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Country Guide: Hungary

Western Transdanubia
The western area of Hungary offers a rich variety of beautiful and fascinating attractions - quaint medieval towns and villages, Baroque and Renaissance palaces, fortresses perched on rocky crags, romantic castle ruins, healing spas, stunning churches, and protected natural landscapes of forests, lakes and wetlands.

The region is rich in thermal springs. Come and enjoy the soothing effects of the baths in Balf, Sárvár and Bükfürdő. Those interested in ethnology will certainly appreciate the incomparable blend of local cultures (German, Croatian, Wendish, Jewish and Hungarian). The various types of red wines of the region, and the colorful vintage season celebrations around Lake Fertő are other tempting reasons to visit.

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Regional Tourist Office of Western Transdanubia
H-9400 Sopron, Új u. 4.
Phone: + 36-99-512-594, Fax: + 36-99-512-598
E-mail: rmisopron@hungarytourism.hu

Győr
Győr at the meeting point of the rivers Danube, Rába and Rábca is often called "the town of rivers". It is the gateway to the west, situated between the Austrian and the Hungarian Capital. This is a Baroque and neo-Classical town, with a magnificent cathedral, palaces, doorways framed in stone, and elaborate wrought iron decorations. The majority of protected buildings stand within the 16th century city-walls. See the Town Hall, the Széchenyi Pharmacy Museum, the lavishly decorated Rosalia house, the Carmelite church, the Municipal Gallery, and many more.

On the Káptalan Hill, the episcopal castle stands face to face with the imposing baroque cathedral. The masterpiece of medieval Hungarian goldsmith's craft, the statue of St. László (Hungarian king) is kept here. The treasury of the cathedral has the second richest ecclesiastic collection in Hungary.

The town is an important educational center: among its famous teachers was Jedlik Ányos, who invented the dynamo. Two famous artists, the ceramicist Kovács Margit and the sculptor, Borsos Miklós were born here. The ceramics of Ms. Kovács can be seen in the Kreszta House, while the Borsos Miklós Memorial House displays his sculpture collection.

Every year, during the Győr Summer International Cultural Festival, the scenery of the baroque inner city provides the background for the international ballet, a street-theatre and puppet festival, as well as a folk dance and folk music festival. The Győri National Theatre and the Győr Philharmonic and the world-famous Győr Ballet Company are the hosts of several foreign companies, musicians and bands.

Sopron
Sopron sits close to the Austrian border and is a treasure trove of historic buildings. With foundations from Roman times, the 185 ft. high Fire Tower has become the symbol of the city. Also worth seeing are the numerous old churches, such as the Dominican and the Evangelic, a synagogue dating back to Gothic times, and former burgess houses, like the Storno and the Fabricius, and the Caesar House with its Venetian-style balcony.

The town is surrounded by the pine-covered Lővérek Mountain, a great area to explore. The vineyards produce fine wines, like the Soproni Kékfrankos. There are many tourist attractions outside of the city. In the garden town of Sopronbánfalva, the impressive Carmelite church building and monastery with Baroque steps look down from a hill.

Fertőrákos, with its water camp and quarry reminding one of the Egyptian rock temples, is part of the bird paradise of the Fertő-Hanság National Park. Today the Cave Theater performs there. A summer opera performance is an unforgettable experience in the midst of the magnificent scenery. A spiral staircase takes you up to the rooftop, where a panorama opens to Lake Fertő.

Fertőd
Near Sopron, the castle in Fertőd, known as the 'Hungarian Versailles' is an outstanding example of Hungary's baroque architecture.

The Eszterházy Palace, built over a period 46 years starting in 1720, is the largest and most beautiful Baroque chateau in Hungary. There is a breathtaking rococo garden in the huge park around the palace. Today, its museum displays valuable objects from the 18th century aristocratic palaces. The world-famous composer and musical director, Joseph Haydn, spent more than a decade in this palace as the in-house composer for the Eszterházy family.

Pannonhalma
The buildings of the thousand-year old abbey in Pannonhalma are situated on a hilltop and command a fine view of the surrounding countryside. The Abbey was founded in 996 and consecrated in 1001 by the first Hungarian king, St. Stephen, who was later canonized. As a guardian of the country's cultural treasures it houses one of Hungary's most valuable libraries and is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.

Ják
Hungary's most beautiful Romanesque church can be found in Ják. The monumental former Benedictine Abbey church was built between 1214 and 1256. Its delightful gateway is decorated by numerous statues.

The inside of the church is divided into three parts by enormous rows of pillars. 700 year-old frescoes decorate the walls.

Kőszegi Mountains
The Kőszegi Mountains, in the Kőszegi Nature Protection Region, are rich in plant life.The peak of Írott-kő is the highest point of Transdanubia. The village of Cák is famous for the protected row of 8 thatched wine cellars and periodic exhibitions about grape cultivation. There is an excellent panorama from the 13th century chapel of St. Vid on top of the hill overlooking the resort village of Velem. This area has a sub-alpine climate. A protected park surrounds the famous monument of the village of Bozsok: the Sibrik Palace built as a royal hunting lodge.

Kőszeg
Kőszeg is probably the only city in the world where the bells toll at 11 a.m. in celebration of a victory over the Turks. In this Sub-Alpine treasure box town, every building has its own history. The four-corner-turreted Jurisics Fortress (named after the brave Captain of the fortress) was built in the 13th century and received its present form after the fire of 1777.

The largest bastion on the city walls is the Old Tower (or Zwinger). In the Fortress Museum you can see the arms of the siege, historical memories of the city of Kőszeg, and interiors of the 18th and 19th centuries. The courtyard is a venue for performances of the Kőszeg Fortress Theatre. Marvellous architectural monuments surround one of the most attractive city centers in Hungary-Jurisics Square. Its imposing entrance is the Heroes' Gate, built for the 400th anniversary of the Turkish blockade.

Objects relating to the history of guilds and the small artisan professions of Kőszeg-watchmakers, butchers, comb makers, blacksmiths, pastry cooks, barbers, weavers and photographers-are illustrated in an exhibition in the late-Renaissance building called the General's House. The 500 year-old Town Hall was built with architectural styles from 15th-century Gothic up to the Baroque. The Golden Unicorn Pharmacy Museum collected medicinal herbs and the best items from other old pharmacies.

Bük
Bük, at the Austrian border, is well-known all over Europe thanks to its medicinal baths. The bath of Bük has been healing for 36 years. Thermal water pools are open and functioning all year round.

Treatments are offered for complaints of the digestive system and blood circulation, and there is a rheumatology and a physiotherapy section. Holidaymakers can stay in fine thermal and wellness hotels and use the recreational park. The Birdland Golf & Country Club, which is the prettiest golf center in Hungary, has 9 and 18-hole courses.

Nagycenk
Nagycenk is the home of Count István Széchenyi (1791-1860), known as one of the greatest Hungarians. He built the Chain Bridge, the first permanent bridge over the Danube, founded the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (both are in Budapest), pioneered steam shipping on the Danube and racehorse-breeding in Hungary. The Széchenyi Palace was turned into a Memorial Museum.

The Széchenyi Museum Railway takes you to Fertőboz where an unsurpassed panorama opens from the classical Gloriette to Lake Fertő [Neusiedler]. In the Locomotive Museum, steam engines, passenger carriages, goods and lumber wagons represent the history of narrow-gauge railroads. In the nearby cemetery, the founder of the Hungarian National Museum (in Budapest), Count Ferenc Széchényi built the family mausoleum where István Széchenyi is also buried.

Sárvár
Sárvár is a holiday resort. The charm of this small city and the medicinal water used to help cure rheumatism, post-fracture complaints and gynecological disorders, attract visitors. While the curing affect of the water can be tested in the first-class hotels, the Sárvár thermal crystal, distilled here, can be used at home for regeneration and conditioning baths.

A long stone bridge leads to the five sided Nádasdy Castle, which now houses a beautiful museum. In the lavishly decorated rooms, exhibitions present the interwoven history of the castle and the town, the life of Hungarian Hussards, and an abundant collection of applied art. The 400 year-old oak trees are the pride of the Sárvár Arboretum.

Szombathely
Szombathely, the former Savaria, was founded in 43 A.D. by Claudius, the divine Roman emperor. Two archaeological excavations help us visualize the luxurious lifestyle of those times. Relics that can be seen in the Garden of Ruins include: the details of the largest mosaic of the Lieutenant-Governor's palace, the foundation walls of a 9th-century fortress built of Roman stones, an almost 50-metre section of the 2000 year-old Amber Road, and the shrine to Mercury. The pieces of the public bath and the customs house are kept in the Savaria Museum.

The 2nd-century Isis shrine of the Iseum garden of ruins serve as background for the Iseum Summer Open-air Festival. The largest Baroque church in Hungary is the twin-towered Bishop's cathedral. The enormous interior is decorated with frescos, paintings and sculptures. The ceremonial hall of the Zopf-style bishop's palace is one of the best Baroque halls in the country. The Diocesan Museum is worth visiting for its lavish collection of ecclesiastic art. Its Library and Archive exhibits the paintings of Dorfmeister.

The Smidt Museum has an incredibly profuse collection of applied art, while the exhibitions of the Szombathely Gallery give you a taste of contemporary Hungarian art. Thirty seven buildings from 27 villages have been included in the Village Museum of Vas County. The nearby lakes are equally good for boating and fishing. The largest arboretum in Hungary, the Kámon Arboretum, has an enormous quantity of rhododendron bushes that blossom in May.

Őrség
This gently sloping recreational region of Őrség covered with forests played an important frontier-guarding role from the 10th century onward. The inhabitants settled on well-protected hilltops in so-called detachments consisting of 5 to 10 groups of houses (szer). These 18 villages preserve a form of settlement remaining from the time of the Hungarian conquest: almost every village has some old houses and belfries. The most beautiful of them is the skirted belfry in Pankasz. Őriszentpéter is the center of the Őrség. Its church, named after the Apostle St. Peter, is a relic from Romanesque times. The Őrség Exhibition House (regional museum) deserves your attention. The characteristic relics of popular architecture can be seen in the village of Szalafő, which consists of seven 'detachments', in the open-air museum of ethnography at Pityerszer.

The highlights are the thatched "fenced" house and the store-room consisting of more than one floor. Wonderful frescos can be seen in the 13th-century church of Velemér. You will also see a medieval church at Hegyhátszentjakab. The Vadása Lake near the village is a popular resort. The Regional Protection Area of Őrség is the largest in Hungary; with 200 springs and 15 fresh-water streams in it. There are 500 species of large butterflies and a grass called lady's mantle that does not grow anywhere else. Regional pottery products are on sale in the Őrség fair of June. The fair also has popular entertainment events.