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Hollókő hides among the undulations of the Cserhát hills about 100 km from Budapest in a picturesque setting. The history of the village goes back to the 13th century, when after the Mongol invasion the castle was built on Szár hill. The name (holló=raven, kő=stone) perhaps, comes from the legend in which the lord of a castle stole a pretty maiden, whose nurse was a witch. The nurse made a pact with the devil to rescue the girl. The devil’s minions, disguised as ravens, took the stones of the castle away and the castle of Hollókő was built on top of the rock here. It is well worth walking up to the ruins; there is an exhibition of the remains of weapons found here, cannonballs and rock carvings. And from here there is a beautiful view over the surrounding, protected area, which is a part of the Bükk National Park.
