Hédervár

Hédervár is situated between the Old Danube (main channel) and the Moson Danube channel, at the half way between  Győr and Mosonmagyaróvár. The village is also accessible by roads 1401, 1403 and 1405. The closest junction point to it on Highway M1 is at Lébény, at a distance of 15 km.  The settlement got its name from Knight Héder and his issue, who received the estate as a fief from the king in the 12^th century. The oldest parts of the Héderváry Palace come from the 13^th century. The palace was converted and enlarged several times since then. Until the beginning of the 1700ies it functioned rather as a fortress and served primarily defence purposes.  The quadrangular building with three towers was thereafter rebuilt in baroque style, and a well cared for park was made around the old trees.

A palace hotel  operates now in the renewed building, with services such as massage, bicycle renting, and ride by pleasure boat available. The heritage of the noble family can be seen in other parts of the settlement, as well. The Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel was built in the 15^th century and served as the burial place of the Héderváry family. South-westwardly from the palace, at a distance of 300 meters is the so-called Kont tree in the memory of Héderváry Kont István. According to the legend, the ill-famed member of the family deliberated the conspiracy against King Sigismond of Luxemburg here, and he was executed for it. The Roman catholic church of the village in baroque style was consecrated around 1740. A big old penduculate oak (Quercus robur) the so-called “Árpád-fa” (Árpád tree) stands in front of it, which taken its age (700 years) is the oldest tree in the country.

Sources: http://www.hedervar.hu/, http://hu.wikipedia.org/, http://www.vendegvaro.hu/, http://www.iranymagyarorszag.hu/