Here, in the mid-13th century, a palace was built for the kings of Hungary. It was reconstructed in glorious Renaissance style by King Matthias. But during the Turkish occupation, the building was neglected, and during the siege of 1686 it was completely destroyed. The Habsburg monarchs rebuilt the Royal Palace on this site but never occupied it for long, preferring to remain in Vienna. Between the two world wars the regent, Admiral Horthy, resided in the Palace. It was destroyed in the siege of Budapest and remained in ruins for decades. Today there are no royal residences left to visit: instead, the palace is home to several state museums and the National Library.