Taródi Castle (Taródi-vár) on the Várhegy (Castle Hill) west of Sopron is not what it appears. The towers, ramparts, and Gothic-looking stonework were built between 1960 and 1998 by a single family — the Taródi family — working largely by hand, using salvaged stone from demolished buildings. It is an entirely 20th-century creation designed to look like a medieval castle, and it succeeds well enough that many visitors assume it is the genuine article.
The result is somewhere between folk art and obsession. The grounds include several towers of different styles, defensive walls, a drawbridge, and various Gothic-style architectural details. It has been opened to the public and the eccentricity of the project — and the sheer amount of effort involved — makes it worth the short drive from the city centre. The surrounding wooded hills are pleasant for walking.