Esztergom, formerly called Esztergám,
nestles within a landscape that delights the eyes and warms the
soul. Hungary's "Christian Gateway", once one of the country's
most important cities, lies on the bank of the River Danube,
right next to the picturesque Danube bend, surrounded by hills,
and is always a special treat for visitors with a taste for the
arts.
Esztergom has been a religious centre ever since
the foundation of the Hungarian kingdom, which is reflected by
the fact that Hungary's first king, (St) Stephen the 1st (1000-1038)
was born here, and later was crowned here. In addition, St Stephen
appointed the archbishop of his beloved birthplace to head the
ten bishoprics he had founded, and ever since the archbishop of
Esztergom has been Primate of Hungary. The only mint in the kingdom
operated here until the early 13th century.
The following are some records set by the basilica of Esztergom,
the town's symbol, and a citadel of Hungarian Catholicism: the
monumental neo-Classical basilica was built in at the middle of
the 19th century and is the largest church in Hungary. An altar-piece
in the sanctuary, Grigoletti's the Assumption of Maria, is the
world's largest painting on one single canvas. The only part of
the medieval cathedral that now remains, the Bakócz Chapel,
is an outstanding example of Renaissance art in Hungary, and is
now incorporated into the side of the basilica.
The coronation cross, used when Hungarian kings took their coronation
oath, originates from the age of the Árpád dynasty;
it is today kept in the treasury of the basilica. (The house of Árpád
was Hungary's first dynasty of kings, from 1000 to 1301.) King
Matthias' (1458 - 1490) famous Calvary studded with pearls and
precious stones is also on display here. The world-renowned Christian
Museum is on the second floor of the Primatial Palace, with a collection
thatbincludes masterpieces of medieval panel painting and sculpture,
works of significant Italian painters from the 12th to15th centuries,
and West-European painting and applied arts from later centuries.
The 18th century tapestries are also famous parts of the collection.
The Danube Museum, originally called the Museum of Environmental
Protection and Water Management in Hungary, has found a worthy
home between walls that are several hundred years old, in a town
lying along the river Danube. It is indeed more than a Danube Museum,
because it holds and presents a collection of written documents
and objects connected to the history of all Hungarian waters and
the work of those involved in the management of these waters.
Mihály Babits, one of the greatest Hungarian poets and translators
of the 20th century, spent 20 summers of his life in a villa standing
on Foothil, above the town, a villa which is today a museum. The
building and its famous
"signature wall" attracts a many lovers of Hungarian literature,
but the panorama in itself makes it worth visiting.
Esztergom is currently undergoing
a second Renaissance. It is a centre for the entire region, and
ever since a large Japanese car manufacturer built an assembly
plant here, employment has boosted, and an increasing number of
people commute to Esztergom from neighbouring villages. Reconstruction
of the Mária Valéria bridge
over the Danube, which was destroyed in the Second World War, has
started recently. The bridge will create a link between Esztergom
and Párkány in Slovakia, and this is expected to
open a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries.
