Hunguest Hotel Flóra

Eger

Eger and surroundings

History of Eger

Eger is the largest settlement, cultural and economic centre of the region. With its glorious history, valuable monumental ensembles and wealth of attractions, this more than a thousand-year-old city is one of the most beautiful Baroque cities in Hungary. Eger is often referred to as a historic city, but also as a city of baroque, wine, thermal and spa waters and students. It is historical because it was already the seat of a bishopric in the 11th century, during the reign of our first king, St Stephen. It was almost destroyed during the Tartar invasion, but the stone castle built in the 13th century played a very important role in its defence during the Turkish battles. In 1552, István Dobó, the castle captain, and his handful of troops held out against an Ottoman force of nearly 20 times their size for more than a month.

Eger is a Baroque town, dominated by this architectural style, and was a major cultural and artistic centre in the 18th century. Almost 200 outstanding examples of the architecture of the past centuries have been preserved in their almost untouched beauty, such as the buildings of earlier periods, the castle, the basilica, the church, the wrought-iron gates, the frescoes, the treasures of the museum and the library. The town and its surroundings are a famous historic wine region. The population has been engaged in grape and wine production for centuries, producing excellent wines such as Egri Bikavér, Egri Leányka and Medina. The oldest wine cellars are over 400 years old. The medicinal waters of the region were known as early as the 15th century. During the Turkish occupation, there were several public baths, of which the restored Arnaut Pasa Baths, known as the Turkish Baths, are located in a beautiful park with sheltered trees and plants, and offer six pools of different sizes and water.

Visit

Castle of Eger
Eger Castle has a great historical past. Its most famous historical event is the siege of 1552, when the castle defenders under the command of Captain István Dobó repulsed the outnumbered army of the Ottoman Empire. A visit to the castle will give you an insight into the history and life of the castle. Here you will also find the tomb of the castle captain István Dobó and a panopticon where the characters of Géza Gárdonyi's play The Stars of Eger come to life. A visit to the castle is an unrivalled experience for young and old alike, where you can be part of history for a short time.

Valley of the Assumption
One of the country's most famous wine-producing regions, the Valley of St. Mary dates back to 1843. It has the largest number of cellars and underground caves in Hungary. The cellars were not built at the same time and for the same purpose, as some of them were used for defence purposes. The cellar system beneath Eger is almost 130 km long, and the most beautiful and atmospheric cellar in the city is undoubtedly the one in the Szépasszony Valley.

Minaret
Eger's minaret is the best preserved in the country, the tower is 40 metres high and the terrace around it is 26 metres high, with 97 old steps to climb for an unrivalled view. It is not recommended for those with limited mobility, vertigo or claustrophobia, but for those who like a challenge, the terrace is well worth the climb.

Basilica of Eger
The building is also the cathedral of the archdiocese of Eger, which means that the bishop or archbishop carries out his daily duties here. It took 120 years to decorate the interior of the church, and the altars and ceiling frescoes took longer to complete than the building itself. On the north side of the sanctuary is the Chapel of Mary the Tearer, the most sacred part of the church, and in the south aisle an altar to St Michael.

Egerszalók
Egerszalók, a few kilometres from Eger, is famous for its spa and salt hills. The waters of the thermal spring, which rises from a depth of 410 metres and has a temperature of 65-68 degrees Celsius, have over time built up a magnificent natural formation - a 120 square metre limestone deposit - on the hillside. With 1 900 square metres of water surface, the Saliris Thermal & Spa has a total of 17 indoor and outdoor pools that operate all year round. Spa pools, whirlpools, adventure pools, children's pools and a water slide ensure a pleasant stay for all ages.

Noszvaj
Noszvaj was already a settlement in the Árpád era, after the conquest it became a royal estate and then a bishopric by donation. Before the siege of the Eger Castle in 1552, the Turks devastated and burnt the settlement and its surroundings. After the siege, Ferdinand I gave Noszvaj to János Figedy, the defender of Eger Castle. The Figedy family not only owned the area, but also lived there, according to some, in a mansion built on the site of the present-day de la Motte castle. The castle can still be visited today and offers an unrivalled opportunity for excursions.

Plum Castle
The Szalajka Valley is part of the Bükk National Park and a nature reserve. In summer, you can take a cable car along the five-kilometre-long Szalajka Valley, including the seventeen-metre-high Fátyol waterfall. From the Szalajka spring, you can also walk to the cave of the cavemen of Istállóskő. The Lipica Horse Breeding History Exhibition presents the history of Lipica horses and their stud farms grazing on the nearby Csipkéskút. An excellent excursion for those who like to be close to nature.

Leaving the city of Eger to the north, you can explore the wild landscapes of the Mátra and the Bükk Mountains on foot or by bike. Hungary's highest point, the 1014 m high Kékes, is also located here in the Mátra. Nature lovers will find more and more beautiful little lakes, clearings, castles and small villages that evoke the atmosphere of bygone times. There are just as many experiences for those heading south. The villages along the Tisza and the Tisza Lake offer recreation for all ages. The well-developed open beaches are ideal for swimming, kayaking, canoeing, water biking and water skiing, but for those who prefer quiet, it's worth paddling a little further inland.