Monuments

The most distinctive feature of Szigliget is the Castle Hill rising above the village and the castle itself. Significant progress has been made over the past decade in preserving the condition of the castle and improving its accessibility to visitors.
The first residential buildings of Szigliget were constructed on the hillside below the castle. The streets of the Old Village (Ófalu), running parallel to the contour lines of the hill, still preserve the traces of several centuries of development through their small, irregularly shaped plots. Along Ady, Kisfaludy, Petőfi, Széchenyi, and Kossuth Streets, as well as the later-developed Dózsa György and Rákóczi Streets, several protected historic buildings dating from the late 18th and early 19th centuries can still be found. This area is also home to the Lengyel Mansion, the Esterházy Castle (currently functioning as an Artists’ Residence and Creative Centre), and its protected park.
Within the boundaries of the historic conservation area, more than fifty listed historic buildings are under monument protection.
Other significant historic sites include Óvár Hill at the area known as “The Queen’s Skirt” (Királyné szoknyája), the Rókarántó Chapel, and the Réhely (Avasi Ruins) area and its surroundings.
The wine cellars and press houses found throughout the settlement represent an important part of Szigliget’s built heritage. A large number of protected and locally significant cellars can still be found on the former vineyard hillsides. As these areas were gradually incorporated into the inner settlement area and viticulture declined over time, many of the formerly extensive vineyard plots were subdivided, leaving only small parcels around the original cellars. As a result, holiday homes were built around many of these historic buildings, separating them from their original natural environment among the vineyards.
Since certain parts of Szigliget have been inhabited for thousands of years, the number of archaeological sites within the settlement is considerable. Areas around Ciframajor, Castle Hill, Soponya, Óvár and its surroundings at “The Queen’s Skirt,” Réhely, the area of the present-day cemetery, and the northern, southern, and eastern slopes of Antal Hill are all officially registered archaeological sites. Apart from the surroundings of Castle Hill and the Avasi church ruins, however, no major archaeological excavations have taken place within the settlement.