How to get from budapest to esztergom. What to see in Esztergom, the former capital of Hungary? Esztergom with a guided tour

The heyday of the city began in 960, when the ruling princes of the Arpad dynasty in Hungary chose a powerful Moravian fortress for the royal residence. King Stephen I was crowned in 1000 and created the Bishopric of Esztergom, which is still the seat of the Roman Catholic primates of Hungary. The first cathedral was built from 1001 to 1010. For 300 years, Esztergom controlled both the spiritual and social life of the state, which was facilitated by its location at the intersection of important trade routes that passed up and down the Danube.

The political power of Esztergom, once rich and magnificent city disappeared by the middle of the thirteenth century. - the Tatar-Mongols invaded here, and the story tells of the destruction and subsequent restoration of the settlement. In its appearance, the consequences of the Celtic, Roman, Moravian, Hungarian, Tatar-Mongolian and Turkish occupations are still noticeable. Separate fragments of buildings of those times are part of the surviving buildings. The architecture combines a wide variety of styles: Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance, oriental elements and Baroque, Rococo and Hungarian classics. Even in 1944, when the city was practically destroyed after the retreat of the Nazis, careful restoration helped to preserve every historical layer, and archaeologists continue to find ancient monuments. Moreover, many previously exported works of art are now returned to the museums of Esztergom. Jewelry, dishes, church utensils, fabrics, paintings, tapestries, thousands of other exhibits demonstrate that the skill of artisans and jewelers led to the emergence of magnificent works of art for representatives of the highest royal, civil and ecclesiastical authorities. Like a Russian Easter egg, Esztergom should be considered gradually, delving into the smallest details. You can take a leisurely walk and leave - or settle here and spend a stunningly interesting month.

When to come

From June to August for the annual theater festival at Esztergom Castle. In May and September, there are fewer people, and the beauty of the city can be admired without interference.

Do not miss

The graceful Hungarian classicism of the gigantic 19th-century cathedral, incorporating early baroque elements (1774), and the older 16th-century Bakoc chapel.
Cathedral vestry (entrance inside the cathedral), which houses one of the world's best collections of works of church art of the 9th-19th centuries.
Remains of the Hungarian royal palace of the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries with elements of Renaissance and Turkish style architecture; the castle chapel in the Romanesque style is especially beautiful.
The austere beauty of the Baroque architecture of the residential buildings on Vizivaros Street dating from 1730, especially around the market square.

The first capital of Hungary, Esztergom is the concentration of historical and natural attractions of the country. It is located on the south bank of the river. Danube. Over the 1500 years of its existence, a lot of interesting facts and monuments. Therefore, tourists should know what to visit in Esztergom, Hungary - sights, cathedrals, churches, museums.

About the history of the city

The first mentions date back to the 9th century. Then the Celts lived in this area. After that there were several peoples - Romans, Magyars and Slavs. The latter gave the current name to the city - Esztergom. Thanks to its convenient location, it has become the commercial and religious center of Hungary.

Interesting facts about the city:

There is a version that here Marcus Aurelius wrote the work of his life - Meditations.
The coronation of the first ruler of Hungary, Saint Stephen, took place in this city.
In the period 1543-1683 the city belonged to the Ottoman Empire.
Here is the largest basilica in Hungary - St. Adalbert.
After the explosion of the bridge over the Danube, the crossing was restored only by 2001.

To get to the sights of Esztergom, you can use by rail or bus service. Budapest is 50 km away, travel time by car is 35-40 minutes. On the bridge of Maria Valeria you can get to the sister city - Shturovo. This is a Slovak settlement.

This is the largest building of its kind in Hungary with its unique history. The first temple on this site was built at the beginning of the 11th century on the initiative of St. Stephen. However, during the war years, it was repeatedly destroyed - first by the Czechs in the 14th century, and then by the Turks in 1543. on this site in 1856 the Basilica of St. Albert was built - the largest and most popular attraction in Hungary and Esztergom.

The construction took three years. As a result, the height of the building was 70 meters, and the dimensions - 40 * 118 meters. The image above the altar is a separate cultural attraction of Esztergom. It is made from a single piece of canvas, and its dimensions are the largest in the world.

On the territory of the complex on the left you can see the Bakotsa Chapel. This building is older than the basilica for 350 years. The chapel is the only surviving building after the Turkish raid. At the expense of the local aristocracy, it was restored, and then was moved closer to the temple.

There is a burial place of almost all Hungarian bishops. It is located under the temple, next to the treasury. The latter contains jewelry and artifacts from the entire period of the existence of the religious complex. The most valuable exhibits are a gothic bowl, the coronation cross of Saint Stephen, a crucifix that belonged to Matthias Korvin.

To view the view of the year, it is proposed to climb the dome. In rainy weather it may be closed. Here you can see a panorama of the river. Danube and Slovak bank of the river. Entrance to the territory is free, but this is a functioning temple. Therefore, you need to behave appropriately, dress according to the rules. Entrance to the dome and the treasury is paid.

The historical landmark of Esztergom in Hungary was built in the 10th century. The Arpad Royal Palace served several functions - the residence of the ruling dynasty and the fortress. The architectural style of the complex is classical Romanesque. However, in the 15th century it was completely burned down during the war. The final reconstruction was made in 1830. Since then, the palace has become a museum.

What can be seen in the Árpád Royal Palace Museum:

The history of the city for various periods is presented.
Examples of the life of citizens of various classes. Tools and tools of peasants, decorations of the nobility.
Archaeological finds, when the Hungarians did not yet live on this place.
Features of the forced liberation movement.

The buildings of the palace do not have a special beauty, all the elements are concise. However, such severity is well suited for the museum, nothing distracts the attention of visitors.

Buildings are an example where the original purpose was changed to please society. The residence of the archbishop appeared in Esztergom in 1882. Until the second half of the 20th century, the archbishops of the country lived here. This landmark of Esztergom is built in neoclassical style. The central entrance is crowned with two towers; there is a plaster molding on the facade.

Now there is a museum of Christianity and the city library. The latter contains manuscripts of the Middle Ages, modern folios. Tourists and independent travelers can visit the library.

The Museum of Christianity displays various religious relics. The theme of the exposition will be interesting for excursions on a religious theme. In addition, here you can see many artifacts of the Middle Ages.

She is at railway station cities. This Catholic church was built in honor of St. Anna (Szent Anna Plébániatemplom). It became a landmark of Esztergom in Hungary in the 19th century. Outwardly, it resembles the famous Roman pantheon. There is a small but beautiful park around the building.

Next to it is the church of Vizivaros. This building is over 200 years old, as evidenced by its architecture. The central entrance is decorated with columns and two towers. The color of the facade is white, there is a small bell tower at the top. Entrance to these attractions is free, religious services are not held here.

Waterpark Aquasziget Esztergom

The city has the largest water park - Aquasziget Esztergom. There are water slides, several types of pools. Separate entertainment for children - playrooms, playgrounds. The peculiarity of the entertainment complex is the combination of traditional types water activities with spa treatments and mineral, thermal springs.

Water park open all year round, tickets for children and pensioners are served at a reduced price. The entrance fee is 3200 forints. There is a medical service on the territory, there are instructors.

For lovers of hot rest, several saunas and baths have been built. After the steam room, you can plunge into the mineral or thermal source. At the end of the procedure, it is recommended to order a therapeutic massage, you can use mud.

For accommodation, you can choose a room in a hotel or a hotel. There are hostels in the city, private apartments for rent. Catering is simple, you can choose any cafe or restaurant serving traditional Hungarian cuisine.

This time I thought for a long time whether it was worth describing our journey. Firstly, Hungary is not such an exotic country, secondly, it is well known to most tourists and even fed up with it in places, and thirdly, only the lazy did not tell about the options for visiting it at the TP. But, if suddenly you find yourself in Budapest not for the first, not for the second, and not even for the third time, then I will dare to offer an idea for a trip - the Bend of the Danube.

This common name refers to the towns along the Danube located near Budapest - Esztergom, Vysehrad and Szentendre. Sometimes Vac is also added here. Each city is interesting in its own way: Esztergom - the first capital of Hungary with the largest Catholic cathedral in the country, Vysehrad - the former summer residence of the Hungarian kings, Szentendre - a museum-gallery under open sky or, as it is often called, the City of Artists. In general, there are plenty to choose from. ;)

We decided to start our journey with Esztergoma , as from the farthest point, and then - as it turns out. You can get there by train, departing every hour from the West Station ( Nyugati palyaudvar) and is on the way for about 1 hour 25 minutes (detailed timetable on the website of the Hungarian Railways), or on the super popular bus number 880, starting from the bus station near the Árpád bridge ( Árpád híd) and on the way 1 hour 15 minutes. ( detailed information up to the route map can be found on the Volanbus website).

We chose the train because of the greater comfort of movement, and also because since our last visits we really wanted to look at West Station built in the 19th century. designed by Gustave Eiffel himself.

Inspired and even slightly stunned by the ease of purchasing tickets (I’ll tell you about practical points at the end), we rush to the train, which is a small train of 3 trailers, on which the numbers 1 or 2 are written - these are not carriage numbers, but a class. We need with the number 2. :)

commuter trains

Everything in the car is comfortable, civilized, there is even a toilet and Wi-Fi. But we prefer to admire the surrounding views, although you can hardly see the Danube or its bend from the train - only the Danube Lowland. ;)

On the road to Esztergom

And then we see the approaching controller. Of course, we seem to have done everything right, but suddenly something is wrong? The trembling begins. With the eyes of the Cat from the cartoon "Shrek", with shaking hands, we hand him train tickets and daily passes and reverently freeze ... The controller silently looks at all our wealth, draws something on the tickets and moves on. Fuuuh!!! They did not disgrace the country in the international arena! :)

For such unrest, they did not notice how they drove up to the Esztergom station (not very attractive, but quite functional),

As can be seen from the inscription - Esztergom station

from which you can already see the main attraction of the city - the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Adalbert.

And in the distance the Basilica of St. Adalbert

Here, in fact, it is probably worth saying a little more about what is famous for Esztergom . This ancient city founded in the 1st century. and in different historical periods was of great importance in the cultural, state and religious development of Hungary, was the first capital of the country. It is believed that the most famous king of Hungary was born in Esztergom, who went down in history under the name of St. Stephen.

Here is the residence of the Primate of Hungary - the Archbishop of Esztergom. And at the entrance to the city you can see the domes of the main and largest Basilica of the country - the already mentioned Cathedral of Our Lady and St. Adalbert.

Well, we still have to get to the Basilica ... We are walking through the city, which is practically empty on this Sunday,

Desert Esztergom

admiring the surrounding sights: St. Anne's Cathedral, built in the likeness of the Roman Pantheon, the local Heroes' Square, and other architectural beauties.

Beauty of Esztergom

And then we hear the sounds of an incendiary chardash and see people moving in that direction!

It's on central square the city performs a local dance group! ;)

Local amateur performance

Here on the square are all the attributes of the historical center - the Old Town Hall, the fountain, the emblem of the city. :)

On the central square

But our goal is the Cathedral. But the best way to view this majestic building is from ... the territory of Slovakia! ;) The border between Hungary and Slovakia runs along the Danube, and the countries are connected by the 500-meter Maria-Valeria Bridge, built in 1895 and named after one of the daughters of the well-known Austrian Empress Sisi.

Maria Valeria Bridge

By the way, during the retreat of the Germans in 1944, the bridge was blown up and restored quite recently - in 2001, and until that moment locals enjoyed ferry crossing. Well, we are lucky, and we are going to Slovakia on the bridge! :)

To Slovakia! ;)

And indeed, the views of the Cathedral, Esztergom and the Danube from the Slovak side are simply amazing

Cathedral of St. Adalbert in all its glory

Danube and a piece of Esztergom

However, it's time to return to Hungary! ;)

Slovak-Hungarian border :)

At the same time, admire the Danube Bend from the bridge.

And finally, we rush to the Cathedral!

On the way to the Cathedral

On the way we pass by the Vizivaros Church and the adjacent Archbishop's Palace.

Church of Vizivaros

But everything is closed there, and our goal is the Cathedral, and you can climb to it along the so-called "Cat's stairs". By the way, figs, we would have found it so easily if a cat had not appeared near us, literally directing us towards the stairs! Maybe he works there part-time? ;)

"Janitor" near the "Cat stairs"

"Cat Ladder"

As we climb up the Fortress Hill,

On the Castle Hill

husband with rapture fotkaet opening views. And I tell you, despite the bad weather, there is something to admire!

View of the Archbishop's Palace

And this is a view of Slovakia :)

I am reading the history of the Cathedral. It is believed that starting from 970, seven temples existed in turn on this site, and the written mention of the first Basilica of St. Adalbert dates back to 1010. At another time, there were the church of St. Stephen, the chapel of St. Vitus, as well as the Bakots chapel - it was later transferred to the modern Basilica as a side chapel.

The modern Basilica was not built quickly, during this time four archbishops and three architects were replaced - in 1822 they laid the first foundation stone and only on November 1, 1869 - the last closing stone. But the solemn consecration of the Basilica took place even before the completion of construction - August 31, 1856 in the presence of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, Franz Joseph.

Under such tales, we finally find ourselves in the courtyard of the Cathedral, but stretching the pleasure, we decide to start from the site where the monumental monument to St. Stephen is located. They say it looks very impressive from the side of the Danube in the evening illumination, but there’s something rich here ...;) Having examined both the monument and the views from it,

Monument to St. Stephen

we finally go to the Cathedral. Yeah, it's still impressive in size...

Cathedral of St. Adalbert

I won’t say that this is the largest I have seen (the Basilica takes only 18th place in the list of large temples), but like this, in provincial Hungary, to see such a huge (100x118x49 meters!) Is very expressive! Moreover, the size of the cathedral, combined with its neoclassical proportions, is somewhat overwhelming (especially when viewed up close).

What's inside? And here the Cathedral has something to brag about - a dome with a height of more than 70 m and the world's largest (!!!) painting of the main altar, painted on one canvas based on the altar image created by Titian for the main altar of Venice.

Inside the Basilica

cathedral dome

The largest altarpiece in the world (!!!)

And there is also an organ made by Ludwig Muser, consisting of 49 registers and 3530 pipes, on which, in honor of the opening of the Cathedral, the "Granska Mass", written by Franz Liszt, was performed just for this event.

Organ where Franz Liszt's "Grand Mass" was first performed

And a bunch of separate altars and chapels - St. Adalbert, St. Hungarians, St. Stephen, etc.

Inside the Cathedral

Separately, it is worth mentioning the Bakotsi Chapel, which I spoke about above. Its construction dates back to the beginning of the 16th century, and in 1823 it was dismantled into 1600 (!) parts in order to be built into the new Cathedral. The chapel is named after Cardinal Thomas Baccozi, who is buried in it, and is considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture outside of Italy.

Bakoczi Chapel

As additional attractions in the Cathedral there is the Treasury, the Crypt, the Panorama Hall, as well as the possibility of climbing the Dome. But their visit is paid and, if you decide on it, it is more profitable to buy a combo ticket, the cost of which is 1400 forints (for ease of transfer, 1 € is about 300 forints). Yes, and do not make our mistake - we, bypassing all the signs, rushed to the Dome, hoping to inspect the Treasury later. But it turned out that the route is looped and you will not return the way you went up. Therefore, after descending from the Dome, I had to go with a repentant air to the young lady at the control and explain what kind of idiots we are. She laughed for a long time, but let us into the paid area for the second time. :)

So, the first step is to go to the Treasury. You can’t take pictures there, but there is something to see - the Arpad cross is kept here, on which the Hungarian kings swore during the coronation, and the textile collection of episcopal vestments is considered one of the rarest in Europe.

Stored in the Cathedral is another treasure that is not presented for inspection by curious tourists - this is the recipe for the famous Hungarian Unicum balm. But here, as they say, it is better to try once than look at the recipe a hundred times! ;)

The Panorama Hall is a kind of place where you can have a cup of coffee overlooking the Danube Bend, as well as get acquainted with the history of the construction of the Cathedral.

From the history of the Cathedral

And here from it on 256 steps

Steps on the Dome of the Basilica

you get to the bottom of the dome and admire kratypes

After that, you overcome another 400 steps, and now you are already at the very top! ;)

Views from the Dome

Esztergom

From here, by the way, there is also a wonderful view of the Arpad Royal Palace, built in the 10th century, destroyed during the Turkish invasion and restored at the beginning of the 20th century. Here is now located the Museum of the history of the city with a rich collection of weapons.

Arpad Palace

Weapons museum

And to the huge square in front of the Cathedral, as well as the road along which we will head to Vysehrad. ;)

Square in front of the Basilica and the road to Vysehrad

But before that, we went down to the Cathedral Crypt (since the tickets were bought), which serves as the burial place of the Esztergom archbishops, as well as the reburial of individual historical figures, including three Hungarian kings.

In the Crypt of the Cathedral

And especially revered is the grave of Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty, a figure in the Hungarian revolution of 1956, who, after the suppression of the uprising, first lived in the South American embassy in Budapest, and then in Vienna, where he died in 1975. In 1991, the remains of the cardinal were reburied in the crypt of the Esztergom Basilica.

Grave of Josef Mindszenty

With this we say goodbye to Esztergom and its Basilica.

Cathedral of St. Adalbert

In the meantime, a little announcement

Views from the Visegrad Fortress

Esztergom is not only the former Hungarian capital, but also very beautiful city who annually visits great amount tourists from different countries peace. Another advantage of this city is that it is located only 50 kilometers from Budapest, and getting to it will not be any problem.

The city is great for going there for a day and during a busy excursion program see all major attractions. Many tourists prefer traveling by train. It is very convenient and inexpensive, besides, the first train leaves around 4 am, and the last one at about 11 pm. All of them depart from the Western Station of the Hungarian capital, which is called Nyugati. During the day, the interval of trains is about 30 minutes, and in the evening it increases to an hour. Trains cover the distance between cities in less than an hour and a half. Since there are many flights every day, you should not bother with pre-purchasing tickets, you can buy them on the spot. The ticket price is about 4 euros.

From five in the morning to eleven in the evening, not only trains, but also buses run regularly between the cities. They depart from the metropolitan bus station Árpád híd autóbusz-állomás at intervals of 15 to 60 minutes. Depending on the route, buses travel from 1 hour 15 minutes to two hours. Tickets can be purchased directly from the driver. The fare is from 3 to 4.5 euros.

Hungary has good roads, and if you like to travel by car, you can rent a car in Budapest and drive to Esztergom on your own. Thus, in one day you can visit several cities located in the vicinity of the Hungarian capital. The disadvantage of this method of transportation is that if you are traveling together, then the cost of renting can definitely hit your budget (you will have to pay about 50-60 euros per day, excluding the cost of fuel).

If we talk about the sights of Esztergom, then in this case we can safely say that the main one is the Basilica of St. Adalbert. First of all, the temple impresses with its size: its width is 40 meters, its length is 118 meters, and the height of the dome reaches 71.5 meters. The construction of this temple began in 1822 and this is the third temple built on this site. In addition to its impressive size, the temple impresses with the largest altarpiece in the world, which is painted on a single piece of canvas. In the dungeon of the temple there is a script where well-known personalities who left their mark on Hungarian history were buried. The temple treasury contains various church utensils and ancient vestments.

Be sure to climb observation deck, which is located under the dome and which offers stunning views of the city, including the bridge of Maria Valeria. The peculiarity of this bridge is that it connects the Hungarian Esztergom with the city of Sturovo, located on the territory of Slovakia. The bridge was built in 1895 and named after the daughter of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor. Its length is 500 meters and during its existence it was destroyed several times.

Not far from the basilica is another iconic landmark not only of the city, but of the whole of Hungary - the Royal Palace, which was the residence of the first Hungarian king, St. Stephen, more than 1000 years ago. Today, within the walls of the castle there is a museum that introduces visitors to unique artifacts and tells about the history of the country. The museum collection is mainly made up of ceramics of the 11th century, which were made during archaeological finds. There are several types of excursions around the castle (especially for foreigners - on English language). If we talk about an introductory tour of the castle, then it will take about 30 minutes, and a full inspection will take 1-1.5 hours. While visiting this castle, visitors can enjoy beautiful views that open onto the Danube from the White Tower. Visitors are offered archery.

In 1882, another landmark of Esztergom, the Archbishop's Palace, was built in the neoclassical style. Now the building houses a library and a Christian museum. The collection of this museum contains works of Italian painting, medieval Hungarian art, rare printed matter and old manuscripts.

It is worth paying attention to the main city square - Szechenyi Square, which is surrounded by beautiful buildings built in the Baroque and Rococo styles (these buildings date back to the 18-19 centuries). In 2006, the square underwent a large-scale reconstruction.

This is far from complete list the sights that you can see in this beautiful Hungarian city. If you have limited time, then you can buy a one-day excursion at the tour agencies in Budapest, and if there is no shortage of free time, then it is better to go on your own.

Traveling to Hungary without travel agencies allowed me to see how to get to Esztergom, cross the bridge of Maria Valeria, see the basilica, the town hall and other sights of Esztergom, find out where you can eat cheaply in Estengom - all the details are contained in the report about the trip to Esztergom

If you start listing the cities of Hungary that you must visit, then Esztergom will take one of the prizes in this list. Now he seems to be a quiet and sleepy provincial, but in the past everything was different. Firstly, the city was the capital of the Hungarian state for almost two and a half centuries, secondly, its role in the spread of Christianity throughout the region is difficult to overestimate, and thirdly, the sights of Esztergom deserve the most flattering words.

When I went on an excursion to the bend of the Danube on my own, I spent the whole day on the trip, and although the beautiful Wats then had to be left unattended, Vysehrad and Esztergom appeared before me in the best possible light. Another thing to visit old City I had a chance in the evening, and, having examined the main sights of Esztergom, I hurried to the station in order to have time to get to Budapest before dark. So it turned out that the Vizivaros district and the ensemble of the central square fell into the field of my attention briefly, casually. Now I wanted to deepen my acquaintance with the area, devoting almost the entire time of the tour of Esztergom to leisurely walks.

Since I had already had a chance to drive around Hungary during the “rush hour”, I decided not to rush to leave the city, and we set off at about 10 am, when the main traffic jams in Budapest cleared up. In such conditions, it was a joy to steer, especially since the first stage of the journey ran along the banks of the Danube. Admiring the scenery, I didn’t even notice how I had passed the necessary turn: in order to take a short cut, I had to turn near the Széchenyi bridge and, having passed palace ensemble, lie down on the track. Fortunately, there are several ways to get to Esztergom from Budapest: starting on the already familiar road, we almost reached Margaret Island, moved northwest and rolled out to the beginning of Highway 10. It turned out even better than the navigator originally suggested, because almost did not have to break through urban development.

I note that getting from Budapest to Esztergom is easy and without a car: both cities are connected by a railway line. To go there from an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the train, which can go with or without stops. But the ticket price is the same in any case - less than 4 euros for a one-way trip. Considering that comfortable Hungarian trains run regularly on this route, more than 30 times a day, the organization independent travel poses absolutely no difficulty.

We managed to get to Esztergom from Budapest a little faster than the train, in about 50 minutes. The car immediately gave us the second gain in time: the area where the Esztergom railway station is located and the city core are separated by about 3 kilometers. We, having cheerfully swept by the side of the huge basilica, stood exactly around the corner from it. That is, part of the Szent Istvan square, adjacent to the temple from the east, was given over to paid parking, but, true to my principles of not paying for what you don’t have to pay for, I instantly found a free place at the beginning of the neighboring Baca street. It was possible to leave the car there in the center of Esztergom for free, which we used, as we found, in addition to the local ones, also Slovak and Austrian cars. From there, it was no more than 300 meters to walk to the basilica ...

I happened to see how chic the giant temple looks from the Danube, but its opposite incarnation turned out to be good. The building fits so well into the landscape that you would not think that until the beginning of the 19th century the most advantageous place in the district was empty. Well, that is, it was not completely empty: it was occupied by the ruins of a cathedral destroyed by the Turks. That one, being built around the second half of the 13th century, in turn replaced a relatively small church founded by the legendary King Stephen I more than 1000 years ago and which became the first Christian sanctuary on Hungarian soil.

It is interesting that the impressive building, in general, symbolizes the fate of the city: it also died and was reborn several times. It is believed that Esztergom was founded by the Celts around the middle of the 4th century BC. Under the Romans, under the name of Solva, it was an important frontier post of the Danube limes. Then, its strategic position was appreciated by the Slavs who migrated to the banks of the Danube after the collapse of the Roman Empire - the toponym Stregom, that is, the "guard" personified the purpose of the village in the best possible way. The Hungarians, who appeared on the European plains at the end of the 9th century, changed the name in their own way. A few decades later, Prince Gyoza, who decided where to locate the capital of his state, chose Esztergom as such. Further, the city had a chance to go through many trials, it was first a religious and then a cultural center of Hungary, it was ravaged by the Mongols, Czechs and Turks. The latter especially “tried”, if their power had lasted longer, you see, all the sights of Esztergom would have disappeared without a trace. And then, after the liberation from the Turkish yoke, the Hungarians, with the support of the Austrians, had to work hard to bring the city into a divine form. Just in the course of the restructuring of the historical center, the very famous basilica was erected, which now stuns the article and size.

The cathedral, consecrated in honor of St. Adalbert, was founded in 1822 by the zeal of the Hungarian archbishop, who wanted to finally find a cathedral instead of the one destroyed by the infidels. The project was prepared by the architect Pale Künel, who proposed to decorate the building in the style of classicism. Before the start of construction, a chapel made of red marble, created even before the Turkish invasion, was dismantled; it was dismantled literally stone by stone and then recreated in a new place. Since it was planned to create a truly gigantic building, it took almost 35 years of hard work before the work was completed. But the result was amazing: Esztergom Cathedral occupies an area with a good football field, and its height reaches 100 meters.

Having admired the temple from all sides, you should definitely go under its vaults in order to feel the size of the dome and appreciate the richness of the interior decoration on your own skin. Sculptures, bas-reliefs, marble decorations can be found at every turn in the cathedral; a luxurious organ decorated with figures of angels and muses deserves special mention. Another pearl of the interior is located above the altar: the picture flaunting there is considered the largest artistic canvas in the world.

Everyone, well, absolutely everyone likes the cathedral of Esztergom, except that the churchmen have got into the habit of charging money for every sneeze. You have to pay separately for visiting the treasury, and for visiting the underground crypt, and for climbing the dome - it's amazing how the entrance fee hasn't been introduced yet...

Looking at how much it costs to visit Esztergom Cathedral, I came to the conclusion that for those who are going to fork out in full, it is better to buy a complex ticket for 1400 crowns - thanks to it, visiting all the interesting corners will cost one and a half times cheaper.

For many decades, the castle has been a neighbor of the main attraction of Esztergom. Its walls and towers look quite formidable, and without the help of a guide to Hungary, one can hardly guess that in front of you there are only, as they say, the remnants of the former luxury. In fact, the stronghold of the Hungarian rulers used to be much larger and more solid, thanks to which she managed to withstand the assault of the Tatar-Mongol horde, a feat that few cities can boast of. of Eastern Europe. Then the castle of Esztergom was used as a residence by kings and archbishops, it happened to burn and take blows from Turkish nuclei, in a word, its history can hardly be called calm. A number of reconstructions and reconstructions gave the ancient citadel a very unusual look: it combines Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Romanesque styles.

After examining the stone walls and the bridge thrown over a deep moat, you can go inside the castle to get acquainted with the exposition historical museum. You won’t be able to get great pleasure, but what you won’t do for the sake of broadening your horizons ...

Having finished the first part of the tour of Esztergom, it's time to move to the Vizivaros area. A rather steep path leads down to it, down from the royal palace. Going down it is fun, but doing the way back is not so easy. There is, however, an alternative path that we found during our inspection of the basilica: for those who decided to get to Esztergom from Budapest by train, it is better, instead of climbing the hill to the foot of the cathedral, to go through the tunnel to the other side of the lowland and from there climb to the entrance to temple by lift.

So, having descended, we ended up in the Vizivaros district, whose name translates as “Water City”, and it is absolutely right: earlier it was decorated with gates that blocked the small channel of the Danube. At first they gave the name to the quarters sandwiched between the coast and the hill where the Esztergom Basilica is located, over time the nickname spread to the entire territory of the city core, including the newly formed Section Square and the brand new bridge over the Danube.

The highlight of the area is its architecture. It is difficult to call her outstanding, but it is quite possible to be charming. Most of the buildings are made up of small old houses, if there are interspersed with modernity, they are stylized in the right way. And, it should be noted, the sights of Esztergom in this part of the city are no less interesting than the fortress and the cathedral.

Take, for example, the first baths in Hungary, which overtook both the “Section” and the “Gellert” in age. Or here is the church of St. Ignatius, which has an extremely interesting appearance: such a narrow and at the same time curved facade is rare. The building was built on the site of a destroyed mosque, for the construction of which the Turks demolished a Christian temple of the medieval era, so that justice, so to speak, triumphed. The Jesuits, who had to wait 10 years before their plans came to life, were the customers who began construction in 1728. Then the adherents of Ignatius Loyola made sure that their offspring was decorated magnificently, in full accordance with the Baroque style. The hired craftsmen did their best: the church of St. Ignatius became a real decoration of the area.

What else you need to see in Esztergom is the Museum of Christianity, which occupies the former palace of the archbishops, more like a theater. The exposition includes the most valuable works of religious art, the museums of most European capitals can envy the number of paintings on this subject, created in the 13th-17th centuries. Visitors are also invited to view interesting religious objects, including the luxuriously trimmed robes of the clergy.

After seeing the main, most remarkable architectural sights, it is worth switching your attention to natural beauties and going to the Danube embankment. The most convenient way to do this from Vizivaros is through the graceful bridge named after Kossuth, thrown across the Little Danube. The views from there are incredibly pleasing to the eye, but it is even more pleasant to look at the ancient city from the bridge connecting Hungary and Slovakia. It is not necessary to go through it all, already from about the middle you can start shooting marvelous panoramas. We were lucky in general: as soon as we got to the crossing, a long steamer began to enter under it, one of those that regularly cruise along the Danube. He added picturesqueness to the shots we made, although there is already more than enough of it ...

The bridge itself is rather unsightly, but it is also included in the sights of Esztergom, as it has a long history. It was opened in 1895, dramatically improving communication between the two regions of what was then Austria-Hungary. The loyal impulse forced the local authorities to name the crossing after the daughter of Emperor Franz Joseph, Archduchess Maria Valeria. The iron structures stood for almost 60 years, and, probably, they would still serve faithfully, if during the Second World War the retreating Germans had not blown them up. The Hungarian government for a long time could not muster the strength to restore the border traffic, money for the reconstruction of the bridge was found only at the end of the 20th century.

Previously, in the middle of a long structure there was a border between two states, and I remember well how worried, when entering the Maria-Valeria Bridge, that I would run into problems when I returned - I managed to get a Hungarian visa only once and, strictly speaking, I had no right to cross the border line. It's good that then I got away with it, and I perfectly photographed the panorama of the Danube from different points, gradually reaching the Slovak coast in search of a better angle. There was a checkpoint there and there were also guards. And the Hungarians had peace and quiet, and the picturesque Customs post, located at the entrance to the bridge from the right bank of the river, was empty. Now neither there, nor the Slovaks, of course, there is no one, go and drive as much as you like ...

I definitely recommend climbing the Maria-Valeria Bridge, but I won’t be so categorical about visiting the Danube promenade: it’s nice to walk under the walls of the basilica, where the cruise ship pier is located in Esztergom, but neglected places begin to the south. It is better to follow our example and immediately from the crossing go south, towards Rakoczy Square. Then all the way around will be entirely pleasant buildings.

Arriving at the triangular square, you find yourself surrounded by shops, but it is better to postpone shopping in Esztergom for later, but for now turn right and move along the most pleasant pedestrian zone, into which Szecheniy Square has been turned. She is furnished beautiful buildings, benches are placed along it, I still remember a rather original fountain and an expressive Plague Column. The city hall, which occupies the southern side of the square, also deserves kind words.

After enjoying the views, you can go even further south to be near such Esztergom sights as the Church of Peter and Paul, but after the basilica and the Jesuit church, it is not able to make a strong impression, despite its baroque appearance. We went to her and did not replenish the piggy bank of vivid memories ...

Returning to Rakoczy Square and the topic of shopping, first of all I will say that there is a place near it where you can buy food and drinks in Esztergom very cheaply. For this you need to visit shopping mall“Ba stya A ruha z” at the very beginning of Bajcsy-Zsilinszky street - a sign of the “M atch” supermarket flaunts above its entrance, so it’s impossible not to notice it. There is a lot of food, sandwiches and fruits, and cheap ones, although, however, food prices in Hungary are almost everywhere low. Also on Bajcsy-Zsilinszky it is not difficult to find shops where you can buy Hungarian souvenirs, well, there are all sorts of dolls in national costumes, magnets, mugs, etc. And walking up the street towards the basilica, we met a couple of cafes with very reasonable prices. But if I had a headache about having lunch in Esztergom, I would still prefer to eat at Széchenie Square - there, perhaps, the cost of dishes is higher, but the tables are surrounded by a wonderful ensemble ...

At the end of the tour of Esztergom, we climbed into the narrow streets winding along the slopes of a large hill hanging over the city. It was not easy for us to go deep into the labyrinth; So, eventually cutting off the path along Batthya ny Lajos Street, we safely went straight to the parking lot we found in the morning. The moment came to say goodbye to Esztergom, but we were not very upset: the whole west of Hungary was ahead of us and the first acquaintance with it was to take place very soon - the most pleasant Gyor was only a hundred kilometers from us ...