains cost 500 forints (an additional 450 forints is charged for the 15 km zone). In total, the ticket will cost 2.67 euros at the exchange rate on 7 June 2026. For other trains, the prices are as follows: 745 forints (2.10 euros) for adults and 375 forints (1.06) for children. *Prices valid as of 1 January 2026. By bus You can get to the town from Budapest on the 402 bus. The bus stop is on Kacsóh Pongrác út, next to the Mexikói út metro station. A single journey costs 700 forints (1.97 euros), and a child’s ticket costs 350 forints (0.98 euros). By car From Budapest: 35 mins (30 km) via M3 Main information Region: Central Hungary (Pest County) Area: 61.92 km² Coordinates: 47°35’46.4‘N 19°20’52.5’E Languages: Hungarian Population: 32,410 Currency: Forint (HUF) Visa: Schengen Time zone: UTC+2 (Central European Summer Time, CEST) See also France travel guide Spain travel guide Catalonia travel guide Pyrenees travel guideThe post Gödöllő (Hungary) first appeared on All PYRENEES.