Gyor is a small historical town in northern part of Hungary. It is 6th biggest and important city in Hungary, situated halfway from Budapest to Vienna. The first inhabitants were Celts and they settled along Danube River in 5th century BCE in the area of Gyor. During 500 – 1800 CE city was settled by Slavs, Lombards and Avars, occupied by Magyars, Mongols, and Turks.
Main architecture styles are Renaissance and Baroque. The Jesuits played a central role in the infrastructural restoration of Gyor, as well as the spiritual, cultural and scientific life of the city until the order was dissolved in 1733. Since 1743 Gyor was elevated to free royal town status by Maria Theresa.
Let’s take a look at my list!
1. Benedictine church of St. Ignatius of Loyola
At the Szechenyi square is located Roman Catholic Parish Church and Monastery of St. Ignatius of Loyola (also known as Jesuit Church and Monastery of Gyor). Jesuits built it during 1634 and 1757 in Baroque style. Since 1802 Benedictines gained building complex. Furthermore, they built a high school in 1888.
2. Town Hall
The Town Hall is a symbol of the city. You can find it at the intersection of the city’s east-west and north-south axis at the busiest point of Gyor. It was built between 1896 and 1900 in Neo-Baroque style U-shaped, two-story, mid-clock tower, and a monumental building with two smaller towers on the main facade. There are more than 200 rooms in the building and from the tower can be seen a wonderful panorama of the city. In addition, the town hall is one of the best-known buildings in the city.
3. Carmelite Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
The church was built in an early Italian Baroque style between 1721 and 1725. Probably it’s a very valuable Baroque monument of Hungary.
4. Synagogue – Vasilescu Collection
It was built in neo-Romanesque style between 1868 and 1870 in with an octagonal plan. János Vasilescu was from Romania and settled in Budapest. He started to collect art in the ’60s, and he bought artworks continually till 2002. That year was collection public. In the collection, you can find mainly the philosophical stream of the modern Hungarian art between the 1940’s and 2000. Furthermore, there are works by several outstanding Hungarian painters and sculptors in the collection.
5. Banks of Raba river in Gyor
Banks of Raba river seems to be a small city park, which offers green zone to sit and relax at hot summer day. There are trees providing also shadow. You can rest there, make a picnic or take a walk along the river. I noticed that banks are probably popular for locals.
6. Streets in Old Town of Gyor
Take a walk all around Old Town area of Gyor. Streets will lead you in the reach history. Let your mind to wonder while watching scenery around. Let yourself feel like in fairy tale.
7. Try Hungarian Langos
If you arrived from Vienna or Bratislava it means you didn’t try genuine Hungarian Langos, yet. Gyor offers you first great opportunity to experience traditional Hungarian specialty. Langos is a version of frybread, it is salty. I use to have a plain one, just with garlic. But there are tons of options of flavors on top: cheese, sour cream, bacon, onion, and parsley.
Transport
Finally one more advice about transport.
The best way how to get to Gyor is by bus or train from Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna.
Busses are running from Vienna and Budapest by Flixbus and RegioJet. From Bratislava is running Slovak Lines, Flixbus, and RegioJet.
Train companies run from Vienna and Budapest. From Budapest is running Hungarian MAV and from Vienna Austrian OBB. There is no direct train connection from Bratislava.
If you travel by car or motorbike, in addition, distance from Bratislava is only 80 km, while from Vienna and Budapest 120 km. Less traditional, but same popular is to share a ride by BlaBlaCar.
Check my short video as well. It’s only 1 minute long!
I hope these 7 things convinced you to visit Gyor! Which is your favorite? Leave me a comment.
Did you already visit this wonderful place?
Let me know in a comment another place I should discover next time!
I used information from www.wikipedia.org
Very useful information. Thanks a lot.