Fodor's Expert Review Széchenyi kastély
Vienna Woods, Lake Neusiedler, and the Danube River
Historic Home
This pretty manor house, situated 13 kilometers (eight miles) southeast of Sopron, is the family seat of the Széchenyi family. Mostly completed in the neoclassical style but heavily rebuilt after World War II, the property is now home to the Széchenyi Museum, which tells the family's story through reconstructed rooms and period furnishings. The star of the show is Count István Széchenyi, known as the "Greatest Hungarian" for his achievements as a politician, writer, reformer, and generous patron: his money helped establish the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and build the Chain Bridge in Budapest. You'll find an immodest number of István portraits throughout the property, as well as interactive exhibits on some of his projects. Information within each room is scarce for non-Hungarian speakers, so be sure to pick up an English-language brochure on your way in.