Hungary houses a superb selection of Europe's finest country homes that were built over the centuries by some of the nation's most distinguished families.


Baroque castles and rococo villas dot Hungary’s countryside and stand as testaments to the wealth and power of this region’s aristocracy. Lord Pratt reveals the histories and treasures of these structures, many of which were inaccessible to the West until this past decade. Setting his discussion of the houses and their patrons against the backdrop of Hungary’s history, Pratt illuminates the manner in which diverse political and cultural influences have molded the architecture of this country’s most illustrious homes. For instance, he recounts how the castle Sárvár evolved from a wooden, fourteenth-century fortress to a splendid piece of Renaissance architecture under the noble Nádasdy’s family guidance. In a new, final chapter, Pratt laments the demise of the great home Fót while praising the skillful restoration of Seregélyes.


Lord Michael Pratt is a scholar based in London who specializes in modern European history. His works include Britain's Greek Empire, a study of Corfu and the Ionian Islands under Venetian and British rule. Gerhard Trumler is a professor of photography in Vienna and a professional photographer whose work has appeared in more than fifty books.