Nobody ever really ventures into the sedate neighbourhood of Aranyhegy (Golden Hill) if they don’t live there, which means most of us are missing out on one of Budapest’s strangest buildings. The Pogány-torony (Pagan tower) was built in 1934, on the corner of what are now the Jutas and Pogánytorony streets, close to the hill’s summit. It was the brainchild of the Turanian Society, founded in 1910, with the aim of reconnecting with the ancient, pre-Christian roots of the Hungarians. Legend has it that upon converting his kingdom to Christianity, Saint Stephen unleashed a curse of the ancient Hungarian shamans, whereby Hungarians would always remain divided until the return to their true, pagan faith.
Given the trauma of Hungary’s territorial loss after WWI, the Turanian Society felt the time had arrived, and planned the tower to be the first of many places of worship for the resurrected faith. The statue of a turul bird, the mythical totemic animal of Hungary, was placed on top, but it has sadly been lost. None of the other monuments were ever built, and today the tower is quite derelict and overrun with vegetation, surrounded by an eerie, Gothic folk-tale-meets-Tolkien charm.
The easiest transportation option is the regional train connection from Nyugati station to the Aranyvölgy stop, or alternatively bus 160 from Óbuda to the Kubik utca stop, from the first stop the tower can be reached by a 10-15 minutes’ walk, from the second, the walk lasts about 20-25 minutes.
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Find your way with 171 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
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The cave is famous for its funny-shaped dripstones, significant differences in levels & narrow corridors. Let your fantasy run free at the Fairy Tale hall.
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The coolest part of the gallery is the secret garden that I cherish for its peace and possibility to experience arts and nature simultaneously.
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The plaques with water markers set in stone refer to the most devastating flood of March of 1938 when water levels reached up to 2,6 meters high.
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The greatest part? Here you will see not only happy children of any age but also smiling adults that enjoy the place at least as much as kids, if not more.
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Check their program, as they have a lot of fun activities ranging from concerts, queer drag shows and performances to board game evenings and conferences.
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The place was a nest of all the alternative folks of Budapest who were hanging out there, criticizing the politics, organizing concerts and discussions.
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