The royal hunting forest of King Matthias

The area rich in springs and games had been a hunting forest since the Árpád era. According to Bonfini’s report it was a fenced hunting ground with a diameter of 4 km (Antonio Bonfini, Italian humanist, court historian during the reign of King Matthias). It included parts of current Budapest Districts 2 and 12, such as Zugliget and Budakeszierdő. A hunting castle also belonged to the estate. 

Later the game reserve was mentioned in the 16th century by Turkish historian Celalzade Mustafa, too.

The main purpose of establishing the game reserve was to breed and raise games. The forest provided abundant food and water (Ördögárok Creek) and was home to some exotic non-native species, such as camels.

Following the Yellow (S) or Blue (K) markers today in Hűvösvölgy only a little is left to remind of the royal forest. Hiking along Glück Frigyes út lined by stone the path follows the old wall of the forest discovered during excavations in the 1930s. The ruins of the hunting castle were also found that time in District 2.

You can find a WW2 bunker north of the monument and a war grave southeast of it.

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