Neszmély

Neszmély is situated on the right bank of the Danube, at the northern foot of Gerecse Mountain, at a distance of 12 km from Tata. By car you can access it by long-distance road 10 turning off after Süttő, or by Highway 1 after you have passed Tata. By train the village is accessible by the  Esztergom-Komárom line. As the polished stone tools found evidence, there was a settlement at the present place of the village already in the Neolithic age.  In the Roman age on Kalin Hill nearby the village a military watchtower of the Roman limes. Following the foundation of the Hungarian state, the settlement was first mentioned in a charter at about 1235.

The village is famous since the medieval for its various types of white wine having a characteristic greenish-yellow color. The center of the  Ászár-Neszmély wine-district is situated here. If you  taste the wine, you should try the famous rétes (strudel, paper-thin layers of pastry baked with fruit/curd, cabbage or poppy filling) of Neszmély,  a local food specialty. The Neszmélyi Hajósskanzen, an open-air museum of shipping, which is a unique thing, waits the lovers of shipping. In the so-called ”school in woods” (camps in places of special interest for the environment, where classes can go for a week of teaching), held on the ships pupils can get familiar with the secrets of shipping and explore for themselves by  raft the islands of Neszmély.

There are also several cultural monuments in the settlement.  As an exceptional thing in the neighborhood, the reformed church of Gothic style built in the 15^th century is surrounded by a fortress-like fence with  crenelles.  It is worth to see the Királykút (King’s Well), also from the 15^th century, on the hill with the wine yards : when he returned to Vienna ill, from his southern campaign against the Turks, King Albert died here. Southwards from the village on the Várhegy, (Castle Hill), the remains of a quadrangular medieval tower can be seen. According to the presumptions, this is the “old tower” from the era of King Zsigmond.

The lovers of nature should visit Neszmély because of its beautiful environmental setting.  The island in the Danube, the loess mountains overlooking Neszmély, the vineyards and the orchards covering the slopes, as well as the evocative streets of the settlement shall rob your heart. The Millecentenárium park (Millecentenary Park) on the bank of the Danube awaits the visitors with a row of ovens, stage, and baking house, and hosts a great number of cultural and sports events. Traditional events of Neszmély are: Hilltop Wine Fest,  Vintage Fest, International Jazz Festival, Bridge-Making Days,  Hungarian Memorial day of Shipping.

Sources: http://www.neszmely.hu/, http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neszm%C3%A9ly,http://muemlekek.info/muemlek/neszmely-hajoskanzen.php, http://www.tata.hu/kisterseg/kisttelepules/neszmely/433