BRUNSWICK CASTLE - BEETHOVEN MUSEUM

It was in this elegant residence, built at the end of the ^18th century for the Brunswick family (a Hungarian aristocratic family), that the German composer found a peaceful refuge from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. At the invitation of this family of patrons, Ludwig van Beethoven stayed here several times between the late ^18th and early ^19th centuries. He even enjoyed a close friendship with Countess Teréz Brunswick, or even more so, according to some Romantic theories. Subsequently transformed in the neo-Gothic style, the château has gained in majesty with the addition of an English-style landscape park, inviting visitors to stroll around. Today, most of the building is occupied by an agricultural research institute, limiting visits to just one room: the one dedicated to Beethoven. This small commemorative museum displays a few of the master's personal objects, documents and scores, as well as items tracing his links with the Brunswick family.

Inside the park, don't miss the Kindergarten Museum (ÓvodaMúzeum), founded in tribute to Teréz Brunswick, a pioneer of early childhood education in Hungary. Inspired by the ideas of pedagogues such as Pestalozzi, in 1828 she created the country's very first kindergarten, right here in Martonvásár. A moving and instructive place, which will appeal as much to history buffs as to visitors curious to discover the roots of the modern nursery school.