THE HISTORY OF THE FESTETICS PALACE

The construction of the palace was initiated by Kristóf Festetics. The central eastern wing of the present building dates from this construction period (1745–1750). The Baroque-style, approximately rectangular, single-storey palace originally featured a carriage passage on the ground floor along its central axis, with a grand dining hall above it—both of which are still preserved today.

Already during Kristóf’s lifetime, and later under his son, Pál III Festetics, several reconstruction plans were made, but they were never realized. These plans aimed to expand the palace into a U-shaped layout, with additional L-shaped wings attached to the ends of the U.

The reconstruction was eventually begun in 1792 by Pál’s son, György I Festetics. Of the planned U-shaped extension, only the southern library wing was completed, in a late Baroque (Zopf style) with classical elements. Interior works continued until 1804. Today, the grand library, the former archive beneath it (the Marble Hall), and the chapel best preserve this period of expansion.

The next major reconstruction and expansion took place between 1883 and 1887 under Tasziló II Festetics, based on the designs of Victor Rumpelmayer, in a historicist style (Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo). The central eastern wing was extended, and the U-shape was finally completed with the addition of the northern wing, which housed ballrooms and guest apartments. The tower was also built at this time, and the entire building was covered with a new mansard roof. With the transformation of the façades and interior spaces—especially the staircases—the palace acquired its present form.

Unlike most Hungarian palaces, the building, its interior layout, and furnishings were partially preserved during World War II. After the departure of the Festetics family in September 1944, part of the collection fell victim to looting by German and Hungarian soldiers, as well as local residents. However, many original furnishings that are still on display today survived. This was partly due to the fact that after the Soviet occupation of Keszthely, the city commander—at the request of former Festetics employees—had the library and several adjacent rooms walled up. The most valuable furnishings were gathered into these sealed rooms, where they survived the war in their original location. Another portion of the surviving objects had likely been moved before the looting to a bathhouse in Hévíz owned by the Festetics family, where they remained intact.

After nationalization in 1948, only the library wing and the previously walled-off rooms were open to visitors under the name Helikon Library, operated by the National Széchényi Library. The rest of the building was occupied by the military, schools, a district library, and other institutions. The idea of creating a “palace museum” emerged already in the 1950s, but full exterior and interior reconstruction only progressed sufficiently by the 1970s. As a result, the museum—founded in 1974 under the name Helikon Palace Museum—opened its interior exhibition curated by Ferenc Batári in 1976.

From its founding in 1974 until 2012, the institution operated as the Helikon Palace Museum; in 2012 it was renamed Helikon Palace, and since 2024 its official name is Festetics Palace, Keszthely. The mission of the Festetics Palace is to preserve, research, and present the Festetics heritage. This heritage includes the historic buildings associated with the family—such as the palace, the former carriage house, the palm house, and the former estate lodging—the palace park, the original furnishings, the library collection, and the intellectual legacy of the Festetics family. As a museum institution, it primarily presents the significance of the family through exhibitions.

The Festetics Palace welcomes visitors with six permanent exhibitions and a playhouse across six buildings. In the palace itself, the Aristocratic Lifestyle and Helikon Library interior exhibition—partially opened in 1974 and fully in 1976—can be seen. The original or faithfully reconstructed interiors present aristocratic life in the 18th–19th centuries. The palace’s greatest treasure is Hungary’s only fully preserved aristocratic private library, containing more than 80,000 volumes.

The carriage exhibition opened in 2002 in the former carriage house. Its core collection includes more than 50 18th–19th century carriages, coaches, and horse-drawn sleighs related to aristocratic life, as well as other equestrian objects and works of fine art.

The hunting exhibition has been on display since 2008 in a reconstructed building originally erected by the Hungarian army after World War II. It features trophies of game animals from five continents. Visitors can encounter many of the animals as if walking through their natural habitats. The experience is complemented by ethnographic and fine art collections related to the theme.

The historical model railway exhibition, also located in the hunting exhibition building since 2008, is one of the largest in Europe. The giant model presents the railways of Hungary, Austria, and Germany from the 19th to the 21st centuries, with accurate replicas of original station buildings, tracks, locomotives, and train sets.

At the Amazon House Visitor Center—formerly the estate lodging of the Festetics family—the exhibition Aristocratic Travels and Adventures, opened in 2016, presents travel culture of the 19th and early 20th centuries and related customs, with numerous interactive elements.

The Palm House, built in the 1880s, evokes the tradition of orangeries and tropical plant houses that formed part of aristocratic lifestyle, featuring exotic plants since 2012. It is surrounded by a rock garden, aquarium, ornamental pond, and bird park.

The Historical Playhouse was once the dairy building of the Festetics family. Opened in December 2023, it houses a 200-square-meter play area, two museum education rooms, and exhibition spaces presenting the history of the former dairy, along with the children’s exhibition “What Are Cows Like?”

The palace park, a protected natural area, has recently undergone reconstruction and once again reflects the design created in the 1880s by English landscape architect Henry Ernest Milner, featuring the restored lake, the Lion Fountain, additional fountains, and the Princess’s private garden.