Gyor, sometimes referred to as the ‘town of rivers’, is a small historic city which is the gateway to the west as it is located mid-way between Vienna and Budapest in the Region of Western Transdanubian, Hungary. It stands at the confluence of three rivers namely the Marcal, Raba and Rabca, and lies in the north-western region of Hungary, very close to the River Danube and the border of Slovakia. The city is home to an estimated 130,000 residents and is one of Hungary’s important administrative and cultural centres, a University town and popular tourist destination. This is a Baroque and Neo-Classical town, home to the magnificent Basilica of St. Stephen and its Treasury, the Bishops Castle and the Carmelite Church.
Located on the road system which connects Hungary and Austria, the city has had a history of repeated destruction and re-building through its invaders and settlers!! This has given the city many historic buildings and monuments creating a rich and varied historical past, leaving behind a plethora of national treasures, atmosphere and ambience!! A delight to walk around, the old town centre contains many re-constructed Baroque and preserved buildings consisting of Churches, palaces, museums, statues and narrow lanes. The effort to protect its history has been recognized by having been awarded the European Award for Monument Protection in 1989.
The majority of the protected buildings stand within the 16th century city walls. The old town can easily be explored on foot and tourists should begin from the spacious, Besci Kapu Square, where the 18th century Carmelite Church can be found and some of the 16th century city fortifications. Nearby is the Kaptalan Domb, or Capital Hill on which stands the dominating and imposing 11th century Basilica of St Stephen and its Treasury. The Treasury contains the second richest ecclesiastical collection of artefacts in Hungary which represents 1000 years of Christianity. Included in the city’s sacred relics is the masterpiece of medieval goldsmith’s work known as the Saint Ladislaus’ Herma. Close by, in the Szechenyi Square, once a bustling medieval marketplace, can be found the Benedictine Church of St Ignatius Loyola. Make sure you take a walk down Baross Gaber Utca leads you to Belvaros, an area little changed from the 17th and 18th centuries, and where you can find many interesting buildings and places of interest. The Janos Xantus Museum houses a permanent collection of artefacts of the history of Gyor and surrounding area, covering the period from Roman settlement to the modern period. Although of the descriptions of the displays are in Hungarian the museum throws some light on the local area!!
Just 20 kilometres south of Gyor can be found the small village of Pannonhalma, where the 10th century Benedictine Abbey, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can be seen. The Abbey is still an active centre, being home to 350 men and 50 active Benedictine monks, working and praying much as they did a thousand years ago!! The Abbey has an invaluable library of 250,000 books, including the earliest written record of the Hungarian language.
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