Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Hungary Ráday Palace
AO Edited

Ráday Palace

A seemingly unassuming palace near Budapest hides a stupendously decorated hall.

Pécel, Hungary

Added By
StepYoshi
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Main hall inside the Ráday Palace   StepYoshi / Atlas Obscura User
Frescoes in the main hall inside the Ráday Palace   StepYoshi / Atlas Obscura User
Ráday Palace from outside   StepYoshi / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Pécel is a suburb of Budapest, located around 20 kilometers east of the Hungarian capital. This small town doesn't really offer much and it is unknown to most tourists, but it hides a true masterpiece of Baroque painting inside to so-called Ráday Palace.

Ráday Palace sits in the middle of Pécel, and from outside it looks like a typical old mansion. This building was erected during the 18th century as the residence of the noble Ráday family. At the time, they were among the most prominent dynasties in the Hungarian nobility, often associated with the rich cultural life of the country during the Age of Enlightenment. At one point, the Ráday had amassed thousands of books and volumes, which were stored in the large libraries of the Ráday Palace. Over time, the many paintings and books hosted in the palace were sold, and the mansion was eventually turned into a museum.

The ground floor of the palace has various decorated halls, that showcase the history of this once-thriving cultural hotspot, and it is linked to a basement hosting a traditional kitchen with many old tools. However, the main attraction is the large main hall on the upper floor. Here, a breathtaking series of 18th-century frescoes depicting the allegories of science and arts, and various scenes from ancient mythology and Ovid's Metamorphoses. The frescoes were painted by Gedeon Ráday, who also gave the palace its current appearance.

Related Tags

Museums Mansions Paintings Architecture Palaces

Know Before You Go

Visit the website for info about how to book your visit in advance. Guided tours are offered only in Hungarian, but all visitors are allowed. Bring cash in Hungarian forints or a valid Hungarian credit card, as foreign cards or cash may not be accepted.

Community Contributors

Added By

StepYoshi

Published

April 25, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.tripendy.com/location/r%C3%A1day-castle-p%C3%A9cel
  • https://baroqueart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;BAR;hu;Mon11;22;en
  • https://nof.hu/en/pecel-raday-palace/
Ráday Palace
1 Kálvin tér
Pécel, 2119
Hungary
47.486967, 19.341974
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Cinkota Old Cemetery

Budapest, Hungary

miles away

Rubik R-26 Góbé

Budapest, Hungary

miles away

The Hungarian Geological Institute Building

Budapest, Hungary

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Hungary

Hungary

Europe

Places 104
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Cinkota Old Cemetery

Budapest, Hungary

miles away

Rubik R-26 Góbé

Budapest, Hungary

miles away

The Hungarian Geological Institute Building

Budapest, Hungary

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Hungary

Hungary

Europe

Places 104
Stories 2

Related Places

  • The Neoclassical palace is reason enough to visit.

    Corfu, Greece

    Corfu Museum of Asian Art

    A spectacular Neoclassical palace is home more than 15,000 artifacts and works of art.

  • Sethi House Complex

    Peshawar, Pakistan

    Sethi House

    A rare instance of a historical Peshawari mansion restored and opened to the public.

  • Bishop’s Palace.

    Galveston, Texas

    Bishop's Palace

    This private mansion turned Catholic bishop’s home is an iconic Galveston building.

  • The Old Archiepiscopal Palace

    Velha Goa, India

    The Old Archiepiscopal Palace

    In Old Goa, the former residence of the archbishop now houses a permanent exhibition.

  • Flavel House Museum

    Astoria, Oregon

    Flavel House Museum

    You might recognize this historic Oregon mansion from its appearance in 'The Goonies.'

  • A neoclassical two-floor light pink mansion with five windows and a centered entranceway

    Athens, Greece

    Ziller-Loverdos Mansion

    One of the best collections of Byzantine art housed in a magnificent, 19th-century neoclassical home.

  • Glendower Mansion

    Lebanon, Ohio

    Glendower Historic Mansion & Arboretum

    Built around 1845, this house was occupied for 100 years, serving as a home to a prosecuting attorney, a Union Civil War general, and a wealthy socialite.

  • Henry Morrison Flagler Museum.

    Palm Beach, Florida

    Henry Morrison Flagler Museum

    This railroad and oil tycoon's lavish estate now stands as a time capsule of the Gilded Age.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.