Fuzer Castle (var)

In the 13th century a castle was built on top of this distinctive volcanic cone which is today a conservation area. Amongst the earliest and most beautifully situated castles it was extended during the 14th and 15th centuries. The Holy Crown of Hungary was held in custody here for a year.

The picturesque ruins stand on a volcanic rock surrounded by the Zemplén Hills. Its partial reconstruction has been underway for around a decade and now visitors to the ruin gain a much better impression as to how the castle looked in the 17th century as rooms have been partly reconstructed and their outlines marked. The remaining sections of the husbandry wing have been conserved and currently the north, northwestern parts of the keep's cellar are under reconstruction.

At one time the road leading up to the castle from the foot of the rocky outcrop was protected by planks, just as the fortification on the narrow plateau just below the peak. From there a stairway lead to the drawbridge of the (now reconstructed) gate tower. This tower once incorporated a watchtower and a dungeon.

The castle's irregular, ovoid plan follows the topography of the rock plateau. From the right the buildings of the husbandry, such as the bakery, the kitchen and the administrative building marked the inner courtyard.

From the south the courtyard was concluded by a square-plan Gothic chapel built upon a vaulted cellar. This is the castle's most complete remaining building. On the chapel's longer side which overlooks the valley there are two large lancet windows while on each of the ends there is one. The window recesses have stone ledges. The rudiments of ribs perched upon the narrow wall pillars of the chapel's cross vault also remain. The scalloped carved canopies underneath probably once supported statues.

Opposite the gate tower there is a bastion with a bent outlay. Formerly the homesteads of the provost-marshal and the watchmen were within this tower.

Over the centuries the fort belonged to the royal estates on several occasions. At the time of the Turkish wars crown guard Péter Perényi, who also constructed the castle of Sárospatak nearby, had the Holy Crown brought to Füzér in 1526. The castle suffered a severe damage in 1683 when it was blasted by Austrian imperial forces.