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Hungary.com    Things to do & see    Settlement of the Year

Settlement of the year 2009: Hódmezővásárhely

     

Hódmezővásárhely can be found in the South-East part of the Great Plain, 25 kilometers from Szeged, in the junction of Road 45 and 47.
The town has the second largest administrative area and it is a significant educational, economical, cultural and art centre of the South- Plain Region.

In the town, which has close to 48 000 inhabitants, not only infrasructural development, but cultural and art recovery have also started. The cultural roots and traditions of Hódmezővásárhely are very rich.
The calm and the beauty of the countryside attracts the artists, so important and colourful art-life has realized here. The well-known Autumn Exhibition in the Alföld Gallery is opened in every October, for more than five decades.
The folk-art is unique in Hódmezővásárhely and its surrounding. The rich patterns of the embroidery, the variety of folk pottery and the hand-made work of wood carvers, leather goods makers preserve the past.

Folk is preserved by choirs, folk dance groups, and ancient crafts have not diminished, people know the technique of net-weave, wattle and the arts of wood carvers are also high quality.

The natural appeal of Hódmezővásárhely comes from its well-location. Two determining points of its image are the magic of the Plain and the dead channel of Tisza river.

The Water Resor and Indoor Sport Swimming Pool (Endre Ady street 1.) are important parts of the local sport life, which situate near the centre of the town, in green, wide area. The visitors are waited with certified thermal water, three outdoor pools, indoor pool, which suitable for international swimming- competitions, and different kind of services like sauna, massage, jakuzzi, which help in relaxing and recovering.

The surrounding rich in waters, the Tisza river and its dead channels, the smaller lakes and private lakes give the chance for everybody who like aquatic sports, fishing or only the natural scenerys.
More hunting associations work in the area. Enquires for hunting, can find accomodation in hunting houses or in different kind of commercial accomodation.

Good news for people who like riding that the Hód-Mezőgazda Zrt. carrys on ancient tradition and does value-reserve, because it undertook the resublimation of the original characteristics of famous, almost extincted Furioso-North Star breed, which was acclimatized in Mezőhegyes 150 years ago. The ambitions of Hód-Mezőgazda were recognized by the Furioso North Star Horse-raiser National Association with the declaration of Aranyági Ménes (Golden Stud) title. The best horses of the stud take part in national jump competitions, while their mates serve tourism and education.

In the town more horse-farms are working, where the lovers of horse- riding can be addicted to their hobbies.

In Hódmezővásárhely, the Plain Animal husbandry Days, Professional Exhbition and Fair, György Szent Shepherd Race are organized yearly, which events attract more hundred people and visitors to the town.

Everybody are invited here with unfalse Hungarian hospitality, which are put on the map all over the world by the yearly organize cultural and art programs.

Our constant events are the following: the visitors are amused by folk dance groups, folk music concerts at the end of June, on the Day of Music.
The day of István Szent, besides the Wine-Festival, concerts, operett gala, musical show, children play-house and asphalt draw-competition wait for the enquires.
The traditional Autumn Exhibition opens every October. This is a well-known cultural event, which aim is to introduce and align well-known and least known, beginner and professional artists. The Exhibition is the opening accord of the Autumn Week Series, which is a colourful series (participating civil organizations too) in every October and November.

The main square of the town, Square Kossuth, is a totally parked place, which at the same time is the favourite relax place of the inhabitants.
The south part of the square the 56 meters long tower of the Town Hall, which is designed in echlectic style by Miklós Ybl in 1892-93, can be found. Magnificent windows, ornamented with colourful leaden glass, light the flight of stairs. The route passes from the hallway to the Main Hall, where enormous paintings can be situated.

The West part of the square, the neobaroque building of Hotel Fekete Sas stands with its monumental, carved onamented windows. The building was built in 1905, under the plans of Gyula Pártos. The representative and fantastic hall of the Fekete Sas is the scene of balls and local events.

The palace of the Hungarian Credit Bank (Square Kossuth) was built in 1906-07. Its dome is ornamented with the sculpture of Merkúr (the Roman God of merchants and changers). Besid the imposing building, several sculptures can be found in the square.

Through the walk street we can reach the Emlékpont Museum (Andrássy street 34.).
The first Emlékpont of Hungary waits for visitors under temporary exhibition with the modernest technology and museum pedagogic possibilities, which make tangible and clear for everybody the historic periods of communist dictatorship, which determined the life of the inhabitants of Hódmezővásárhely during the last 50 years.

Next to the museum, in the Downtown Pottery House people can learn more about the story of the pottery in Hódmezővásárhely. In the nice showroom, the work of the potter can be found, but the arts of guest handcrafters are often displayed here. Beside the potter-wheeling display, enquires can try the potter-wheeling, painting and the clay pugging.

Goes ahead in the left side of the István Szent, the Synagogue stands, which was built in 1857 and was renovated one year before. Behind the building Holocaust Exhibition waits for visitors to show the big tragedy of the humanity.

The dinamical development of the town not only international awards, but the grow of tourism also show. The number of inhabitants of Hódmezővásárhely is also growing. Important developments are: Swimming Pool, Emlékpont Museum, the New Sport Arena, lots of bicycle-roads, Road 47 between Hódmezővásárhely and Szeged, the build of bypass road and in the future, the construction of 4* hotel in the town centre.

The governance of the town work hard in order to make Hódmezővásárhely the most outstanding and dinamically developped town in the South-Plain Region. After the short presentation, hopefully you want to explore the rich treasures of this area which ensure You unforgettable experiences, to where return will be worthwile.

More information:
Tourinform Office
1 Szőnyi Street
Tel: +36-62/249-350
E-mail: hodmezovasarhely@tourinform.hu

Settlement of the year 2008: Kaposvár

     

The County of Somogy and its capital, Kaposvár, nestle amidst the rolling hills of South Transdanubia embraced by the River Dráva and the majestic waters of Lake Balaton and only an hour's drive from Pécs, which is to be crowned the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2010. The city is built on seven hills on the slopes of the Zselic and Kapos rivers and can trace its origins right back to the birth of the Hungarian State.

As visitors admire the spotless surroundings they soon soak up the warm welcoming atmosphere and learn to relax with the laid-back locals among the flowers and fountains. Winners of 'Hungary in Bloom' in 2003 Kaposvar went on to take the Golden Award in 'Europe in Bloom' the following year. Not wanting to rest on their laurels thousands of bulbs are planted each year to ensure a spectacular display of flowers from Spring right through to Autumn. Since the first fountain was built nearly 100 years ago a dozen more have sprung up all over the city. Some quench the thirst whilst others refresh the spirit.

The world-famous painter, József Rippl-Rónai was a son of the city. Every May the "Town of Painters Festival-Festival of Moods " celebrates his achievements enabling visitors to mingle among artists and performers in the Mediterranean-style open-air exhibitions. There is a varied programme of events month by month and permanent exhibitions and private collections are open all year round.

The town centre was developed at the turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries and the fashionable facades of that era have been preserved in their original splendour. The Csiky Gergely Theatre is " one of the jewels of Art Nouveau".

The biggest fun pool in Transdanubia 'The Flower Bath' opened here three years ago offering 46 different features in the Summer season.

The Equestrian Academy boasts the largest covered hall in Middle Europe and the city is surrounded by other centres where riders can enter horse races and other competitions or learn new equestrian sports.

Lake Deseda on the outskirts of the city is 8 kilometres long and bordered by woods. This is a perfect place for both hikers and lovers of water sports as well as those just seeking peace and quiet.

Settlement of the year 2007: Sárospatak

     

Sárospatak
A jewel among the historic towns of Hungary, Sárospatak lies at the foot of the Zemplén Hills on the River Bodrog and is a much visited cultural and tourist centre. Its very name conjures up those lions of the War of Independence, Prince Rákóczi and his followers.

The present face the town offers is a happy blend of the modern and the many buildings designated as historic monuments. Buildings designed by Imre Makovecz in his hallmarked style sit comfortably in the historic townscape.

Calvinist Collegium
The first phase of the history of the Collegium, begins in 1531 with the munifiscenceof the lord of the castle, Péter Perényi and later with the generosity of György Rákóczi and his wife Zsuzsanna Lorántffy. They provided approriate buildings for the school, its teachers, its magnificent library and drew up the regulations under which it was run. In the Collegium, primary, secondary and higher education were built on each other, from time to time different types of school were established. In Patak, alongside Theology, Arts and Law, later Pedagogy received emphasis. Over the centuries, the Collegium has been the centre of the town's life. A citadel of classical education, Hungarian writers have bestowed on Patak titles such as Athens on the Bodrog, the seat of the Muses and later, because of the English diplomas it began to award, the Hungarian Cambridge.