Drégely Castle, Medieval fortress ruins in Börzsöny Mountains, Hungary
Drégely Castle is a ruined fortress sitting at 440 meters elevation on a hilltop that overlooks the Ipoly River valley in the Börzsöny Mountains. The remains show thick walls and defensive structures typical of medieval military architecture in the region.
The fortress was built in the 13th century by the Hunt-Poznan family and later reshaped by military pressures from Ottoman expansion. After 1541 it became a key outpost in the region's defense network against Turkish forces.
The name carries the memory of the 1552 defense, which became a source of pride in Hungarian history and inspired many artistic works. You can still feel this weight of meaning when walking through the ruins.
Two hiking trails lead up to the ruins; the southern path is shorter and less steep than the northern route. Bring sturdy shoes and allow time to explore, as the ground is uneven and there are no facilities on site.
Stone staircases carved directly into the rock face remain visible today, showing how medieval builders worked stone by hand. These hand-cut steps demonstrate the skill that workers possessed centuries ago.
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