Castle Museum

The small Castle Museum at the southern end of Castle Hill is housed in the former Royal Palace, which was built mostly by French architects under Béla III (r 1172-96) during Esztergom's golden age. The palace was the king's residence until the capital was relocated to Buda - at which time the archbishop moved in. Most of the palace was destroyed and covered with earth for defensive purposes under the Turks; excavations only began in the 1930s.

The museum concentrates on archaeological finds from the town and its surrounding area, the majority of which is pottery dating from the 11th century onwards. Other points of interest include some of the basilica's original ornate capitals and a fantastic view across the Danube to Slovakia. Outside are 15 enormous church bells no longer in use.