Váci Castle
Photo by Péter Szulmann
2600 Vác, Géza király tér 1.
From the opposite bank, you can see the church tower in the distance, on the high ground where the former Váci castle once stood.
Even the choice of the place is legendary, as it is said that on the eve of the battle with Solomon, Prince Géza and László were discussing strategy when an angel appeared to László and predicted the victory of the battle the next day. Géza made a vow that if fulfilled, he would build a church on this spot. And so he did, and later King Géza I was buried in the church crypt, according to the custom of the time.
But the turbulent periods of history have not spared Vác either. First, the church was destroyed by the Tatars. Later kings rebuilt it, so much so that in the 15th century it was referred to as a humanist citadel under Bishop Miklós Bátori. Bishop Báthori was the uncle of King Mátyás, who liked to stay in our town. Báthory rebuilt the church and palace in the most modern style of the time. After Buda and Visegrád, Vác Castle was the most magnificent place of the Renaissance.
Almost nothing remains of the castle, but you can still admire some of its interior. The original carved stone balustrades and 2 wooden carvings with coats of arms can be found in the present cathedral.Other treasures can be found in the Ignác Tragor Museum, the Diocesan Collection and the Franciscan Church.
After the Turkish era, there was almost nothing to remind us of the wealth and splendour of the past. The church you can see today is the church of the Franciscan Order, and the adjacent monastery building is now the Piarist Observatory, a Career Guidance Methodology Centre. Alongside the new building, it is exciting to see archaeologists working today, excavating medieval small finds from the excavations next to the building.
Looking up from the bank of the Danube, you can see a section of the original city wall with a statue of King Géza I (by János Blaskó Jr.) If you are in Vác, it is definitely worth a walk around and soak up the atmosphere of this historic part of the city.
Photo by László Wachtler