Esztergom

Esztergom is the centre of the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary, the former seat of the Árpád-house kings. The most well-known building of the city, the Basilica of Esztergom, stands in the centre of the settlement located on the right bank of River Danube, on the 157-metre-high Várhegy (Castle Hill). The settlement is connected with Párkány (also known as Stúrovo), Slovakia, by Mária Valéria-híd (Maria Valeria Bridge). It can be approached on Road 11 and by rail and ship. Every year hundreds of pleasure and excursion boats stop at its port. Its scheduled ship traffic is limited to the summer season when there are daily services from Budapest to Esztergom. The city is connected with Budapest by frequent bus services. At the southern part of city a grassy runway can be found where there is an active flying sports life. 

In 972 Prince Géza made Esztergom the seat of the country and started to build the royal palace. Szent István (Saint Stephen), who was crowned king here, established an archsee in the city. In the course of history there were several churches standing on the Castle Hill in the place of the Basilica but they have become devastated in fires or wars. The building of the basilica was started to be built in classicist style in 1822. With its floor-space of 5,660 square metres, the church, officially called Nagyboldogasszony és Szent Adalbert prímási főszékesegyház (Primate's Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary taken into heaven and St Adalbert), is the 4^th largest sacral building of Europe. Here can be found the largest altar-piece painted on a single canvas, the work of Michelangelo Grigoletti. The tombs of the archbishops of Esztergom, e.g. Mindszenty József, can be found in the crypt underneath the church. In the exhibition halls of the Treasury of the Basilica goldsmith objects and textiles of worldwide significance dating back to the 12^th to 19^th centuries can be seen. Here can be found the crowning cross of the Árpád-era the Hungarian kings used to swear to.   

The rich history of the city is made familiar by several museums and exhibitions. Esztergomi Vármúzeum (Castle Museum of Esztergom) has been accommodated in the building of the Royal Palace. The exhibition that can be seen in the reconstructed building addresses the history of the Castle Hill in details but ornamental Hungarian arms and coins from the Middle Ages are also exhibited. Balassa Bálint Museum at Pázmány Péter utca 13 presents local historical and ethnographical materials and also has a considerable archaeological collection. In the Primate's Palace, former residence of the Archbishop of Esztergom, can be found the Keresztény Múzeum (Christian Museum). Here the works of Hungarian, Italian, Batavian, German and Austrian painters and sculptors can be seen. It is also worth visiting Duna Múzeum (Museum of the Danube) presenting the history and memories of Hungarian water management and Babits Mihály Emlékház (Babits Mihály Memorial House).

Esztergom is surrounded by hills belonging to Pilis-hegység (Pilis Mountains) to where marked footpaths lead from the city. The natural values of the environs are presented by a 1.2 km-long study path running on Strázsa-hegy (Sentry Hill). Prímás-sziget (Primate's Island) to be found in the neighbourhood of the downtown also offers an excellent relaxation possibility with its sports fields, sports hall, hotel, camp site and spa awaiting visitors. The spa has an indoor medicinal bath, an experience bath and an outdoor beach. The facility has a traditional Turkish bath and a Health and Beauty Centre, as well. Also Prímás-sziget accommodates the most significant event of the city, the light-music festival called Fesztergom organised in June each year.

Sources: http://www.esztergom.hu/, http://www.vendegvaro.hu/, http://hu.wikipedia.org/