Sümeg is situated at the south-west corner of Bakony, in a valley connecting the Keszthely Range and the Tapolca Basin with the Little Plain and easily reached from Lake Balaton. Outside the sity, an ancient flinstone quarry as well as the ruins of a Roman settlement and an early Christian basilica were explored.
Whichever route we take, the castle will soon tower above us. Castle Hill is the last spur of the Bakony Mountains crowned by 13th century castle built by King Béla IV. shortly after the Mongol Invasion. When the Turks captured Veszprém in 1552, it was rebuilt as a „frontier fortress” defying the invaders. The castle played its last military role during the Rákóczi war of independance. After the end of occupation the Austrian troops set fire to the castle in 1713. Reconstruction was left to the 20th century when the „Barbican”, the so-called „Big Turret” and „Köves Bastion” were restored.
A comfortable footpath winds up to the largest castle ruin of Transdanubia. Since 1989 it has been privately owned and operated; large-scale restoration is giving the castle a new image with varied events including tournaments called castle games.
The second oldest monument of the city is the Franciscan church and monastery built after 1649 with valuable carved woodwork furnishings and altarpieces in the nave and the aisles.
The episcopal palace built by Bishop Padányi Bíró Márton radiates the atmosphere of Baroque Sümeg. The Baroque building awaiting restoration was built between 1745 and 1753 and for 2 centuries it served as an episcopal residence.
The Roman Catholic parish church was built between 1756 and 1759 and its interior is decorated by the murals painted by the famous Austrian painter Maulbertsch. In St. Stephen Square stands the Kisfaludy House, where the poet was born, now a memorial house as well as a city museum.
