Trip to Fehérkő castle
Fehérkő, Fejérkő, Kereki Castle, Katona Castle – it’s all the same!
In cooler weather, it’s an excellent choice for a day trip, and this castle ruin is very easily accessible. Over the centuries, it has been known by many names, but a few decades ago, it had almost faded into obscurity.
When I was a teenager, my friends and I wanted to plan an outing in the area, and my grandmother told us that there was a castle hidden in the hills, completely overgrown by the forest, and even in her childhood, it was difficult to find. According to her memories, it was called Fejérkő Castle or Katona Castle.
We found it marked on a tourist map, so we set out and eventually, in an adventurous way, cutting through hills and valleys and bushes from Amáliapuszta, and we found it! At that time, it was completely covered by jungle, and the castle walls were barely visible, but we had a great time!
Several years later, I visited it with my own family: my children and our dog, Hógolyó. We hiked up, this time taking the harder route from the other side! (At first, we thought we wouldn’t find it, but we succeeded.)
There’s a much simpler solution now, with a parking lot that is well marked, so it’s easy to find your way.
Since we visited there in 2017, even more exciting changes have occurred: they have significantly cleaned up the ruins and surrounded them with wooden walkways.
On the northern side, they’ve created a panoramic terrace, where you can enjoy a breathtaking view!
The history of the castle
In 1193, a written source mentions Kereki when King Béla III confirmed the earlier donations to the Knights of St. John. Among their properties, Querequi is mentioned. Kereki was part of the Sebeszáki monastery, and by 1229, it became the property of the Székesfehérvár chapter.
During the medieval period, Kereki was situated along one of the most important trade and military routes leading to Slavonia. To protect this route, the castle of Fehérkő was built on a 283-meter high, loess and clay hill protruding from the northern side of the Leveles Forest. It was also referred to as Kupavár or Katonavár.
The first written mention of the castle is known from 1336, and it remained a royal castle until 1396. Over the centuries, it had various owners and witnessed numerous battles and sieges. After the death of King Matthias, Habsburg forces entered the Transdanubian region and captured Kereki Castle. It was mentioned as an abandoned ruin in 1494. In 1495, it was granted to the Báthory family as part of their estates, including the castle. In 1530, it was purchased by Ferenc Perneszi.
In 1544, the outdated castle was demolished by the Hungarian military to prevent it from falling into Turkish hands. The remains of the castle were used for house and church construction in the surrounding area.
The irregularly shaped, elliptical castle was primarily constructed from brick, with stone used only in certain wall foundations, entranceways, window frames, parapets, and the foundations of the gate tower. The castle’s entrance was most easily accessible from the southern side, where a wooden bridge led to the drawbridge gate, crossing the 5-6 meters deep and 6-8 meters wide moat.
Connected to the gate tower rising above the southern gate were the residential wing buildings, which were constructed at right angles to the outer wall, similarly using brick, and enclosed the small-sized castle courtyard.
Today, the ruins of the castle stand at only one story in height, but originally, they were two stories tall. The most robust remnants of the castle can be found in the southwest corner, where a tower-like structure stands 10-12 meters tall. Running along its massive external wall at a height of 6 meters is a cylindrical parapet with Gothic stone remnants and traces of the vaulted corridor leading to the upper floor. The walls and pillars surrounding the castle courtyard are approximately 1.5 meters thick.
Where is this castle located?
Kereki is located approximately 14 kilometers from Zamárdi, and this is the easiest way to reach the castle.
The main street of Kereki is Petőfi Street. Turn right onto Dózsa György Street, and at the end of this road, there is a resting area, and the road leading to the castle is signposted.
You can also approach the castle from Amáliapuszta, which is a longer, more scenic route. Check out the details on turistautvonalak.hu map.
How to get here?
By public transportation
You can also reach here by a direct bus service from the bus stop called Zamárdi vasúti megállóhely, located in front of the Spórolós CBA store. The same bus stop is on Route 7 for the return journey. Check the current schedule.
To get to the center of Zamárdi, the easiest way is to walk to Dessewffy (pronounced: /deʒɜ:fi/) Street, turn right there, and continue straight until you reach Aradi Street. Here, turn left, and you’ll soon arrive at the junction near the railway station. The CBA store is on the right from here, and you can cross the tracks on Route 7 and turn left to find the bus stop.
By car
The quickest way to get to Kereki is via the M7 motorway, but keep in mind that there is a toll on this route. Take exit 121.
If you prefer to avoid toll roads, then take Route 7 and head to Szántód until you reach the Aldi supermarket. Turn left onto Szántódi Road. Continue straight through Kőröshegy, and you’ll reach Kereki.
Cost
Free
