It was in 960 that Prince Géza made Esztergom a royal seat. This lasted until 1256 when King Béla IV moved the royal seat to Buda and the castle was given to the archdiocese. The archbishops used it until 1543 when Sultan Suleiman I took the castle. After the liberation from the Turcs in 1683 the region experienced more peace and development, whereby In 1761 the bishopric regained control over the castle. Esztergom is nowadays still the seat of the 'prímás' of the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary, who moved in the meantime into the Primate's Palace, designed by Josef Lippert (1880–82).

Substantial parts of the palace were restored between 1934 and 1938, but even today the archeological excavations continue.

For more detailed information about history and visits, see website