Törley Mansion, Budapest, Gothic Revival château in Budafok, Hungary
The Törley Mansion is a Gothic Revival château in Budafok, Budapest District XXII, built between 1890 and 1904 for sparkling-wine producer József Törley. It stands on a gentle west-east slope above the Törley champagne cellars and factory. A large tower with neo-Gothic ornament marks its south-eastern end, and the roof imitates the structure of English castles.
József Törley, the sparkling wine producer, had the mansion built in two main phases between 1890 and 1904. The first plans were drawn by Ray Rezső Lajos; after his death, his son ifj. Ray Rezső Vilmos completed the work. Törley died in 1907 before the interior was finished. His nephews inherited the estate, and after World War II the building was nationalized and given to the Soviet military command, which caused irreparable damage.
The mansion's dance and music hall, restored after 1956, now serves as a library and conference venue for the institute housed there. Törley's wife, Irén Sacelláry, had her own château next door, so the couple's two residences stood side by side above the sparkling-wine cellars and factory. The building has belonged to the state since the postwar nationalisations and has housed radiobiology research since 1957.
Public access to the site is limited since it houses a government institution, so certain areas are not open to visitors. It is best to check in advance what parts of the grounds can be viewed before planning your visit.
The building sits on a gentle west-east slope above the Törley sparkling wine cellars and factory complex. Its southeast end is attached to a large tower with neo-Gothic decoration, and the roof imitates the structure of English castles. Since 1957 it has housed the National Frédéric Joliot-Curie Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene, now part of NNGYK; the former dance and music hall serves as a library and conference venue.
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