Vertesszolos

One of Europe's oldest human remains of a prehistoric man some 350,000 years old was discovered in Vértesszőlős. Finds providing an overview of several periods can be seen in the museum.

The first written mention of the modern settlement dates to 1244 at which time it was inhabited by royal vintners. Its name is drawn from the viniculture practised here (szőlős means vineyard).

The village belonged to the Tata Castle during the 15th century but was totally devastated by Turkish attacks in 1543. Uninhabited for around 170 years, it began to repopulate in the 18th century when Slovakians were settled here. Fire ravaged Vértesszőlős in 1878 and its rebuilding provided the face seen today.

In 1964-5 the occipital bone of a man living nearly half a million years ago was discovered in the local stone quarry along with his dwelling and chipped flint tools. Given the name Samu as it was discovered on Samuel day, the Homo erectus seu sapiens Paleohungaricus represents the transition between the prehistoric man already walking erect and the intelligent prehistoric man. In the museum founded around this sensational find, see the footprints of prehistoric man next to its fireplace and bone, quartzite and flint tools, as well as an eye tooth of a sabre tiger and the remains of several ancient plant species.

How to get there:
By railway, the town is served from Budapest, Győr, and Tatabánya. From Tatabánya a local Volán bus leaves for Vértesszőlős 2 to 6 times an hour. By car, take the M1 motorway and exit just north of Tatabánya.