13th-century Budapest Castle District cellar system to open

Guided tours may enter the 13th-century cellar system found to the northwest of the Budavár Palace from October. The specially lit, labyrinth-like complex contains medieval fountains and a 13th-century Jewish ritual bath. Much of the masonry and many of the archways were saved while most of the objects found, primarily statue and pottery fragments and jewelry, were added to the Budapest History Museum's collection.

The network of cellars was buried under rubble when the buildings that stood above them were demolished in 1900. For most of the following century, the plot on Szent György tér lay empty. Plans for the 1,300-square-meter cellar system were finally drawn up in 1997, with restoration work beginning in 2004 following completion of archaeological excavations undertaken by the Budapest History Museum (Budapesti Történeti Múzeum).

"It is about time we finally repaired sites such as this," opined District I mayor Gábor Tamás Nagy. He added that he hoped the renovation of this site would spur further renovation work elsewhere. The cost of the restorations, which climbed to Ft 1 billion, were borne by the Ministry of Education and Culture, reported Katalin Szamkó, director of Budai Várgondnokság Kht, the company responsible for the site.

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