Climb Castle Hill above the Danube, walk the cobbled courtyards of the Royal Palace first founded by King Béla IV in 1265, and step inside the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. Marvel at the gilded St Stephen's Hall, take the historic funicular up the hillside, and look down on the Chain Bridge, Parliament and the river from one of Europe's most photographed viewpoints. Book your skip-the-line ticket in seconds.
Buy TicketsBuda Castle (Budavári Palota) crowns Castle Hill on the Buda side of the Danube, a vast Royal Palace complex first built by King Béla IV between 1247 and 1265, expanded into a Renaissance court by King Matthias Corvinus, blown apart in the 1686 Christian reconquest, rebuilt in Baroque under the Habsburgs, gutted again in the 1944–45 Siege of Budapest and reconstructed in the post-war decades. UNESCO listed the entire Castle Quarter in 1987. Today the palace houses the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum and the National Széchényi Library — and the cobbled courtyards and ramparts outside are free and open day and night. See our visitors guide, the latest opening hours and the best time to visit page to plan ahead.
The smartest way to visit Buda Castle and Castle Hill
Walk past the queue at the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum with a pre-booked timed-entry ticket. Both museums sell out on weekends and during the summer high season — booking ahead is the only reliable way in.
Add the official audio tour in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Hungarian — guided commentary on the palace history, the royal apartments and the masterpieces inside the National Gallery.
Plans change. Cancel up to 24 hours before your visit for a full refund — no questions, no fees, no fine print.
Show your ticket directly from your phone at the museum entrance on Szent György tér. No printing, no paper, no queueing at the box office.
Of all the spaces in Buda Castle, the most arresting is the recently reopened St Stephen's Hall. Designed by Alajos Hauszmann at the turn of the 20th century, with neo-Gothic gilded panelling, an emerald-green tiled fireplace and seven monumental Zsolnay-tile portraits of medieval Hungarian kings, it was destroyed in the 1944–45 Siege of Budapest and lay in ruins for almost 80 years. After a meticulous 15-year reconstruction using the original blueprints, it reopened in 2021 — and stepping inside is now the unanimous highlight of any visit to the palace.
Access is via a timed-entry guided ticket of around 30 minutes; tickets are limited and sell out days ahead in summer. The hall sits within the western (Habsburg) wing of the palace, a short walk from the Lion Courtyard and the entrance to the Budapest History Museum.
Visit Buda Castle in 3 simple steps
Pick a date and 30-minute timed-entry slot at the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum or St Stephen's Hall. Add an audio guide, a guided palace walk, or a combo ticket bundled with the Castle Hill Funicular at the foot of the hill.
Secure checkout with instant email confirmation. Your mobile ticket arrives in minutes, ready to scan at the museum door — no waiting in any queue, no printing required.
On the day, head up Castle Hill — by funicular, on bus 16 from Deák tér, or on foot via the Király lépcső steps from Clark Ádám tér — and show your mobile ticket at the museum entrance on Szent György tér. Drop large bags at the cloakroom and walk in.
Everything you need to know before your visit
