Urban history
History of Vác
Do you usually skip the descriptions of urban history because you find them dry and boring? Don't do it now, The history of Vác has so much to offer that reading the stories is guaranteed to make you want to get to know this picturesque town with an adventurous past.
Vác is located in the heart of the Danube bend, on the left bank of the Danube, and has a history going back almost a thousand years. Would you have guessed that the history of the town is full of legends? Did you know that over the centuries Vác has become one of the most exciting towns in the Danube Bend?
Vác is one of the oldest inhabited settlements in Hungary, the sacral and secular life has been intertwined over the centuries, and this is how the town's image has been formed. The town owes its name to a hermit named Wach and to King Géza I. It's important to know when you visit the city that Géza was buried in the middle of the basilica in 1077. The cathedral was significantly rebuilt several times in later centuries, but the tomb of the founding king was always respected. Recent archaeological excavations have not found any bone remains associated with Caesar I in the excavated tomb. The statue of King Géza I stands on the Danube bank, on the castle wall.
Postcards from the collection of Péter Cservenák
Later ages and the building bishops of Vác brought a revival to the city, which was almost renewed by the visit of Maria Theresa in 1764. The buildings of the main square were beautified, the church of St. Michael was demolished and its stones were used for the Cathedral, which still stands today. The Bishop's Palace, still visible today, was built opposite. A triumphal arch was erected in honour of Maria Theresa.
The banks of the Danube were of great commercial and economic importance, but the waterfront was also a popular place for recreation. Maria Theresa herself liked to take long walks here, and the promenade has long kept her name. The town was later besieged several times, and the Kőszentes Bridge is a reminder of the Battle of Kőszentes in April 1849.
In the Middle Ages, the city was surrounded by a stone wall, one of the corner bastions of which is the Hegyes Tower, still visible today. You can even stumble upon the former Vienna Gate and the Hatvan Gate while walking around our beautiful city. King Matthias was also a favourite visitor to Vác, which enjoyed its golden age. The city was one of the most important architectural, artistic, scientific and social Renaissance centres of the time.
The Turkish times brought many hardships, and the city was almost completely destroyed when they left. Vác Castle was finally destroyed in 1684. Afterwards, the population was decimated by fires and epidemics, and the statues in public squares largely depict patron saints who were raised in gratitude for the hard times they had to overcome.
Today, walking the streets of the city, the buildings tell us about the colourful history of Vác.
Walking among the memories left behind, you'll feel right at home in a city that is both a major diocesan centre and a legendary school town. It is also the birthplace of Márta Fónay, a Jászai Mari Prize-winning Hungarian actress and a renowned artist, and the home of Levente Szörényi, Gyula Juhász, Imre Madách and Péter Rudolf.
We are proud to put our city in your hands. Explore our historical treasures and walk through the buildings where Maria Theresa, Kristóf Migazzi or even Sándor Petőfi once walked!