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Placec to see in the area

BOLDOGKŐVÁRALJA

Not far from Boldogkőváralja, in the northern part stands the picturesque castle of Boldogkő what the visitor can see from the distance as well. The cliff, that the castle is built on, called”calm lion”, because it has special form. The irregular plan of the castle follows the form of the mountain. From the castle you can see the beautiful landscape of the Hernád valley and Zemplén.


Apart from the forest trips (national Kék Túra – Blue Trip route), Boldogkő Castle, have a look at the stone-sea, fishing (in river Hernád, in the fishing lake in Vizsoly), visiting the memorial house of Simándy (a famous Hungarian opera singer), you can get acquainted with the places of interest of Szerencs, Tokaj, Sárospatak, Kassa.

SÁROSPATAK

 

Sárospatak, the famous city of schools is the intellectual centre of the Zemplén. It used to be called”the Athens at the bank or Bodrog”, and it provides historical and religion historical places of interest for the visitors to see.

 

The architectural art relics, the castle, the historical streets of its area, churches, the Sárospatak Reformed College, and the building of the teacher training college characterise the historical style of Sárospatak. The effect of Imre Makovecz architect can be seen in the renewed city. Imre Makovecz has designed many buildings in the city: Művelődési Ház (community and civic centre), Árpád Vezér Gimnázium (Árpád Vezér High School), and houses in the Hild square. In one part of Sárospatak, that is called Vágardó, there is a thermal bath. The popular attraction of the area was created in the place of the Megyer mountain tarn, was a former millstone mine, that is geological and cultural-historical place as well.

SZERENCS

 

The city which is rich in traditions, as often mentioned as the gate of Tokaj-Hegyalja. Its sight is the Rákóczi castle, the Zemplén Museum, and the Sugar Museum, which is unique in Hungary. In the Zemplén Museum, which is in the Rákóczi castle, can be found the biggest postcard collection, containing more than 900 thousand postcards. The ex-libris collection containing 36 thousand pieces. The reformed church is famous in architectural aspect and important historical place as well. In 1608, lord Zsigmond Rákóczi was buried here, and in 1605 István Bocskai was voted to be the lord of Hungary.

TOKAJ

 

When we hear some where the name of Tokaj, everybody raises their head. Everybody listens to the respecting words and sentences, agrees with the respect, and protests if something bad is said about its world-wide known wine. The reputation that was born in the Middle Ages, are still true for the city on the bank of river Tisza-Bodrog.

KASSA (Kosice)

 

After Bratislava, Kassa is the most important city of Slovakia. The St. Elisabeth Cathedral, that has gothic style, is worth visiting. Its beauty is unique in Europe. Lord Ferenc Rákóczi II was buried here, whose memorial house is other memorial of the building in Tekirdag, Turkey.

Castle of Boldogkő

Not far from Boldogkőváralja, in the northern part stands the picturesque castle of Boldogkő what the visitor can see from the distance as well.The cliff, that the castle is built on, called ”calm lion”, because it has special form. The irregular plan of the castle follows the form of the mountain. From the castle you can see the beautiful landscape of the Hernád valley and Zemplén.

Castle of Boldogkő

The castle that’s origin is from the 13th century, was started to built in the 15-17th century. In the 19th century it got romantic form. As a result of recent years’ reconstruction, it has a border castle atmosphere – and provides excellent view. Not far from Boldogkőváralja, in the northern part stands the picturesque castle of Boldogkő what the visitor can see from the distance as well. The cliff, that the castle is built on, called”calm lion”, because it has special form. The irregular plan of the castle follows the form of the mountain.
From the castle you can see the beautiful landscape of the Hernád valley and Zemplén.
Address: Boldogkőváralja, Vár-hegy
Telephone: 46/387-720
Open: 1st March – 31st October, Monday 10 a.m.-18p.m. Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m. – 18 p.m. (on weekdays by appointment)
GPS coordinates: 48.3397 / 21.2387
You can find further information about the history of the castle, its legend, and about other sights in the website of the local government.

Historical, pewter soldier and mineral exhibition, Boldogkőváralja

The visitors can see the historical exhibition in the part of the castle that is called”calm lion”, and there is a beautiful mineral exhibition as well.
The pewter soldier exhibition imitates the battle of Muhi (in 1241) against the Tartars, on an eight m2 plotting board, with more than thousand little soldiers.

Péchy-Zichy Castle

The Baroque style castle was built in 1768 by Gábor Péchy. In 1753 he bought the castle and its area from the Jesuits in Lőcse. It is the third biggest castle in the county with its 2500m2 floorspace. Its layout has”U” shape.
The Zichy family got the castle in the turn of the century by marriage. The facade of middle part that has view on the park – as the ground is aslope – stands on arises on toll footing that has cellar windows. The stairs, which lead to the entrance terrace, are bordered with balustrade. The windows of the one-storey building are ornamented with hood moulding. The seventy centimetre wide hidden ramp can be found in the middle wall of the main building, that we know in the baroque castles in Sáta, Bánfalva and Sajókaza as well.
In front of the main building, there are”U” – shaped layout one-storey buildings closing the big yard. There are one-storey, shingle-like roofed, rectangular layout, curb-roof towers on both corners. The yards are connected with carriage passages. There is a children’s home in the castle, that’s garden is protected.
Address: 2 Kossuth Street, Boldogkőváralja
Telephone: 46/387-722
Open: Can be visited by licence

Garden of Péchy-Zichy Castle

The six acres castle garden has the characteristics of English and French parks that were formed by the Péchy family from the second half of 1700’s. Apart from the flora of the park, the fauna is interesting as well. The micro-climate of the park is characterised by the Tekerjes stream, which runs through the park, and by the lake that is filled by the stream. There are many old, long trees here. The more important ones: lime tree, maple, oak, service tree that are native to the park; and larch, European black pine, jew, horse-chestnut tree, Eastern Black walnut, and pagoda tree that are relocated. There are interesting species in the understory and under it: mahonia, tatarian honeysuckle, spiraea, juniperus, wind flower (pulsatilla), orpine family, and autumn crocus.
The old trees and the rich bushes feed many kinds of birds. First of all, they are mostly cavity nesting birds, e.g.: common redstart, short-toed treecreeper, collared flycatcher, spotted flycatcher, blue tit, and woodpecker. There are some common blackbirds, song thrushes, white wagtails, and hawfiches as well. The park is ideal place for long eared owls. There are many kinds of fish in the lake, and there are crayfishes, smotth newts, water snakes, mallards, and it has rich invertebrates as well.
The garden can be visited only in case of permission.

GPS-coordintates: 48.3377 / 21.237

Cottage house and exhibition

The exhibition of the old cottage house shows for the visitors the natural beauties of Zemplén mountain, and the history of the village. In the house, there is a miniature scale model of the villages in Zemplén.
In the workshop that used to belong to the house, we can see the tools, and equipment of a village smith, with his excellently worked products. There are old vehicles in the shed. The cross-corridor granary is also remarkable; it was an important building of the area even in the first part of the century. The owner and holder of cottage house and exhibition opened in 1989 is the Bükki Nemzeti Park (Bükk National Park).
Address: 28 Petőfi Street, Boldogkőváralja
Telephone: 46/709-120
Open: 1 May – 30 September, Friday-Sunday 10 a.m. -14 p.m.
Contact person: Molnár Dánielné, 75 Szabadság Street
GPS-coordinates: 48.3377 / 21.237

Róman Catholic church (The Glorification of the Holy Cross)

The baroque church was built between 1768 and 1773. After a fire, it was repaired in 1898. Its tower in front of the facade connects to the ship with hollow walls. Above the entrance gate, there is the crest of the Péchy family, who had had the church built. The furniture, the main- and side altars, the pulpit, the organ, and the cross have rococo style, and are from the middle of the 18th century. The baptismal font has Louis Seize style and was created in the end of the 18th century.

Address:reet, Boldogkőváralja

Telephone:46/387-670
Contact person: plébániahivatal
GPS-coordinates: 48.3368 / 21.2401

Kosice

After Bratislava, Kassa is the most important city of Slovakia. The St. Elisabeth Cathedral, that has gothic style, is worth visiting. Its beauty is unique in Europe. Lord Ferenc Rákóczi II was buried here; whose memorial house is other memorial of the building in Tekirdag, Turkey.

KOSICE

You can read further information about the Slovakian city on the website of the Wikipedia, in English, and you can find the map of the city ……, and some information about the origin of its name.

Here is a short reviewer from the Hungarian website of Slovakia travel:
(you can download in PDF file)

The second biggest town of Slovakia KOŠICE is not only the centre of eastern Slovakia but also the core of the Eastern Carpathians where several ethnicities live. The city KOŠICE (population 242,066) on the Hernád river on the western edge of the Košická kotlina basins has a long and agitated history and its present is also dynamic. It has been the most important town of the region for centuries and a natural centre of trade, culture, and education.

History

The medieval town of Košice was founded approximately on the half way from the Abbey to the castle. The first written mention of its existence is from 1230. In the first historical documents it was referred to as Villa Cassa, later the in Latin Cassovia, German Kaschau, Hungarian Kassa, and the Slovak Košice.
The town citizens acquired important privileges of the royal borough in 1342. The date of 7 May 1369 is especially important for the town because it received the document of coat of arms signed by the king as the first European town. Today it is celebrated as the “Day of Košice”. In the 15th century Košice with its 7 thousand inhabitants became the second biggest town of the Kingdom of Hungary following Buda and Bratislava.
The 20th century has dramatically changed the town of Košice although the motifs were mostly political. The town was included in the new state formations: on the last day of 1918 it was included in the newly formed Czechoslovak Republic; in 1938 it was annexed by Horthys Hungary for more than six years.
In April 1945 the Czechoslovak Government met for the first time on homeland ground and issued the document known as the Košice Programme of the Government treating the after-war arrangement of the free Republic. However, some other attributes of Košice also changed, particularly its size, ethnic structure and its general appearance. Its population more than doubled after the Second World War. New housing estates were constructed for immigrants from the rural area.
Today the majority of its inhabitants are Slovaks coexisting here with Hungarian, Czech and Roma minorities. The Východoslovenské železiarne (East Slovakian Iron Works, today U. S. Steel) became the biggest company in the south-east part of the city.

Monuments

Almost all monuments of Košice are concentrated in the historical core of the town, size of which makes it the biggest Town Monument Reserve of Slovakia. The spindle-shaped Hlavné námestie square of Košice is the heart of the town and rightly considered one of the most beautiful squares in Slovakia. It is closed to traffic and skirted by numerous wonderful historical buildings. The most valuable monuments are situated in its centre. The dominant of the square and the town is the monumental Gothic Cathedral of St. Elisabeth. This building is the largest church of Slovakia and the easternmost situated Gothic cathedral of western type in Europe.
In front of the northern walls of the Cathedral of Košice stands what was originally Urbanova veža tower built in the 14th century. The Urbans tower and the chapel of St. Michael, former charnel house, from the end of the 14th century, which stands in front of the southern side of the Cathedral of St. Elisabeth form together a complete unique Gothic set of the monuments.
The area between the Cathedral and the theatre is a very lively place above all in summer. Its main attraction is the font with music.
The southern part of the Hlavné námestie square provides the first opportunity to see the medieval town fortifications of Košice. Entering the basement one can see reconstructed foundations of the Dolná brána gate, which is now used as an unconventional gallery and concert hall.
The symbol of Košice is also the statue of the Marathon Runner. It reminds that the International Peace Marathon is organised in Košice every year in autumn since 1924. It is one of the oldest marathons in the world.
One of the admired exhibits of Východoslovenské museum (East-Slovakian Museum) is the famous Golden Hoard of Košice. The overall weight of the hoard is 11 kilograms. The unique collection of golden coins comes of 81 mints of Europe. The majority of coins are from the 15th to 17th centuries.

Monuments, and catering in the area

Municipalitiy of Košice (Local Government)

ADDRESS: 48/A TRIEDA SNP, KOŠICE 040 11
TEL: +421 (0) 55/641 91 11, +421 (0) 55/641 91 12
E-MAIL: magistrat@kosice.sk
WEBSITE: www.kosice.sk

Information Centre of Košice (Informačné centrum mesta Košice)

CÍM: HLAVNÁ 59, 040 01 KOŠICE
TEL: +421 (0) 55/625 45 02, +421 (0) 55/625 88 88
E-MAIL: icmk@kosice.sk
WEBSITE: www.kosice.sk

Sárospatak

The historical building, which belongs to the most important buildings of the late Renaissance architecture, is a museum. Péter Perényi had the castle built between 1534 and 1537. Its prime was at the time of the Rákóczi family, in the 1600’s.

SÁROSPATAK

(The eight minutes film about the city and the”city of St. Elisabeth and the Rákóczi family” can be watched on the website of the local government.)

Rákóczi-vár

The historical building that belongs to the most important buildings of the late Renaissance architecture is a museum. Péter Perényi had the castle built between 1534 and 1537. Its prime was at the time of the Rákóczi family, in the 1600’s. The visitor can go to the gate of the castle from the historical castle district through the castle garden to the wing. The oldest part of the building can be found in the yard, the Red Tower – that was built at around 1500. The Perényi Wing can be seen opposite. He was the first owner, and he had the building built between 1540 and 1563. The Lorantffy – loggia was built to it in 1646, that is the most ornamented part of the yard. The result of the 17th century building operations is the Sur Rosa balcony that can be found on the corner of the north eastern tower, upstairs. From the yard you can go to the part of the castle wall where the visitors can walk. The inner parts of the castle can be visited if you buy museum ticket.
(Further details about the statue of Sub Rosa, and about the history of the castle on the website of vendegvaro.hu)
Address: 19 Szent Erzsébet Street, Sárospatak
Telephone: 47/311-083
Open: 1st March – 31st October, Tuesday-Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m.; 1st November – 1st March, Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. to 17 a.m.
GPS-coordinates: 48.319 / 21.5664
The history of the city and the castle, and other monuments can be read on the website of the Local Government of the city.

Rákóczi Museum

The museum shows the building of the castle, the Rákóczi Uprising, the history of the Rákóczi family, the life of lords in the 16-17th centuries, vine cultivation in Hegyalja, the etnography of Zemplén, and its special interiors. In the last will of Zsuzsanna Lorántffy, which was written in 1659, she wrote that in case of the death of the family ”I will Sárospatak for the noble Hungary”. In 1950, the Rákóczi Museum opened in the castle, it can be considered as the fulfilment of the last will.
In the museum most important tasks are to prepare and exhibit the historical monuments in connection with the castle, collect both the written and object monuments of the freedom fights, first of all from the Rákóczi Uprising. There are approximately 15 thousand archaeological, 3000 historical, 2000 numismatic, 6000 ethnographical pieces. There are 1000 works of applied art and 1000 works of fine arts. There are so famous reliques from Francis Rákóczi II, like his seal, pictures of the captains who took part in the parliament in Sárospatak, and letters from relatives.
(You can find further information about the Rákóczi-kiállításról, (Rákóczi Exhibition) and the Beszélő kövek (Talking stones) exhibition on the website of vendegvaro.hu-n)
Address: 19 Szent Erzsébet Street, Sárospatak
Telephone: 47/311-083
Open: kedd-vasárnap 10-18
GPS-coordinates: 48.3175 / 21.5686

The church of the castle (Immaculation Conception)

It is one of the biggest gothic hall churches in north Hungary that was built in 1537. The baroque main altar – that is the fairest part of the church – is from the church of the Carmelite Order, from Buda.
The church is devoted to the Immaculation Conception. Many famous historical people is buried here, e.g. the Rákóczi and Dobó family. The medieval church garden and the ruins of the cemetery wall border the area around the church that is lowered on its original level. The ruins of the church from the 12th century can be found here, that were discovered by an excavation. Elisabeth of Hungary was christened in this church. According to tradition, she was born in the castle of Sárospatak. Susanna Lorántffy, and her son, Groggy Bakócz II were buried in the under croft of the church.
In winter the church can be visited in case of registration.
Address: Sárospatak, Szent Erzsébet utca 15.
Telephone: 47/311-183
Open: 15th April – 15 the October, Tuesday-Saturday 9a.m. – 16 p.m., Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – 16 p.m.
Contact: Presbytery
GPS-coordinates: 48.3182 / 21.5684

Reformed College

The college was established in 1531 what is the most important institution in the Hungarian cultural history. The Berna-range is the oldest building of the college, it was built in 1773. The Library is a masterpiece of Classicism. The one-storey building of the Berna-range was built from 1771-1772. It is the only monument of the”protestant college’s baroque” style. Today, the exhibition of Református Kollégium Tudományos Gyűjeteményeinek Múzeima (The Scientific Collection of the Reformed College) can be find here. The current college, secondary school, students’ hostel, archives, and library were built in 1806, in classicist style. The building of the Library is unique: the collection is in the in the southern wing, that was built according to the design of Mihály Pollack, in 1834. József Linzbauer from Kosice, painted the allegory of science and art on the flat ceiling of the library. The bookshelves and the inlay star-shaped deck, which is built from squary boards, were made by Kristóf Brenning carpenter from Sátoraljaújhely, and his two workers.
(You can find further information about the history of the college, and about the famous priest students on the website of vendegvaro.hu)
Address: 1 Rákóczi Street, Sárospatak
Telephone: 47/315-256
GPS-coordinates: 48.3228 / 21.5709

Roman Catholic Church Collection

Currently, the collection has 393 pieces of fine arts, approximately 1000 works of applied art, and 13 thousand books. There is a permanent exhibition about the church-art documents in Abaúj and Zemplén in the Sárospataki Képtár (Gallery of Sárospatak). The medieval Jesuit monastery is the presbytery today, and the Catholic Church Collection is upstairs of the building. The archdiocese of Eger is the owner and holder of the building. The tasks of the exhibition experts are to preserve, take care, and scientifically work up the religions pieces of art and documents that can be found in the northern part of the Eger primacy – that is the area of Abaúj and Zemplén.
The exhibition and the art exhibition about the history of the church can be found on the renovated balcony of the church.
Address: Sárospatak, Szent Erzsébet u. 15.
Telephone: 47/314-107
Open: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 15 p.m.
GPS-coordinates: 48.3177 / 21.5687

Sight-seeing by narrow gauge with tyres

There is a service in every hour for 400 Huf / passengers. You can get in and get out in the bus parking behind the Várkert (Castle garden, Arad street), and the back entrance of the Bath (Herceg Street). The narrow gauge can be hired for groups and programmes any time and any place. Further information: 20/388 62 41
Szerencs

The city which is rich in traditions, as often mentioned as the gate of Tokaj-Hegyalja. Its sight is the Rákóczi castle, the Zemplén Museum, and the Sugar Museum, which is unique in Hungary. In the Zemplén Museum, which is in the Rákóczi castle, can be found the biggest postcard collection, containing more than 900 thousand postcards.

Rákóczi-castle

The castle of Szerencs was built on the place of a Benedict monastery, by Németh Ferenc, between 1556 and 1559. Is got its renaissance form that is still characteristics, at the time of Zsigmond Rákóczi. There was a tower in the south east corner of the rectangular building that was built in the middle of the 1500’s. The tower was surrounded by a cut, and was protected by a backboard. It was soon extended, and it became a three-gabled, then closed, inner-yarded building, and a huszárvár (a kind of building that saved the castle in the time of Turkish subjection) was built in front of it.
One of the most remarkable renovations is the rebuilt in renaissance style in the age of Zsigmond Rákóczi (1544-1608). The carved stone windows still can be seen. The castle was besieged many times, in the time of Turkish wars. In the second half of the 18th century, three towers were demolished, only the southern tower remained. After the Rákóczi Uprising, the new owners rebuilt it as a residence. The state of the building was destroyed. Its last owner was the Szirmay family, till 1945.
Address: Szerencs, Rákóczi-castle
Telephone: 47/362-842
Open: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. -16 p.m.
Fax: 47/362-842
Contact: Városi Kulturális Központ (City Cultural Centre)
GPS coordinates: 48.1611 / 21.2035

Museum of Zemplén

The objects, costumes, documents, and the atmosphere of the rooms exhibited permanently in the castle introduce the age of the ruling prince Zsigmond Rákóczi (1544-1608). The visitor can get acquainted with the building history of the castle on the basis of the research of Dr. Csaba László historian. The architecture of the presentation room is also part of the exhibition. There is a mock-up in the middle of the room that shows the outer and inner castle in the first third of the 17th century. The carved stones that were found during excavation, glazed tile fragments, pots, photos, and architectural documentations complete the view.
The biggest set of the museum is the postcard-collection. There are postcards from every part of the world, and they introduce the period from 1880’s until today. The postcards are selected according to chronological order (postcards printed before and after 1945), and according to themes. Its richness is demonstrated by the History of Postcard permanent exhibition. The exhibition is based on mostly Hungarian cards, and it shows the importance of postcards for local history, architectural, costumes, and ethnographical research.
The ex-libris collection containing 36 thousand pieces: The works of Hungarian and European graphic artists make the collection more valuable. It is a speciality that almost the whole work of Fery Antal (1908-1995), who is one of he most well-known masters and is from Szerencs, can be found here, and with his many ex-libris sets. Respecting his memory and work there is a permanent exhibition in the museum.
(Further information about múzeumtörténet (museum history) on the website of Vendégváró.hu)
Address: 11 Huszárvár Street, Szerencs, Rákóczi-vár (Rákóczi Castle)
Telephone: 47/362-842
Open: Tuesday-Sunday, 10a.m. – 16 a.m.
GPS coordinates: 48.1611 / 21.2035

Reformed Church

The 13th century Romanesque church has a Gothic reconstruction in 1480. The Church also received a steeple. The Ruling Prince Zsigmond Rákóczi was buried here in 1608. His renaissance sarcophagus still can be seen. Bocskai became here ruling prince.
A medieval fortification with battlements stands around the church; Gothic buttresses hold the nave and stone framed windows can still be seen beneath the cross vault of the steeple. Standing in the nave as a memorial, the late Renaissance marble sarcophagus (tumba or sepulchral ark) was made around 1618, commissioned by the three sons of Zsigmond Rákóczi, György, Zsigmond, and Pál. The Rákóczi coat of arms is attached to the lid of the sarcophagus, and on the west side the following lines can be seen:”I believed in you, my Lord, that I will not be dead for ever”. A Hungarian-language poem in remembrance of Zsigmond Rákóczi is written on the south side of the sarcophagus. A wooden plank door leads into the crypt beneath the shrine. Here stands the urn containing the mortal remains of the Prince. The urn was donated to the town by the corps of the 10th Battalion in 1849.
Cast in 1646, the bell was a gift from Prince György Rákóczi I.
In 1595 Zsigmond Rákóczi gifted the church to his fellow Reformed Christians and he also supported major reconstruction work. Later in 1900 the interior was reconstructed. István Bocskai was elected to Ruling Prince in this church, in 1606. There is memorial tablet on the church wall as a respect for the parliament.
It can be visited upon prior arrangement.
Address: 4 Kossuth tér, Szerencs
Telephone: 47/362-090
GPS coordinates: 48.1631 / 21.2003

The Statue of István Bocskai

His statue stands in front of the Reformed Church. The National Assembly from 17th-20th April in 1605 elected him ruling prince of Hungary, in the Reformed Church of Szerencs. The statue, that is the creation of Róbert Ekker and Sándor Simorka, was naugurated on 20th April 2005, on the occasion of 400th anniversary of the National Assembly.

Roman Catholic Church (Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

The faithful had the church built in 1759, in baroque style in honour of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Reformed got the Catholic’s previous church. The altar, pulpit, and four wooden statues remained from the valuable 18th centurial baroque furniture.
Address: 98 Rákóczi Street, Szerencs
Telephone: 47/362-920
GPS coordinates: 48.1628 / 21.202

Statue of John of Nepomuk

The Statue of John of Nepomuk, which is a nice-looking baroque statue, stands in front of the Roman Catholic Church. It has late baroque style, and it was created about 1780.

Eastern Catholic Church (Assumption of Mary)

As a result of battles in the 17th century, the number of the inhabitants increased. In the early 18th century, Julianna Rákóczi invited the Rusyns from Sáros county, and they built the church.
The church has late baroque style as it was built in 1799. In the triumphal arch of the church, there is a six-storey iconostasis, which is ornamented with rococo and Louis Seize style. Above the sanctum there is a cross, which is an old work of a smith.
Address: 11 Ondi Street, Szerencs
Telephone: 47/362-982
GPS coordinates: 48.1677 / 21.2039

Sugar Museum, Szerencs

Following the museums in Berlin and the Belgian Tirlemont, the Szerencs Sugar Museum is the third in the world to present the history of sugar production. Local factory history and the development of sugar packaging are also documented here.
The museum is in a former customs barrack within the territory of the factory. The exhibition introduces the history and the spreading of sugar production, its technologies and key figures about the development of beet sugar production. The century-long tradition of sugar production in Szerencs, along with moments from the everyday life and festivals of the factory are exemplified with the help of various documents, objects and photographs. The core of the factory history exhibition is the collection of Istán Farkas (1909-1993) caretaker A separate unit of the collection illustrates the culture of sugar packaging. Almost 800 sugar packages are on display in the exhibition cases from 48 countries around the world. The collection was inaugurated on 17th August 1989, it was the centenary of the Sugar Factory
Address: 1 Gyár Street, Szerencs
Telephone: 47/565-100/282
Open: Apart from weekend opening times groups may also visit the exhibition between 8.30am and 11.30am from Tuesday to Sunday upon prior arrangement.
GPS coordinates: 48.16 / 21.2071
The Rákóczi-vár(Rákóczi Castle), the Zempléni Múzeum(Zemplén Museum), the Világörökségi kapu(World Heritage Gate), the Cukormúzeum(Sugar Museum), and the churches, memorial places, sport facilities are all available on the website of the Local Government.
Website of the Szerencsi Fürdő és Wellnessház (Bath of Szerencs and Wellness House)
Monuments and map of the Szerencs subregion
City and subregional events
Tokaj

When we hear some where the name of Tokaj, everybody raises their head. Everybody listens to the respecting words and sentences, agrees with the respect, and protests if something bad is said about its world-wide known wine. The reputation that was born in the Middle Ages, are still true for the city on the bank of river Tisza-Bodrog.

 

TOKAJ

Following Budapest, Tokaj is the second most popular city in Hungary, the”capital” of the historical wine growing region. There are only few cities that can we be as proud as Tokaj: because of its famous wine, Tokaj is mentioned even in the Hungarian national anthem. The Tokaj-hegyalja wine growing region became part of the World Heritage, in 2002.

Pincesor-Cellar row

The Love cellar row was created in honour of the mille centenary of the Settlement of Magyars in Hungary, on the foothills in line with the railway. Behind the wine houses cellars, covered with noble mould, keep the famous Tokaji.
Address: Hegyalja Street, Tokaj, Love cellar row
GPS coordinates: 48.1124 / 21.4059

Tokaj Museum

The comprehensive collections on the history of viniculture and local history are set in a special display area. The material on ecclesiastical history and the art section are also significant.
There is a wonderful aquarium containing the fish of the River Tisza as part of the exhibition on angling. The ecclesiastical history collection reflects the glorious past of this market town in several ways. Consisting of the artefacts of North Hungarian Baroque-style religious arts and of the Hungarian Byzantine heritage this is perhaps the museum’s most valuable and most spectacular material. Its icon collection is also valuable.
The permanent exhibition entitled Tokaj-Hegyalja szőleje és bora (‘The Grapes and Wines of Tokaj – Hegyalja) shows visitors Tokaj-Hegyalja. In the huge attic space visitors can familiarise themselves with the various ways in which wines were and are stored, transported and handled, with some references to the most important grape wine types and to wine cultivation. Part of the wine exhibition of the Tokaj Museum is naturally housed in the cellar. Here the tools of storing and serving wine are displayed, and the viticulturists of the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region are introduced through bottles of their best quality wines.
Address: 7 Bethlen Gábor Street, Tokaj
Telephone: 47/352-636
Open: 2nd May – 30 November: Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m.-16 p.m., 1st December – 1st May, Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 16 p.m.
Fax: 47/352-636
GPS coordinates: 48.1269 / 21.4082

Bacchus-fountain

The Bacchus fountain stands In the main square of the city. It is the creation of Péter Szanyi sculptor, and the fountain was placed in the square in 1990. There is a carefree brass figure on a stone cask, on the fountain column that shows the positive effect of the grape leaf.
Address: in front of 13-15 Kossuth Square, Tokaj
GPS coordinates: 48.126 / 21.4077

General-house

The 18th century, baroque style building is still known as General-house. However it is not the place of military command, but it is an Evangelic convent and house.
Address: 14 Kossuth Lajos Square, Tokaj
GPS coordinates: 48.1252 / 21.4079

Karácsony-Szaszarath-house

The one-storey house in Louis Seize style was built by the wealthy Karácsony family, around 1790. Some of the rooms inside the richly ornamented house contain valuable murals, including a matchless panorama picture. The panorama picture gives the onlooker the sense of standing on the banks of the River Tisza two hundred years ago and gazing at the surrounding hills, shrubs and woodlands, and even at the romantic castle ruins. The wall paintings were hidden; however the whitewash- and paint layers preserved the pictures. As a result of two years of restorer work, the pictures are visible again. The furnishings of the upstairs main hall bring to life the boardroom of the former Greek company. It is organically connected to the historical and ethnographical exhibition upstairs, since today the house is home to the Tokaj Museum.
The building came under the proprietorship of the Szaszaráths in the 19th century, another prominent trading family of Tokaj. The upstairs main hall, nestling in the central projection of the facade, carries the so-called ‘Copf’ ornamentation typical of the period, mixed with particular Eastern features. Above the banister, exotic figures walk in kaftans and turbans and it is almost as though the former owners of the house have come to life.
In the 18th century, tradesmen of various Balkan ethnicities, often collectively termed Greek, monopolised wine trading in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region. They organised themselves in companies and established trades associations with special rights. They made extraordinary profits through their hard work and often canny tricks of the trade. This wealth is reflected in the Karácsony-Szaszaráth House.
Address: 7 Bethlen Gábor Street, Tokaj
Telephone: 47/352-636
Open: Tuesday-Sunday, 10a.m.-16p.m.
GPS coordinates: 48.1269 / 21.4082

Reformed Church

The late baroque Reformed Church was built around 1800, its tower is from 1896. The rococo style pulpit was made in 1822. Inside the church, there is a renaissance grave plate with a crest from the 17th century.
Address: József Bem Street, Tokaj
Telephone: 47/352-226
GPS coordinates: 48.1265 / 21.4063

Cannonball house

Today it is a bookshop, but in the January of 1849, at the time of the freedom fight, the building was the accommodation of György Klapka supreme commander. In the wall of the building, there is a cannonball even today that makes us remember to the freedom fight.
Address: Rákóczi Street, Tokaj
GPS coordinates: 48.1247 / 21.4098

Rákóczi-Dessewffy-castle

The castle was built in the 1700’s, in baroque style. First it belonged to the Rákóczi family, then it became thesaurus building, and later the Dessewffy family owned the castle. Today it is a wine centre. The castle is private property, so that it can not be visited.
Address: 19-21 Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Endre Street, Tokaj
Telephone: 47/552-132
GPS coordinates: 48.1199 / 21.4122

Historical Wine Region of Tokaj (from the website of Tourinform)

The wine cellar in Tokaj, Tokaj-Hegyalja is the best white wine producing region of Hungary. However the World Heritage rank was not given only because of its grapes and wine-producing. The area has unique landscape, architectural, cultural facilities, and local traditions.
Grape existed even in the Miocene in the Tokaj wine region that is in the north-east part of Hungary. The Vitis Tokaiensis that was found in Erdőbénye proves this. It is an ancient grape leaf proves that grape is native in Tokaj. The imprint of the leaf can be considered as the ancestor of every kind of grape. The vitis sylvestris ancient grape still lives outback in the area.
Tokaj-Hegyalja preserves its values. The more than 50 years old wine-mythology in the area is preserved by several sculptures. There are vintage festivals every year. The Tokaji Borok Fesztiválja (Festival of Tokaj Wines) is organized in every May.
Simple-hearted, hospitable people, the cellars are covered with noble mould, and the king of wines, wine of kings welcome the guests who come to the historical wine region of Tokaj.
You can find further information about Tokaj wines and wine producing on the website of the Local Government
Old pictures about the city (from the Museum):
Tourinform: World Heritage Tourist programmes of Tokaj
Literature trip on the world heritage part of the historical wine region of Tokaj
(map)
Two issues of Tokaj Tourinform(downloadable pdf file)