Szeged tourist information
In Szeged the sun shines 2,100 hours a year, which is why this town, at the junction of the rivers Tisza and Maros, is often called the “town of sunshine”. After the great flood of the "Blond Tisza" in 1879, a well-designed new town was built with international help in splendid, eclectic-secession style.
Among the town’s world-famous products are the matchless Pick Salami and Szeged Paprika, the latter providing wonderful, distinctive flavour to Hungarian foods. A great deal of paprika is used in the famous Szeged Fish soup, as well.
The town’s traditionally vibrant intellectual atmosphere gave birth to famous schools and writers, poets and scientists: vitamin C was discovered in Szeged paprika by Nobel-laureate Albert Szent-Györgyi, and so started on its world-conquering way from this town.
A row of famous buildings can be found in the Dom Square (which is as big as Saint Mark’s Square in Venice): the Bishop’s Palace, the Theological College, university buildings, the Catholic Boarding House and the monumental, neo-Roman Bishop’s Cathedral with its 5000 seats, built by survivors of the great flood. The Cathedral, also known as the Votal Church, was completed in 1930.
The 86-centner bell of the Votal Church is the second largest bell in the country. In the sanctuary we can see the mosaic picture of the Madonna in Szeged slippers and embroidered coat (called a “szűr” in Hungarian). Left of the altar we can see the work “Christ on the Cross” that won the Grand Prix award in 1900 in Paris. One of the biggest organs in Europe, the five-manual organ with 9,040 pipes, is the “main character” in the organ concerts. Saint Dömötör Tower is the remnant of a thirteenth-century church. The sculptures of 90 prominent individuals from Hungarian literature and science were placed in the National Memorial Hall.
After the midday toll the figures of the Musical Clock, which show the university hierarchy, can be seen for nine minutes. In summer the square is the place for the famous Szegedi Open-Air Performance. The art-historical treasure of the nearby Greek-Serbian Church (Révai Street) is the rococo iconostasis with 80 icons carved out of pear wood, ornamented with tracery.
The former Reök Palace (Tisza L. Boulevard 56), a secession-style masterpiece with steeples, is the Town Hall today, and it dominates Széchenyi Square and its sculptures of prominent national individuals. The monumental Moorish-secession New Synagogue (at the corner of Hajnóczy and Gutenberg Streets) is one of the most beautiful synagogues in Europe. The magnificent atmosphere of the interior space comes from the white-golden-blue windows and the lavish glass-cupola showing the universe.
The biggest churches built in the Middle Ages in the Great Plain were Havas Ladykin Church and the Franciscan Monastery (Alsóváros, Mátyás király Square); these were built in the 15th century in late-Gothic style. The famous picture in the church is a copy of the original Black Mary picture that can be found in Czestochowa.
One of the richest archaeological collections is in the Móra Ferenc Museum, which commemorates the work of the eponymous writer, archaeologist and museum director, Móra Ferenc (Roosevelt Square 1-3.). It also features varied fine art and natural science materials, a history of pharmacy exhibition and works of contemporary Hungarian sculptors.
The stone monuments of the town’s history were collected in the Castle Museum Stone Collection (Stefánia Promenade), in the only undamaged part of the Szeged Castle (demolished in 1882).
The Pick Salami and Szegedi Paprika Museum (Tiszapart 10) demonstrates the complete process of making Pick Salami, which began in1869. (Reservations are required to visit the Museum).
Szeged aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Szeged aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Szeged.
Szeged weather forecast
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