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- [Narrator] Tucked away in Budapest,
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Vajdahunyad Castle is medieval in look but not in age.
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(airy electronic music)
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Built in 1896, this architectural complex was designed
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to celebrate the first millennium of the Hungarian state.
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The buildings were supposed to be temporary,
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so they were made of wooden planks and cardboard designs.
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But Hungarians loved them so much,
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they were rebuilt with permanent materials in the 1900s.
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The celebratory site features copies of landmarks
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from all over the larger 19th-Century Hungarian kingdom,
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combining architectural details of 21 buildings,
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like the Romanesque Church of Yak,
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originally located in western Hungary;
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or the Vajdahunyad, or Corvin Castle,
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located in what is now Romania,
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and more commonly known to fans of the Dracula myth.
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It's believed that Vlad the Impaler
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was once imprisoned there.
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The name of the Romanian Castle ended up being adopted
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by Budapestians for the whole compound.
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Several Austrian palaces are represented, as well,
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featuring a blend of Renaissance and Baroque architecture,
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demonstrating the diversity of styles
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that spread across the Austria-Hungarian Empire.
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And just like the castles it's built to imitate,
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Vajdahunyad is built to be defended.
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It's accessible only by four bridges,
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stretching across the surrounding lake.
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For over a century, the castle has continued to be enjoyed
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by Budapestians and tourists alike
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who come to relish in this truly Hungarian artifact.
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(poppy electronic music)