Festetics Castle Carriage Museum

One of Europe’s Most Significant Carriage and Sleigh Collections

Briefly about the Carriage Museum

Have you ever thought about how the Festetics family could travel in Keszthely or even to distant places in the 18th and 19th centuries? Everyone probably thinks of horses, carriages and coaches, but it wasn’t the same whether the traveler was going hunting, to the Pine allé to the manor of fenékpuszta, or perhaps his job called him further away, to the capital or abroad. Each destination and each season required different means of transport. For most of the year, the coach was used, and in the winter season the sledge was used with pleasure.

Since 2004, visitors can view one of Europe’s most significant collections of 60+ carriages and coaches, perfectly restored. We can learn about the past of carriage and coach driving, and the aristocratic lifestyle of travel, as well as how carriages evolved into automobiles as time progressed.

The collection originates from Werner Guster. We can also encounter the previous owners of the vehicles in the pages of the history book – here is parked the traveling carriage of Archduchess Maria Valeria, an Eszterházy hearse, the park carriage of Francis Ferdinand, or the sand runner of Crown Prince Rudolf. The oldest piece is a battle carriage from the Bronze Age. Recently, the first Hungarian carriage was also handed over with an exact replica.

“Beautiful collection, more beautiful than special carriages, wagons, cars… a real time travel. Very nicely designed, spectacular museum. Not an everyday experience, I can only recommend it!”

Éva VíghLocal Tour Guide

Our favoriteOur favorite is a 1914s, restored, currently functioning Ford T-model, whose sound was once heard all the way to Vonyarcvashegy when it was started.

Both the Festetics family and our nation play an important role in equestrian culture, which was defining throughout the golden age of the castle in Europe. Therefore, a separate room is dedicated to the Festetics family’s achievements in horse racing.

Carriage Museum Building

The Carriage Museum building was built by Tasziló Festetics II. as a stable-coach house for horses used in everyday life between 1883 and 1887, at the same time as the last major expansion of the castle. After the Second World War, the building was owned by the military and then by the city council. Its current, renovated form was reached in 2003. The building can be reached from the castle in a few minutes’ walk, through the park, or from the Hunting Museum.

An interesting factOnce upon a time, the Carriage Museum building provided a home for the Kanizsa brewery - from here came the star of the 80s beaches, bright from Balaton.

Tickets and Other Services

The Helikon Castle Museum offers several discounted tickets (e.g. for large families) to its visitors. We can choose from different ticket combinations, or we can also request a guided tour.

The museum’s popular service is carriage riding, which can be used from spring to autumn in the magical castle park.

HintIf we hold our wedding in the castle, we can even arrive in a carriage to the amazement of the wedding guests.

We recommend the museum pedagogy service for schools and classes from 5th to 12th grade: Can you swing on a carriage? What is the connection between the word “kocsi” (car) and the town of Kocs? The students can get to know the travel customs related to the noble lifestyle through interesting stories.