Esztergom

Esztergom is the birth and coronation place of the first Hungarian king, St Stephen; the city celebrated the 1000th year of its establishment in 1973. Its famous churches, its monuments and the natural beauty of the surrounding countryside make it an extremely popular tourist destination. The Maria Valeria bridge is a border crossing to Slovakia.

The favourable geographic location played a significant role in the development of the settlement. It stands at the meeting place of the mountains and the flatlands, at a crossing point of the Danube, and  also at a  crossroads of military and trade routes.

Esztergom castle survived several devastating sieges and experienced frequent changes in ownership. Medieval Esztergom was demolished during the Turkish rule and new residents of Hungarian, Slovakian and German descent settled on the site of the former settlement.

By the beginning of the 20th century Esztergom had grown into a significant cultural, intellectual and religious centre. It lost its status as the county seat in 1951, but has retained its role as religious centre to this day. The largest church in Hungary stands here, the basilica, which is linked to various ecclesiastical heritage. Some of these are preserved in the Cathedral Treasury (Főszékesegyházi Kincstár) and Museum of Christianity (Keresztény Múzeum).

The majority of the city's architectural heritage is of a religious nature (chapels, churches, the primate palace and the Franciscan monastery) while the two dozen or so monuments located on public squares also reflect its role as an ecclesiastical centre.

Among the natural beauty of the region, the Duna-Ipony National Park (Duna-Ipoly Nemzeti Park) is the showcase for the region's wealth of natural beauty as are the Small-Danube promenade and Strázsa mountain study trail guides people while rest is provided by the many angling spots on the Danube and the thermal water aqua park recently built on Primate Island (Prímás-sziget).

The cultural and tourist programmes held here draw many visitors. Today Esztergom is one of Hungary's most significant tourist centres.

How to get there:
By car take Route 10, or Route 11 that crosses the Pilis Hills, then continues alongside the Danube. If approaching from the other side of the Danube via Road 12, you can cross by ferry at Szob. By train Esztergom is accessible both from Budapest and Komárom. The Maria Valeria bridge is a border crossing to Slovakia.