Hungarian castle lit up with Welsh flag to mark St David's Day

Coronavirus restrictions meant no audience was allowed to gather and watch the light display. Credit: Welsh-Hungarian Cultural Association

A remote castle in Hungary has been lit up with an image of the Welsh flag to mark St David's Day.

Breda Castle in the south-east of the country was lit up in the colours of Y Ddraig Goch as the Welsh national anthem played to celebrate March 1.

The Welsh-Hungarian Cultural Association worked with local residents to arrange the light presentation, although no audience was allowed to gather because of coronavirus restrictions.

Elizabeth Sillo, chairman of the organisation, said: "We wanted to send a message to our Welsh friends as they mark St David's Day in an undoubtedly difficult year.

"We'd like everyone in Wales to know that there's a place in Hungary where people have such admiration for their culture and where they are always welcome.

"Located in a remote part of the Great Hungarian Plain, close to the Romanian border, Breda Castle is best known as Europe's first permanent projection mapping installation and so it gave locals the perfect opportunity to send their best wishes to Wales from afar."

The normal St David's Day celebrations cannot take place this year because of the pandemic. Credit: PA Images

The gesture was inspired by the people of nearby Kunagota, which has been nicknamed Hungary's Welshest village.

Residents of the village developed a connection with Wales after Ms Silo, a Kunagota-born classical singer, returned from Cardiff and introduced Welsh hymns to the community a few years ago.

Some villagers spent the weekend before St David's Day learning about Welsh culture and Hungarian-language posters were distributed across the village.

Balint Brunner, founding member of the Welsh-Hungarian Cultural Association, said: "We were inspired by St David's well-known maxim, 'gwnewch y pethau bychain', or 'do the little things'.

"For this reason, we are sharing small acts of love and kindness from Hungarian individuals and organisations this year, including children's performances and a daffodil-themed painting by Kunagota-born Klara Gyomber."