Sightseeing

• Nyíregyháza
  
• Debrecen
  
• Budapest
  
• Tokaj
  
• Sárospatak
  
• Hortobágy
  

Nyíregyháza

Nyíregyháza is the center of the Hungarian Committee of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg in the Northeast of Hungary. The town has around 120.000 inhabitants and is therefore the eighth most populated city of Hungary. If you have not been there for a long time you will be  surprised by the dynamic changes, the vivacious cultural life, the fresh parks, the marvelous statues and buildings and by the Cafe’s full of atmosphere. Nyíregyháza is the most northern or cosmopolitan city of the European Union, and therefore the last centre of commerce within Eastern Europe. The Cities  proximity to the three frontiers, the ready highway with its improved transport links, will soon strengthen  the central role of the city within the region.
 
Sóstógyógyfürdő is famous for its therapeutic waters, and it is a popular place for a vacation. Here you can find the vast and rich zoological gardens of the State, the only Life Museum in the Northeast of Hungary, the Village Museum (Múzeumfalu), the Krúdy, the Thermal Park, including the bathing and thermal stations, introduced in 2005. 

Debrecen

Debrecen, the second most populated Hungarian town, was twice capital of Hungary in history. First in 1849 during the revolution and war of independence, secondly during the Second World War. Debrecen also called "The Calvinist Rome", because the inhabitants converted to the new faith in the 16th century, and the town became the centre of Calvinism.
The symbolic pride of Debrecen, the Reformed Great Church, is not only a religious monument, but also a reminder of several important events of Hungarian history. The dethronement of the Habsburg dynasty was declared within its walls in 1849. Recently, John Paul II visited the Big Church as if to make amends to the Reformed church preachers condemned to the galleys.

The renovated Fo Square is the place for c
ultural programmes. The Calvinist College (Kalvin Square, 16) has an illustrious history; its fame is due to its famous students. Owing to its wide network of schools, it became the "school of the nation". We can see educational and ecclesiological exhibitions in the 180-year-old building, which features the furnishings of an original Calvinist school, antique goldsmith's works, covers with wonderful embroidery, painted pieces of furniture and the curios of the Great Library. This library, with its 500,000 volumes, is the biggest ecclesiastical collection in the country.


The classicist Town Hall (Piac Street 20) is one of the city's nicest buildings, and all of the following are noteworthy: the Calvinist Church with incomplete steeple, (Revesz Square), "Veres Church" (Kossuth Street), the Synagogue (Pasti Street), the Greek Orthodox Church (Attila Square), Kossuth Lajos University (Egyetem Square 1) and Saint Ann Cathedral (Szent Anna Street 15.). The mill (Boszormenyi Street) is the biggest windmill in Central Europe and a monument of industrial history.


The Nagyerdo (Great Forest) is a popular green area in the town, with a zoo, the Fun Park and an arboretum. It has been a nature reserve since 1939. The thermal water of the Thermal Bath in Nagyerdo (Nagyerdei Park 1.) is recommended for arthritis, rheumatic diseases, gynaecological diseases, diseases of the vertebral disks, orthopaedic deformations and neuralgia.
The colourful Flower Carnival on the 20th of August, the Jazz Days and the Summer University for people learning Hungarian are prominent among the rich cultural programs.

Budapest

Die ungarische Hauptstadt Budapest gehört wohl zu den schönsten und interessantesten Städten der Welt. Hier verbindet sich auf einzigartige Weise historisches und modernes. Ist man nur kurz (z.B. einen Tag) in Budapest, kann man natürlich nicht alle Sehenswürdigkeiten besichtigen und muss sich auf das Wichtigste beschränken.

Im Burgviertel findet man Gebäude von historischer Bedeutung, u.a. drei Kirchen, mehrere Baudenkmäler und sechs Museen. Stimmungsvolle Plätze und Gassen laden dazu ein, den Berg zu erkunden. Kunstgalerien, Souvenirläden und die zahlreichen Cafés und Hotels bieten dem Touristen und Einheimischen Unterhaltung und Erlebnisse. Im Königspalast findet man das Museum für Zeitgenössische Kunst die Ungarische Nationalgalerie das Historische Museum der Stadt Budapest und die Széchenyi-Nationalbibliothek.

Der Gellértberg mit der Zitadelle auf der Budaer Seite ist bei Touristen und Einheimischen beliebt wegen seines wundervollen Panoramas, das von den Aussichtsterrassen her zu genießen ist und den Blick auf die Sehenswürdigkeiten des Hügels richtet.


Das Parlament ist eines der Wahrzeichen der ungarischen Hauptstadt und das größte Bauwerks Ungarns. Hier ist der ständige Sitz des Landtages.


Die Fischerbastei ist ein Bravourstück historischer Baukunst, entstanden zwischen 1899 und 1905 nach Entwürfen von Frigyes Schulek. Sie befindet sich auf der Budaer Seite der Stadt und bietet ein einzigartiges Panorama. Das Bauwerk mit seiner Atmosphäre romantischer Ritterburgen und mittelalterlicher Klosterhöfe wurde in der Nähe der Matthias-Kirche errichtet, wo im Mittelalter der Fischmarkt angesiedelt war.


Die Kettenbrücke, die im 19. Jahrhunderts erbaut wurde, verbindet die Stadtteile Buda und Pest miteinander. Es war eine hervorragende Ingenieurleistung und ein gut funktionierender Verkehrsweg, der Pest als Zentrum der Verwaltung und des politischen Lebens mit der königlichen Burg verband. Im Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde die Brücke zerstört und 1949 zum 100. Jubiläum wiederhergestellt.



Tokaj

The zone is known in the world for the production of the wine passito Tokaj (Tokaji aszú), named "the king of the wines, the wine of the kings", considered in the middle-age as a medicine. Its history is illustrated in the Museum of Tokaj.
The attraction of the city is not only wine. It is worth a visit to the artistic monuments of the old city, amongst which are the two buildings of the ex Building Rákóczi, built in Baroque style, in 1700 and the orthodox Church, currently used as room of exposure and for concerts.

On the river of Tisza (Tibisco), in the period going from spring to autumn there are different possibilities of going by boat or ferry.-boat up to Sárospatak (37 kms), and take excursions, crossing paths traced on the Nagy-hegy (Great Mountain, 516m) from where you can enjoy a beautiful view. In the triangle of three characteristic mountains there are 6600 hectares of vineyards, spread in 27 different places, the center of which is the city of Tokaj. This is a zone known for the production of passsiti wines, famous all over the world already since half the XVI century.
There is to add that Tokaj-Hegyalja has a system of wine cellars, made particular by the presence of the noble mold, a black and dense fungous that interacts with the barrels which develops a positive effect on the wine. In this zone there are only four kinds of vines that can be installed: the Furmint, the Hárslevelű, the Muscat Lunel, the Oremus, from which people prepare white wines, with seven different methodologies.


Sárospatak

At 270 km from the capital, to the edges of the highland, surrounded from the Sátoroses mountains and along the river of the Bodrog, you will find Sárospatak, with the homonym castle, which ia a true Renaissance masterpiece. The construction of the imposing architectural complex, adjoining to the oldest part of the great building of the "Red Tower", that began in 1534 from the powerful magnate of the zone, Péter Perényi.
The castle, became into ownership and the abode of the family Rákóczi, both for the castle and for the city. After the death of the prince, the phase of decadence began. In the XIX century the castle was modified and it assumed the aspect it has today. The construction of the romantic façade belongs to this period.In eclectic style, and with the English park at the place of the ditches. From 1875 the castle was owned by the family Windisch-Grätz that built a chapel in the Red Tower in honor of Saint Elizabeth, native of the city.
Inside the castle there is Rákóczi Museum, with documents on the history of the family who drove the struggle for independence. Of particular interest is the exposure of the weapons, in which true historical curiosities are found.It shows the beautiful illustrations of the viticoltura of the zone of Tokaj-Hegyalja, as well as the history of the agriculture in the region of Zemplén. Sárospatak is often mentioned as the Athens of Bodrog because of its rich and vivacious cultural life. Don't miss a visit to the exposures in the museums of the College of the Rejects founded in 1531, as well as the decorated room of the Great Library, planned by Mihály Pollack. During Pentecoste there are celebrations for the days dedicated to Saint Elizabeth, while in summer, within the Artistic Days of Zemplén there are some suppers arranged reproducing foods in Renaissance style.

Hortobágy

Hortobágy is one of the greatest protected grassy territories in Europe, where you can find herds of grey cattle (Hungarian kind) pasturing, herds of horses, "racka" ovines and herds of buffalos.

The National Park of Hortobágy, founded in 1973 has a surface of 70.000 hectares. Near the Great Ciarda, 36 kms far from Debrecen, along the road 33, the river is crossed by the bridge of stone with nine " arcs ", the longest stone built bridge in Hungary, at the end of the XIX century.Near here you can find the Museum of the Shepherds (Petõfi tér), that illustrates the habits and the life-style of Hortobágy shepherds.  

The circulas pavillon of Hortobágy (Petőfi tér) welcomes the rarities of the flora and the fauna, the folklore and the utensils used by puszta magiara people in their rural works. In the Gallery of Hortobágy (Régi Tanácsháza) you can admire the most meaningful paintings of the Hungarian painters, having the pustza as dominant theme. The International Equestrian Days of Hortobágy, takes place the first weekend of July and the Fair of the bridge, on 19th and 20th of August are demonstrations which are very famous in the region.