VESZPRÉM TRAVEL PLANNER 2009 VESZPRÉM ENGLISH BAKONY HILLS LAKE BALATON HISTORY • ATTRACTIONS PROGRAMMES • ACTIVITIES www.veszpreminfo.hu Rest and relaxation in the Region of Kings www.landofkings.hu HUNGARY www.hungary.com Dear Tourist, You are holding in your hand a guide book We hope our leaflet will prove to be a use- that was published as a result of the ful tool for planning your week-long holiday co-operation of the key tourism attractions or weekend break in the Veszprém area. and service providers of the region. To ensure that we provide a high quality With the coupons at the back of the leaflet service we have compiled this information you are entitled to discounts when visiting for our visitors. attractions or using services so make sure you use the opportunity! With the help of this leaflet we recommend ourselves and other services and the attractions of the region, be it in Veszprém, by Lake Balaton or in the Bakony Hills. The programmes and leisure activities listed in this guide will help you to choose the destinations that interest you regardless of the weather. We are certain that you will find events in our region that are exciting this year, the Year of Cultural Tourism. SPORTS AND EVENT HALL Ajka Chrystal Baths Museum Directorate of Veszprém County Southern Bakony Tourism Association Veszprém where history welcomes you 3 HISTORY OF VESZPRÉM Several legends involve Veszprém as it is believed bishops to crown the queens. The cult of the to have been the favourite residence of our first beatified queen is still being reinforced, not only ruler Géza and later his son István I and his wife with her relics kept in St Michael’s Cathedral Gizella. The city consisted only of the castle but also by the historic Gizella Days Festival around the year 1000 had its heyday during the held every year. reign of the first royal couple who established Both the castle and the city have seen de- the bishopric and funded the construction of the struction and reconstruction during the cen- St Michael’s Cathedral and the nunnery in turies: not only fires, earthquakes and plagues Veszprémvölgy. This latter place is believed to have caused damage but also the Hungarian no- be where the gown that bishops wore for the bility fighting for power. The then only higher crowning of Hungarian kings was woven. The education institution of the country (13th cen- building that is the Archbishop’s Palace today tury) was not spared either. was erected on the site of the former royal palace. Later, in the 16th century Veszprém was razed almost to the ground as a result of the Turkish attacks. St George’s Chapel is one of Veszprém – the origin of the name the marvels of the city even in its ruined state The name of the city was Bezprem originally, and it is claimed to be the place of Prince St which is a compound noun of Slavic origin, Imre’s oath to celibacy. meaning ‘uneven’. The initial B has changed to V later on so Bezprem has become Veszprém. The explanation of the name by King Matthias’s his- torian Bonfini recalls the memory of Queen Advice: When walking up to the lookout Gizella, he claimed Gizella cried “Vessz, prém!” point at the end of Vár Street do not rush past (Away with the fur!) meaning she was willing to St George’s Chapel, it is well worth a visit! give up her expensive fur coat to contribute to the building costs of St Michael’s Cathedral. Another popular theory suggests that the city got its name from the German name of the White Well of the city, “Weissbrunn”. 1 6 5 7 2 4 There is no clear evi- 8 9 dence that Queen Gizella 3 was actually crowned in Veszprém. It is a known fact however that she donated her crown to the church here and with that she made Veszprém the town of Queens in the readings of today’s historians. A law from 1216 also re- ZOO inforced the authority of the 1 Statue of King St Stephen 3 Queen Gizella 5 Castle 7 Archbishop's and Queen Gizella Museum Well Palace 2 St George 4 St Michael's 6 Gizella 8 Dubniczay Palace – 4 Chapel Cathedral Chapel László Károly Collection The ruins of the St Catherine nunnery associations were formed. With the flourishing are well-known as the canonised Princess civic development of Veszprém the number of Margaret of the Árpád House lived here for 6 inhabitants rose from 10,000 to 70,000 due years. to the socialist urbanisation politics in the People who played a role in building the second half of the 20th century. Housing city are still fondly remembered. Bishop Al- estates were built around the former old bert Vetési, the renaissance scholar who town and the socialist realism style city centre formed the city into a cultural centre, has was established in this period. The most written his name into the history books of visible example of this process is the gigantic Veszprém. The design of the castle we can see 20-storey building in Kossuth Street erected today started to form in the 18th century on the place of old civic houses. during the term of Bishop Márton Padányi The University of Pannonia, founded in Bíró. The most renowned architect of the 1949 as the Technical University has become time, Jakab Fellner designed several of the a centre of higher education with its nume- buildings belonging to the Church. Builder rous faculties. As Veszprém cannot be consi- József Tietharth earned his reputation during dered as an industrial centre, the city has been the same period; his work is preserved in se- looking focusing on the cultural and academic veral buildings in the castle including the Dub- spheres since the political changes in 1990. As niczay Palace. According to a local tradition a result, the city has become a school and uni- several of the buildings in Veszprém are still versity town with its two higher educational identified by the name of the former owners institutions and more than 10,000 students or persons who commissioned them: some attending the 10 secondary schools. examples are the Bíró-Giczey, the Simoga, the The square surrounded by the Baroque- Dravecz and the Tejfalussy Houses. style buildings is the venue of the largest cul- The city’s structure has been changing tural events such as the Gizella Days, the since the end of the 19th century; new buil- Veszprém Festival and the Veszprém dings have been erected, streets opened, the Summer Festival. The programmes of the manufacturing industry settled in, and civic Kabóciádé Family Festival organised by the local puppet theatre are also held in the city centre. 12 Families with children are 14 recommended to visit the 11 13 Town centre • [email protected] www.veszpreminfo.hu 10 Kittenberger Kálmán Zoo in the Betekints Valley, underneath the Viaduct, the symbol of the city. Advice: You can download this graphic map from our website in 8 languages or ask for a copy in our office where you can get useful information and find a range CASTLE of Veszprém souvenirs. 9 Brick Collection – 11 Csikász 13 Modern Art Gallery – Tegularium Gallery Vass László Collection 10 Piarist 12 Information 14 Fire Lookout Church office To we r 5 THE BISHOPRIC OF VESZPRÉM ECCLESIASTICAL HERITAGE AND MUSEUMS Veszprém has been a centre of religion since the early middle ages. As a result the Castle area in Veszprém houses several religious treasures in the buildings and museums. One of Hungary’s most magnificent Baroque-style palaces was built here in 1776, designed by the architect Jakab Fellner. The building which is now the Arch- bishop’s Palace has a splendid hallway and a beautiful dining room. Its library boasts more than 60,000 books. Adjacent to the building we find the 13th century Gothic-style Gizella Chapel with for the crowning of Beatrix, King Matthias’ wife. Byzantine life-size frescoes of the apostles. [email protected] The ruins of the round church where St George’s skull bone had been kept can also be found in the castle. This round church was where St Imre, King István’s son, took an oath of celibacy. Queen Gizella who enjoyed staying in the area is considered to be the founder of the Ecclesiastical buildings and exhibitions St Michael’s Cathedral. Ancient documents Látogathatóopen egyházi to the épületek public include: és kiállítóhelyek list the basilica as the first and oldest cathedral in (Open(nyitva every tartás: day between május 1st 1-október May and 15th 15-ig October, naponta, for details vö.: see alább) below) Hungary. Hungarian queens became the “owners” • St Michael’s Cathedral of the cathedral of the city, hence the connotation Open every day 10-17 of Veszprém as the city of queens. • Archbishop’s Palace The tombstones of two famous Veszprém Open 10-17, closed on Mondays bishops, Péter Beriszló and Márton Padányi Bíró • Queen Gizella Museum can be found in the crypt of the cathedral. Open 10-17, closed on Tuesdays • Gizella Chapel Among the rich collection in the Queen Gizella Open 10-17, closed on Tuesdays • St George’s Chapel www.ersekseg.veszprem.hu Museum we can find the replica of the gown used Open 10-17, closed on Tuesdays at crowning ceremonies and also the cloak that • Piarist Church according to tradition Bishop Albert Vetési wore Open 10-17, closed on Mondays Opening hours may vary, for information ring +36-88/426-088.