Every Hungarian high school pupil learns about Dániel Berzsenyi, who lived and worked in his mansion in Nikla. The poet’s bust is accordingly exhibited among the flowers in the enclosed park in front of the castle.
Looking at the mansion a bit more carefully, the visitor can see a much more colourful picture enfold than what is described in literature textbooks. Berzsenyi sat among the centuries-old trees when he penned his poems to Chloé, Lolli, Pyllis, Daphné, Melissa and other members of the fair sex living in the neighbouring area. At other times he was busy contemplating ways to shake the nation up.
Thanks to the enthusiasm of Nikla’s natives, the museum has been open since 1954, showcasing the poet’s pipes, musical instruments, letters and manuscripts. You can see a tree that was planted by him in the garden, and there’s a monument above his grave in the cemetery of Nikla.
