The Labyrinth of the Buda Castle is part of a huge network of underground caves and tunnels, originally created as cellars and bomb shelters under Castle Hill, Budapest. Today it’s a fun place to visit, on your own or on a guided Oil Lamp Tour in the evening hours.
Buda Castle Labyrinth
Ascending under the Buda Castle Hills you will be walking in the darkness and coolness of the tunnels of the Castle Labyrinth, mixed with some effects of fog and dramatic lighting, and some props like coffins. The staging turns the medieval musty, chilly underground labyrinth into a place of some mystery. For most of the adults and teens the maze does not come through as a scary experience, but for some kids it may need a bit of bravery to venture through the spooky underground hike.
The Labyrinth is more like an underground museum, absolutely not a haunted castle. So you will not meet ‘monsters’, sudden scary effects, the labyrinth hike is as is, with no extra – sensor based – spectres looming in on visitors, or screams piercing your ears.
That said, there are several dark paths in the Labyrinth, badly lit, where your mobile phone torch light may come in handy if you are bothered by walking through a darkish maze (you will probably meet other tourists on the way using their lights to wade through the misty dark paths).
Exhibitions
Throughout the labyrinth, you will see century old rocks and ruins of old buildings dating back to the Middle Ages. One part of the Labyrinth also represents some cave paintings on the walls, but of course these are only reproductions. Perhaps one of the quirkiest features of the Castle Labyrinth is a bunch of mannequins dressed up as opera characters, resembling an old masquerade party with operatic arias.
There is a Dracula bit of the Labyrinth. Please note that Vlad Tepes /Count Dracula was never kept a prisoner in the Buda Castle or in the Labyrinth (in fact, he was kept in the cells of the Visegrad Royal Castle in Hungary, over 40km / 25 miles away from the Buda Royal Palace and the Castle District). So it is somewhat of an urban legend or a myth favoured by tourist guides that Dracula was imprisoned in the Castle Labyrinth in Buda.
You will see that tourists are divided between interesting, terrible, amazing, confusing when talking about the Labyrinth and its exhibitions.
Please note that a few years ago the Labyrinth was under a different management (company) with a different concept which was preferred by many tourists to the current attraction.
Opening Hours
Mon – Sun: 10am – 7pm (last entry at 6.30pm)
Tickets
Adults: HUF 3,000
Student/ Senior: HUF 2,500
Child (under 12 yrs): HUF 1,000
Group discounts (groups of 15+):
Adult group: HUF 2,500 pp
Student group: HUF 2,000 pp
Child (under 12) group: HUF 600 pp
Payment accepted: only in cash in Hungarian Forints
Address: 9 Uri str., Budapest 1014
History of the Labyrinth
The labyrinth has already been in use in the Middle Ages, as a shelter, a prison and even as Turkish harem in the 16th century. The underground tunnel system also served as a hospital during the WWII.
The Buda Castle Labyrinth, as a tourist attraction open its gates in 1984 with guided tours and film screenings. The new management took over in 2011, and the Labyrinth was re-opened with a slightly different concept, but still offering tours.
Tours in the Buda Castle Labyrinth
Although the Labyrinth can be visited on your own as well, they also offer a mystical “dark” tour every day.
Oil Lamp Tour: starting every evening at 6pm. On this spooky guided tour the route is lit only by your oil lamps. Price: equals the entry prices.
