Chapel of St. Rocco

Chapel of St. Rocco near the railway station One of the oldest architectural monuments of Vác.

The small baroque chapel was built to commemorate the plague of 1740-41. The devastating epidemic decimated the town's population. The chapel was built with the support of Bishop Michael Althann, largely from public donations. The chapel, which has a central plan with a three-panel layout, one main entrance and two side entrances, is covered by a low dome and the head of the altar is a depiction of St. Roch, the patron saint of the sick.

Its farewell is the city's pledge day, offered every year on 16 August to help prevent epidemics. A mass and procession commemorate the difficult times. The chapel is not open at other times, but the original wrought-iron gates give a glimpse into the specially crafted interior.

There was a cemetery in the area in earlier centuries, but it was dismantled in the last century. The stone cross at the back wall of the chapel is a reminder of this. Today, the chapel's small size almost dwarfs the large department stores, but its message is all the more important. Its size is referred to by the locals, who call the small chapel "The Fox".

If you're walking around town, you'll find it easy to get between the bus and train stations.