A European Castle for Less Than a Penny

The mayor of the southeast Hungarian city of Gyula (200 km southeast of Budapest) is offering an historic castle in the center of town for the price of one Hungarian forint (or 0.056 USD). Gyula, Hungary. 03/12/2009.

Klara Perjesi told reporters that she is hoping an investor can be found for the Almasy Castle which is situated in an enclosed tourist complex adjacent to a popular Hungarian spa.

The castle has been left unused and relatively untended for the past decade and is a burden on the city in its current state, according to the mayor.

However -- and it is a fairly big however -- the city will only sell the castle under the proviso that it is the prospective buyer handle the costs of renovation -- estimated to be over $1.5 million.

The mayor said that the city is hopeful a prospective buyer will come along and renovate the property -- which she maintains is an attractive investment due to its potential as a tourist destination.

The castle was originally built in 1725 and then reconstructed after it burnt down in 1801.

The name Almasy will be familiar to fans of the film “The English Patient” in which Ralph Fiennes starred as Count Laszlo Almasy.

A view of the historical castle of Almasy.

The mayor of the southeast Hungarian city of Gyula (200 km southeast of Budapest) is offering an historic castle in the center of town for the price of one Hungarian forint (or 0.056 USD). Gyula, Hungary. 03/12/2009.

Klara Perjesi told reporters that she is hoping an investor can be found for the Almasy Castle which is situated in an enclosed tourist complex adjacent to a popular Hungarian spa.

The castle has been left unused and relatively untended for the past decade and is a burden on the city in its current state, according to the mayor.

However -- and it is a fairly big however -- the city will only sell the castle under the proviso that it is the prospective buyer handle the costs of renovation -- estimated to be over $1.5 million.

The mayor said that the city is hopeful a prospective buyer will come along and renovate the property -- which she maintains is an attractive investment due to its potential as a tourist destination.

The castle was originally built in 1725 and then reconstructed after it burnt down in 1801.

The name Almasy will be familiar to fans of the film “The English Patient” in which Ralph Fiennes starred as Count Laszlo Almasy.

The mayor of the southeast Hungarian city of Gyula (200 km southeast of Budapest) is offering an historic castle in the center of town for the price of one Hungarian forint (or 0.056 USD). Gyula, Hungary. 03/12/2009.

Klara Perjesi told reporters that she is hoping an investor can be found for the Almasy Castle which is situated in an enclosed tourist complex adjacent to a popular Hungarian spa.

The castle has been left unused and relatively untended for the past decade and is a burden on the city in its current state, according to the mayor.

However -- and it is a fairly big however -- the city will only sell the castle under the proviso that it is the prospective buyer handle the costs of renovation -- estimated to be over $1.5 million.

The mayor said that the city is hopeful a prospective buyer will come along and renovate the property -- which she maintains is an attractive investment due to its potential as a tourist destination.

The castle was originally built in 1725 and then reconstructed after it burnt down in 1801.

The name Almasy will be familiar to fans of the film “The English Patient” in which Ralph Fiennes starred as Count Laszlo Almasy.

The mayor of the southeast Hungarian city of Gyula (200 km southeast of Budapest) is offering an historic castle in the center of town for the price of one Hungarian forint (or 0.056 USD). Gyula, Hungary. 03/12/2009.

Klara Perjesi told reporters that she is hoping an investor can be found for the Almasy Castle which is situated in an enclosed tourist complex adjacent to a popular Hungarian spa.

The castle has been left unused and relatively untended for the past decade and is a burden on the city in its current state, according to the mayor.

However -- and it is a fairly big however -- the city will only sell the castle under the proviso that it is the prospective buyer handle the costs of renovation -- estimated to be over $1.5 million.

The mayor said that the city is hopeful a prospective buyer will come along and renovate the property -- which she maintains is an attractive investment due to its potential as a tourist destination.

The castle was originally built in 1725 and then reconstructed after it burnt down in 1801.

The name Almasy will be familiar to fans of the film “The English Patient” in which Ralph Fiennes starred as Count Laszlo Almasy.

The mayor of the southeast Hungarian city of Gyula (200 km southeast of Budapest) is offering an historic castle in the center of town for the price of one Hungarian forint (or 0.056 USD). Gyula, Hungary. 03/12/2009.

Klara Perjesi told reporters that she is hoping an investor can be found for the Almasy Castle which is situated in an enclosed tourist complex adjacent to a popular Hungarian spa.

The castle has been left unused and relatively untended for the past decade and is a burden on the city in its current state, according to the mayor.

However -- and it is a fairly big however -- the city will only sell the castle under the proviso that it is the prospective buyer handle the costs of renovation -- estimated to be over $1.5 million.

The mayor said that the city is hopeful a prospective buyer will come along and renovate the property -- which she maintains is an attractive investment due to its potential as a tourist destination.

The castle was originally built in 1725 and then reconstructed after it burnt down in 1801.

The name Almasy will be familiar to fans of the film “The English Patient” in which Ralph Fiennes starred as Count Laszlo Almasy.

One of the turrets of Almasy Castle which is on the market for less than 1 Forint ($US0.056 / £GB0.3).

The mayor of the southeast Hungarian city of Gyula (200 km southeast of Budapest) is offering an historic castle in the center of town for the price of one Hungarian forint (or 0.056 USD). Gyula, Hungary. 03/12/2009.

Klara Perjesi told reporters that she is hoping an investor can be found for the Almasy Castle which is situated in an enclosed tourist complex adjacent to a popular Hungarian spa.

The castle has been left unused and relatively untended for the past decade and is a burden on the city in its current state, according to the mayor.

However -- and it is a fairly big however -- the city will only sell the castle under the proviso that it is the prospective buyer handle the costs of renovation -- estimated to be over $1.5 million.

The mayor said that the city is hopeful a prospective buyer will come along and renovate the property -- which she maintains is an attractive investment due to its potential as a tourist destination.

The castle was originally built in 1725 and then reconstructed after it burnt down in 1801.

The name Almasy will be familiar to fans of the film “The English Patient” in which Ralph Fiennes starred as Count Laszlo Almasy.