Gyöngyös bath spa resort

You may refresh your self in the neighborhood of some romantic places, if you visit the spa of Gyöngyös. The water contains alkali-hydrogen-carbonic thus it is mostly recommended for those who have some joint problems, stomach problems, or rheumatism. The spa is situated in a nice park, where you can take a rest after traveling around the country.

History

After the Hungarian conquest this land became the property of Aba kin, until the 13C, when they lost it because they fought against the king. Due to its great geographical circumstances, this land started to develop quickly. After the Tatar invasion, the first castles were built. In the 14C it became a town.

When the Turks invaded Hungary it became a part of the Ottoman Empire. It was part of the sultan’s land, thus it was relatively protected. Due to this, the town developed during Turkish times as well, and became an important cultural and economical centre of this land.

Gyöngyös and its surround plaid an important role during the War of Independence in 1948-49. Windishgrätz and Görgey - the Habsburg and the Hungarian general – both staid in the town for some time. After the war, the surrounding hills became refuge of those, who wanted to be in hiding.

During the 20C some industrial develops were made. In recent years the traditional agriculture - grape cultivating and vine culture - is getting more and more important again.

Place of interest

After refreshing your self in the spa, you should take a walk around the town, because there are some nice and interesting sights around.

For example, you can see the only Franciscan Library which remains unit since the Middle Ages, if you visit the old Franciscan Monastery. To see some more sacred things, go to the Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Treasury containing Gothic and Renaissance works or the Gothic St Bartholomew’s Church. After, you should walk to the Town’s Library, which is in the former Grassalkovich castle, an imposing building from the 19C.

If you would like to know more about local history and folk culture, you should visit Mátra Museum. The inhabitants of this land represent a special ethnographic unit, known as “Palóc”. If you would like to know more about this, you should go to see the displays of Palóc Museum.

The surrounding Mátra Hills are rich in great excursion routes and natural beauties. If you have the time and possibility, you should visit Gyöngyöspata, only 11km far from here, where you can see a parish church, which dates back to the 13C. Nearby are some nice hill resorts with a special atmosphere, like Mátrafüred, Mátraháza or Galyatet. From here you may reach the highest point in Hungary, Kékestet.