Chapron is a city in Hungary. Sopron: attractions and interesting places (with photos). City Historical Museum

Sopron

- a small town with a subalpine climate, located near the Austrian border, lying in a ring of Leverek covered with coniferous forests and vineyards famous for good wines.

The panorama of Sopron is incredibly beautiful, especially if you admire it from a high hill, on top of which there is a cozy hotel in the forest park. The city is also famous for its clean air. No wonder there is a sanatorium within the city limits pulmonary profile.

There is a national park near Sopron Ferto-Hansag, most of which lies in Austria. There is a wonderful recreation area on Lake Fertő, the third largest lake in Central Europe. The surrounding area of ​​the lake is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. The waters of the lake are very salty, and the beaches and swimming areas make up an excellent resort area.
In summer you can go sailing on the lake, ride a bike on the path that goes around the lake, and in winter you can go ice skating. A few kilometers from Sopron is the famous Hungarian Balfe thermal resort.

Sopron is famous not only for the wealth of its architectural monuments and museums, but also for being one of the oldest wine-growing regions in Hungary. The city is surrounded on all sides by gentle hills adjacent to Lake Fertö. Reflecting in the waters of the lake, the sun's rays intensify their effect, which contributes to better ripening of the grapes. Due to the cooler climate and limestone soil, the region's red wines are rich in acids, especially tannin. The history of Sopron winemaking dates back to the era of the Celts, who appreciated the local climatic conditions and began to cultivate vineyards here.

In the Middle Ages, the fame of Sopron wines spread far beyond the borders of the Hungarian state: many European monarchs and representatives of the highest clergy ordered them to their tables. The most famous variety of wine produced in the region is kekfankos. It has a rich dark red color and a rich bouquet. Of the white varieties, the most characteristic is zöld veltelini, and piros veltelini, made from an early ripening grape variety, is considered a real exclusive. Today, on approximately 1,800 hectares, grapes, mostly blue, are grown.

Sopron is one of the richest Hungarian cities in architectural monuments, awarded the Europa Nostra Prize in 1975.

Brief history of the city of Sopron

A settlement on the site of the city has existed since ancient times. The city was founded by the Romans in the 1st century. n. e., as a Roman settlement, the city of Scarbantia, through which the famous Amber Route passed: merchants brought amber mined on the Baltic shores to the countries of Southern Europe.

The city retained its importance until the collapse of the empire. The Hungarians, who came to these lands as a result of the Great Migration of Peoples, erected a castle and fortress walls on the site of Scarbantia (9-11 centuries). The first mention of the name Sopron was recorded in 1153. The city received its Hungarian name from the castle manager named Suprun.

In the 13th century, Sopron received the status of a free royal city. Since Sopron was located not far from Vienna, it managed to avoid both the devastating raids (by the Huns - starting from the 4th century and the Tatars from the 13th century) and the Turkish yoke (16-17th centuries).

Surely the inhabitants of the town were responsible and loving citizens. After all, the status of a free royal city, which Sopron was awarded in the 13th century, is not given just like that. The city was actively deteriorating, acquiring individual, unique features... The year 1529 was one of the black pages in the life of the Sopron people. Soldiers of the Turkish army filled the streets and thoroughly plundered the city. This is the sad result of the battle between Royal Hungary and Sultan Suleiman I. The country was occupied and torn apart. But Sopron was lucky. It became part of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom - a small fragment of the former great Hungary under the protection of the Habsburgs. There was no Turkish domination here, and the city managed to preserve its traditional architectural appearance. True, the fire of 1676 fundamentally corrected it. It took decades of hard work to recreate what was lost.

Thanks to the interweaving of various historical events in Sopron, city buildings of various architectural styles create an interesting combination: the Roman forum and the fortress wall from the Middle Ages, Gothic houses of local residents, the Synagogue, palaces of the 19th century. By the beginning of the twentieth century, Sopron was an international city within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Here, in addition to the Hungarians, lived Germans (due to the proximity of Austria), Croats who fled here during the Turkish occupation. The city also had a significant Jewish population. And they began to divide Hungary again. The victorious countries in the First World War determined the fate of Western Hungary, which included Sopron, according to the Treaties of Saint-Germain and Trianon. The lands went to Austria. Given the proximity of its borders and the significant percentage of the German population, this decision seemed more than logical. However, at the entrance to Sopron, Austrian border guards and police met resistance from Hungarian snipers. The city did not want to recognize the new homeland... Uncertainty persisted for a month and something had to be decided. Italy acted as a mediator. At tripartite negotiations, it was decided to hold a referendum in Sopron, which took place from December 14 to 16, 1921.
According to its results, more than half of the residents wanted to remain part of Hungary!

After this, Sopron received the unofficial status of “the most loyal city”, and the Latin inscription “Civitas Fidelissima”, which means “The most loyal citizens”, appeared on its coat of arms.

During the Second World War, the city suffered greatly, and almost the entire large Jewish population of the city was exterminated in death camps. The Soviet army liberated Sopron on April 1, 1945. During the socialist period, several industrial enterprises were built in the city. On August 19, 1989, the so-called European Picnic took place on the Austro-Hungarian border near Sopron. With the consent of both countries, the border gate on the old Bratislava road between the villages of Sankt Margarethen and Sopronköhida was opened symbolically for three hours. At the same place, Austrian Foreign Minister Alois Mock and his Hungarian counterpart Gyula Horn jointly cut the border fence on June 27, 1989 to highlight the dismantling of protective structures begun by Hungary on May 2, 1989. More than 600 citizens of the GDR used this brief opening of the Iron Curtain to flee through Austria to the Federal Republic of Germany. The Hungarian border guards did not interfere with them, although according to the agreement between the GDR and Hungary they should not have allowed them into the West.

Today, the European Picnic appears to be one of the important events that led to the completion of the history of the GDR and the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Iron Curtain and the unification of the two German states.

Sights of the city of Sopron

The fire tower is known as one of the symbols of Sopron. This tower was built on the remains of an ancient Roman foundation and, starting from the 13th century, served as the northern gate to the city. In the old days, fire guards played a very important role in the life of the city. In addition to their main function - to monitor fire safety - they also warned residents about approaching troops or trade convoys. In addition, they were invited as musicians to all kinds of events - weddings, funerals, festivals. Ironically, in 1676 the tower itself suffered a fire. As a result of subsequent reconstruction, it acquired its current Baroque appearance.
The main square of the Old Town - Fő tér - is surrounded by ancient houses, each of which is a valuable architectural monument.

Let's note one of the oldest, most valuable and most beautiful houses in Sopron in the Baroque style. It is easy to distinguish it from other buildings that surround the square in a dense ring by its eye-pleasing yellow color and original corner balcony. Today this house is usually called the “Shtorno house”, after the surname of its last owners. In 1875, the building was purchased by Ferenc Storno, the head of a large family of immigrants from Italy, which owned it until 1984.
Now it is a museum, the basis of the exhibition of which is a rich collection of medieval furniture, weapons, household utensils, and ancient paintings. It was started by Ferenc Storno, who was not a professional art critic and did not have any special knowledge, but thanks to his energy, passion and at his own expense, he restored a large number of frescoes in churches in the Western Transdanubia region. Later, his sons and grandsons took the matter of replenishing the collection into their own hands. The people of Sopron, and not only them, remember the Shtorno family with gratitude. But at the same time, they do not forget that the house at number 8 on Futer Square had two more owners until 1875.

Famous Hungarian noble families Haberleiter and Festetics. Moreover, at the time when the first family owned the house, Matthias I himself, better known as Matthias Corvinus (Raven), stayed there before the storming of Vienna, from December 1482 to February of the following year, 1483. One of the most revered Hungarian kings. A significant figure for the country, who annexed many lands to Hungary, including Austria. And, by the way, it was he, Matthias Corwin, who established diplomatic relations with Russia.
The building is also famous for the fact that concerts were performed here twice - in 1840 and 1881. Franz Liszt. The great composer Franz Liszt was born on October 22, 1811 in Hungary, in the town of Doborjan (Austrian name Riding) near Sopron. His father, Georg Adam List, served as an official in the administration of Prince Esterhazy. The Esterhazy princes encouraged art. Until the age of 14, Georg Adam played cello in the prince's orchestra, led by Joseph Haydn.
Another interesting building on the Main Square is the General's House. It originally belonged to Dr. K. Latzkner, who donated the house to the general in 1681. Today, the house houses an exhibition of contemporary sculpture.

A valuable architectural monument is the House of Fabricius. The building's hall is a unique example of the Gothic style; in addition, the elegant loggia in the courtyard, as well as the Gothic and Baroque cellars, are noteworthy. The owners of the building have always been wealthy citizens or merchants; it received its name in honor of the mayor and member of the city magistrate Endre Fabricius, who belonged to him at the beginning of the 19th century. When Franz Liszt gave concerts in Sopron, the outstanding Hungarian poet Sandor Petőfi, with whom Fabricius had warm friendly relations and who at that time was at the front, having escaped from a military barracks, lived in this house. Today, the House of Fabricius houses a museum, the decoration and furniture of which reflect the tastes of the burgher class of the 17th–18th centuries.
However, the greatest interest is the medieval basement of the building, where the Roman lapidarium was located. Here you can see the ruins of buildings left over from the time of Scarbancia - the ruins of temples and baths, statues, funeral urns and sarcophagi...

The Gothic house "Gambrinus", built at the beginning of the 15th century by order of King Zsigmond, is famous for the fact that it housed the city hall.

One of the most visited museums in Sopron is the City History Museum, also located on the Main Square. Its exhibition is dedicated to the history of Sopron in the 17th–18th centuries. There is also a separate exhibition of archaeological finds from the area around Sopron - from the Celtic, Roman and Hungarian periods.

Like many other European cities, Sopron's Central Square is decorated with a statue of the Holy Trinity. According to one of the widespread versions, it was installed at the expense of Sopron native Janos Jacob Levenburg in memory of his wife who died during the plague epidemic. Sopron is also famous for its ancient churches and temples.

In the southern part of the Central Square stands the Benedictine Church, which is also popularly called the Church of the Goat. The temple is famous for the fact that Hungarian rulers were crowned there three times. The interior decoration of the church is distinguished by its beauty - frescoes and ornaments, lancet windows and a unique Christian pulpit, which is of great value.

Another significant temple of the city is the Church of St. Michael, located outside the Old Town. The statue of the Virgin Mary located inside the temple is a masterpiece of wooden sculpture. Around the central part of the city there is a system of streets and squares - Sopron downtown. Its narrow winding streets, the medieval atmosphere of cozy courtyards, the walls of the old city that you encounter at every step, and intricately decorated balconies will take you back to bygone eras.

Despite the fact that Sopron is called an open-air museum, it still has its own museum street. Located in the downtown area, Church Street is distinguished by the fact that there are museums with valuable collections one after another. The Benedictine monastery houses the Kaptalan Hall, an architectural monument of the 13th century. Its magnificent decoration, statues and wall paintings are unsurpassed examples of medieval art.

House number 12, which once belonged to the Sopron priest, now belongs to the State Evangelical Museum. In house No. 5 you can see interesting examples of ancient clothing and coins. The Franz Liszt Museum is located on Church Street. The exhibition contains exhibits on the history of the city, ethnography, as well as works of fine art.

For many centuries, Sopron's downtown area was home to artisans, merchants and winemakers. Streets such as Balfi, Fövényverem or Halász have retained their unique atmosphere to this day. On Bécsi Street there is the only bakery museum in the country. This building can be recognized by the lions decorating its facade, resting one paw on pretzels (a delicacy typical of Central Europe - a dry dumpling sprinkled with salt). From 1686 to 1970 the house belonged to the baker's family. After this, the City Council decided to open a museum here, while preserving the original furnishings left over from the previous owners. In the right wing there is a working bakery, where you can observe the bread making process. In addition, the museum has a confectionery workshop and a bread shop where the freshest baked goods are sold.

Sopron is a beautiful city, an open-air museum, 220 km from the capital, and only 6 km from the Austrian border. The small river Ikva flows through Sopron and flows into Lake Fertő. The city center has been preserved in the same form as it was built in the 16th-18th centuries.

The neo-Renaissance fire tower (Tűztorony) from the 13th century stands in the center of Sopron. This is a 58-meter white building with a clock, an observation deck and a double-headed eagle on the spire; with a spiral staircase of two hundred steps. The structure was built on a Roman foundation. Below the tower is the arched “Loyalty Gate”, built to commemorate the 1921 referendum.

On the main square of Sopron stands a masterpiece of the Hungarian Baroque – the plague column (Szentháromság-szobor), dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It was installed in 1680 at the expense of the philanthropist Janos Jakob Levenburg in honor of his wife, Eva, who died of the plague.

Behind the plague pillar is a Gothic temple from 1280 - the Dominican Church Dormition of the Virgin Mary(Nagyboldogasszony templom), popularly called the Goat Church (Kecske-templom). Three rulers of the country were crowned here. The interior of the temple is more beautiful than the external architecture. Interesting are the frescoes and picturesque ornaments, vaulted mosaic windows and the Christian pulpit.

House "Storno" (Storno-ház) is an old yellow baroque mansion with a bay window, built in 1417. Its owner spent his whole life collecting objects of applied art: unique antique furniture, stained glass, religious objects, glass and porcelain. Now all these objects are the basis of the exhibition of the Ferenc Storno Museum.

Next door there is another beautiful mansion - the house of Gambrinus-ház (1422). Its facade combines several architectural styles: it has features of Gothic, Renaissance and Rococo. Previously, this building housed the city hall.

General's House

The Town Hall (Városháza) of Sopron was built in 1896 on the site of the demolished 15th-century town hall building. Beautiful carved doors have been preserved from the medieval building; the new town hall was built in an eclectic style.

Archaeological Park Scarbantia

Behind the Town Hall is the archaeological park of the ancient Roman city of Scarbantia. In 1893, excavations were carried out here and fragments of the first Roman fort were discovered. Most of the finds were moved to city museums, but the ruins of the fortress remained in place and are available for inspection.

Church of St. George (Szent György-templom) – originally Gothic, rebuilt into Baroque. The 55-meter bell tower was erected in 1882. The church was built for Protestants, but in 1674 it was transferred to the Jesuit order.

The Old Synagogue of Sopron (Soproni ózsinagóga) has existed since 1379.

Urshuli and Szenie Squares

It is worth visiting Orsolya tér and Széchenyi tér squares - their ensemble also consists entirely of historical buildings.

The Dominican Church (Domonkos templom) on Széchenyi Square was built in the 13th century in the Gothic style, but after reconstruction it acquired Baroque features.

In the Church of St. Michael (Szent Mihály-templom) you will see a masterpiece of wooden art, a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Museums

There is a special museum street in the city - Church Street (Templom utca), where museums follow one after another. What museums are worth visiting?

Kaptalan Hall

Káptalan-terem is located in the building of what was once a Franciscan and now Benedictine monastery. This is a most valuable historical monument of the 13th century with pompous decoration, sculptures and wall paintings.

State Evangelical Museum

It is opened in the priest's house.

Franz Liszt Cultural Center

Liszt Ferenc Konferencia és Kulturális Központ, the great composer was born in the outskirts of Sopron.

City Historical Museum

It houses exhibitions dedicated to the XII-XVIII centuries.

Központi Bányászati ​​Múzeum, opened in the former Esterházy mansion. Working models telling about the development of the mining industry are demonstrated here, as well as works of fine and applied art on this topic.

Museum-Bakery

Pékmúzeum is located on Beci Street 5. A baker used to live here, but now a museum is open. Visitors are shown not only interesting exhibits, but also how bread is baked. Those interested can buy aromatic pastries at a local confectionery shop.

University

Sopron is home to the Forestry and Forestry University, founded in 1808. Today it is one of the largest educational institutions in Europe.

A little history

The area where modern Sopron is located has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. The Romans founded their city here - Scarbantia (since the legendary Amber Trade Route, connecting Southern Europe with the Baltic shores, passed here), which disappeared after the collapse of the Roman Empire. Hungarian Sopron was formed in the 11th century, by the will of King Stephen I. Documentary mention of Sopron was first found in 1153. It became a free city in the 13th century; in 1529 it was first plundered by the Turks, but not captured. In 1676, the city burned down, but it was rebuilt within a few decades. Until the beginning of the 20th century, Sopron flourished. After the collapse of Austria-Hungary, according to the decision of a popular referendum, it remained part of the Hungarian state.

In the post-war period, much work was carried out in Sopron to preserve and restore historical monuments. Most of the buildings in the old center were built in the Habsburg Baroque style, but masterpieces from earlier eras remain in the city.

Festivals and holidays

The Sopron festival season opens in May with the Ízutazás wine and gastronomy festival.

In the summer, Sopron hosts themed holiday weeks with folklore programs, folk festivals and fairs. Concerts and exhibitions continuously replace each other.

At the end of September, the city noisily celebrates the festival of the new wine "Kekfrankosh" - the Surette Carnival. People of different nationalities living in Sopron wear folk costumes. Vendors offer painted gingerbread cookies, traditional sweets and Hungarian delicacies; Wine flows like a river.

What to see in the area

20 kilometers from Sopron is the “Hungarian Versailles” - the palace of the Esterhazy princes - a grandiose Baroque complex with a park, built in 1763–67.

Not far from the city there is a national park - the Fertő-Hanság conservation area with an area of ​​more than 23 thousand hectares, with Lake Fertő, which has the status of a biosphere reserve. The unique natural site is included in the UNESCO list.

Climbing enthusiasts can climb the Lőverek hills, located south of the city. The Károly observation tower will rise above the top of one of the Leverek hills.

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Initially, József Esterházy built a hunting castle with 20 rooms and two main halls. But this did not suit the ambitions of his son Miklos. Being the richest nobleman in Hungary, he decided to create a palace, not like the splendor of Versailles. For this, the best Italian artists and architects were invited and huge amounts of money were spent.

The hunting castle was rebuilt and significantly expanded due to side extensions, giving the façade a semicircular shape. In front of the palace there was a magnificent fountain with sculptures of a dolphin and cherubs.

In total, the palace has 126 rooms, each of which has an original design and does not repeat one another.

On the ground floor there is the most beautiful room of the palace - the Reception Hall, made in Italian style. Its floor is paved with marble tiles, the ceiling is painted with mythological scenes and dancing angels. The music room delights with its gilded walls.

The ceiling of the main hall is decorated with a huge fresco depicting Apollo on a chariot and allegorical figures of Day and Night. The fresco has an amazing feature: no matter where you look at it in the hall, it seems that the chariot is moving straight towards you.

In addition to the main building, the museum complex included an opera house, a puppet theater, the Orange House, a music house, as well as French and English parks.

Esterhazy Palace

Esterházy is nicknamed the “Hungarian Versailles”, as it is the largest and most beautiful palace of Hungary from the Baroque era.

The palace has 126 rooms. The Banquet Hall is especially beautiful; its ceiling is decorated with an image of Apollo in a chariot. Decorated with the letter "E", indicating the surname of the owners, the Great Library contains almost 22,000 volumes. At the main entrance, tourists admire the forged gates, which are a masterpiece of blacksmith art from 1764-1766.

The columns separating the parts of the gate are decorated with stone vases in the Rococo style. On both sides of the palace there are small two-story buildings, like arms ready to embrace the symmetrical park. Today, one part of the palace houses a hotel, and in the summer Haydn festivals are held.

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Lake Fertö

Lake Fertő is the fourth largest lake in Central Europe, its area is about 315 km², with an average depth of about one meter.

On the amazing Lake Fertö you can observe more than 300 species of nesting and migratory birds, including herons, as well as spoonbills, wild geese, grebes, warblers, wigeons, and many others.

When seasonal migrations begin, snipe, bean goose and plovers stop here, and among the rare bird species it is worth noting the red-breasted goose, white-tailed eagle and harrier.

On the shore of the lake there is an educational path from which ornithologists and park visitors can observe the biosphere of the reserve.

And already along there is a ridge of fertemelleks, which were developed from the times of Ancient Rome until 1948.

The hills covered with forests are very beautiful and picturesque; on them you can see a large number of rare plants.

You can visit the park on an organized excursion, but some areas are completely closed to people.

For centuries, the tower occupied a very important role in the life of the city of Sopron. Fires were monitored from it, and surprisingly, music was often heard from the tower when significant events in life took place, such as weddings and funerals.

The spire of the Fire Tower was decorated with a double-headed eagle, it was presented in 1622 by King Ferdinand II and Queen Eleanor.

Today the tower is not functioning, despite everything it has become significant in people's lives, it was a symbol of loyalty and love for the Motherland of Sopron.

In 1921, when the question of whether the city should remain part of Hungary was being decided, the townspeople spoke out in support of citizenship, and in memory of this, a sculptural composition “The People of Sopron Pays Tribute to a Figure Symbolizing Hungary” was placed above the tower gates.

The fire tower in Sopron has become a popular tourist attraction.

Many tourists climb the 200-step spiral staircase to the observation deck, a former security post, from where the entire city and its surroundings are visible at a glance.

Church of St. George Sopron

The Church of St. George is located in the city of Sopron. It is squeezed between houses on the street of the same name not far from the main square of the city. The temple was built between 1380 and 1430 and was a typical Gothic cathedral. Unfortunately, history has not conveyed to us the name of the architect who supervised the construction.

Since the end of the 16th century, the growing Protestant community of Sopron has taken over the Church of St. George. In 1676, there was a serious fire in the city, many houses were damaged, and the Church of St. George was also affected. However, the building was quickly restored, and the Baroque style began to dominate the design. In 1674, the church changed hands again, coming under the authority of the Jesuit order. Since then, the appearance of the building has changed even more. In 1685, two side chapels were completed. In 1705–1706, stucco ornaments characteristic of the Baroque era appeared in the interior.

The final, finishing touch to the appearance of the modern Church of St. George was made in 1882, when a 55-meter tower rose nearby. The church has three bells, the largest weighs 800 kg, the middle one weighs 200 kg, and the smallest weighs 50 kg. All bells were cast in the twenties of the last century. The bas-reliefs on the church depict the famous battle of George and the dragon. A bas-relief depicting St. Margaret of Antioch was also discovered. The value of these bas-reliefs is that they were left over from an old Gothic temple. There is also an ancient organ built in 1633 at the church.

Today, tourists often come to the Church of St. George to admire the rich altar. The furnishings inside are truly luxurious, fully consistent with the 17th century. In the baptistery of the chapel next to the sanctuary you can even see the remains of original medieval paintings. And when you leave, you can capture the general view of the building and yourself against its background.

The most popular attractions in Sopron with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Sopron on our website.

The historical center of Sopron is not that big. But you can walk for three hours with pleasure. Moreover, without walking along the same streets. We found the rest of the city to be quite pleasant. Several times we tumbled out of narrow streets onto large avenues. We looked around and walked a couple of blocks. We were returning. But only because we were somewhat limited in time. I don’t know if it’s worth staying overnight, but it’s quite possible there’ll be something to keep you busy.

We left the car in an underground parking lot near the tourist office, which turned out to be completely useless. True, it is strategically located. Just a couple of blocks away the old town begins. At first you just find yourself on cozy streets intended only for pedestrians.

And with every step you slow down: almost every house is worthy of spending time on it. Some interesting details in the design, old gates inviting you deeper into the courtyards. It immediately becomes very cozy and comfortable. It must be said that in general the city is structured in such a way that you want to break away and move in all directions at once, simultaneously looking into every gateway that can lead to a small courtyard with balconies hanging from above.

If you follow the path to the church spire sticking out ahead, you will inevitably end up in all the places that are considered a tourist attraction. True, there is a Mining Museum on the way ( Központi Bányászati ​​Múzeum) did not arouse enthusiasm.

And the old synagogue located a little further ( Soproni ózsinagoga - Uju, 22) of the 14th century, where another low wooden gate led, the entrance to which was lined with pretty blue tiles, was closed. Actually, the appearance of the buildings is interesting enough not to bother with the history of mining and other local points of pride. We just walked, periodically hanging out somewhere to drink wine or beer, or eat.

No matter how you move, no matter what street you take to enter the old city, you will very quickly get to the Central Square of the city ( Fő ter). It is elongated almost like an oval and all the old streets converge on it. So if you focus on protruding spiers and towers, then there is no other alternative. Moreover, this is where most of the historical buildings that are considered a must-see are concentrated.

Directly diagonally from the Mining Museum is the Dominican Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary ( Nagyboldogasszony templom), which the locals for some reason call the Goat Church ( Kecske-templom). A classic Gothic church, the likes of which are numerous in every city. This one is notable only for the fact that three rulers of the country were crowned there. Apparently, either they were in exile, or the city once had more serious military-political significance for the country. Otherwise, it’s difficult to understand why the hell the monarchs needed to come here. By the way. why it is called “goat” is not stated in any guidebook. Apparently, there is some kind of local story, which no one considered necessary to clarify.

Since this is the territory of Austria-Hungary with its Habsburg dynasty, the Plague Column is an essential part of the landscape. It stands right in the middle of the square, but is nothing special. It seemed to me that she was one of the most uninteresting among her kind. Although it must be admitted that in its shape and size it fits perfectly into the area, without becoming its dominant, but at the same time attracting attention. She is more of a symbol and part of history. Apparently, a peculiarity of perception: on the territory of the empire, I began to perceive them as an identification mark. About the same way I perceive the symbol of the Way of St. James, meeting it in different places in Europe.

Along the perimeter of the square there are mansions of the local nobility. You can walk along them and, if you wish, visit the exhibitions. For example, Shtorno's house ( Storno-ház) - an old yellow mansion - was built in 1417. Its owner collected porcelain, paintings, and bronze items. Ultimately, all this went to the city, which opened a museum in the house. Nearby is the house of Gambrinus ( Gambrinus-ház) with baroque windows, where the city hall was once located. The current town hall ( Varosháza) is located next door and is a little more pompous.

It is by this external feature that she can be unmistakably identified. And, of course, according to the flag of the European Union. The Museum of Contemporary Sculpture was shoved into the General's house ( Generalis-ház). They didn't bother too much with the names. A certain doctor once built the mansion for his family, but gave it to the general for use. An old pharmacy is hidden in one of the buildings. Her address Föter, 2. But there was no mood to look for. Much more interested at this moment was the nice cafe located opposite the church under the canopy of one of the mansions.

The square is actually crowned by the Fire Tower ( Tüztorony). As it turned out at her address ( Föter, 1), the area begins with it. We came in from the wrong direction after all. Although it doesn't matter at all. The entrance is under the arch. For some ridiculous money we were able to go upstairs (inside, by the way, there is a cozy cafe with an outdoor balcony).

I won’t say that the view from above shook me to the core. Cute. But the tower is not so high that you can see the entire city. Rather, take a look at the roofs of neighboring houses and plot a couple of further routes by eye. In any case, getting and climbing the tower is not difficult. So you can safely go.

From the tower we saw the most important thing: small streets stretch around under the old fortress walls. It turned out to be an amazing world, which fits between medieval towers, whose convex sides protrude into tiny alleys, and Roman ruins discovered just over a hundred years ago. They were called the Archaeological Park Scarbantia, preserved and left alone.

And in this narrow space, practically cut off from the rest of the world, there are small courtyards. Some amazing attics, houses with stairs going steeply upward. So it’s generally difficult to imagine: how did they bring the furniture here? And all this goes in a ring around the old city.

We wandered around here for half an hour and wanted to photograph almost every house. True, attempts to get into the covered galleries hanging overhead were unsuccessful. There are either locked gates or an entrance from the inside. But the place pleased me with its unusualness and photogenicity.

From here we found ourselves on some wonderful street, which also skirted the old center. Covered galleries led from it to modern Sopron. But we didn’t want to leave, so we just walked in circles, along the way meeting the Church of St. George ( Szent György-templom).

Just as imperceptibly and completely spontaneously, we suddenly taxied to the wonderful Urshuli Square ( Orsolya ter) with an unusual fountain. There is also a museum here (Lábasház) which we didn’t even try to get into. The walk around the city was so comfortable that I didn’t want to waste time examining yet another painting by local artists and household items, which differed little from one museum to another.

In the end, we nevertheless dived into one of the galleries and, after passing a series of courtyards with shops, we found ourselves on the streets of modern Sopron.

We walked to the Dominican Church ( Domonkos templom), somehow quickly passed the Franz Liszt Cultural Center to take a stroll through another public garden. The weather was pleasant. Prices and the surrounding city too. And somehow imperceptibly we realized that it was time to move on.

We also took a walk to clear our consciences through quite nice and quiet quarters of the center, turning into side streets. But at some point we found ourselves near an underground parking lot and took it as a sign that it was time to leave.

City of Sopron(Sopron) is located 220 km west of Budapest, near the Austrian border (The distance from the city to the border is 6 km, to Vienna - 60 km). The city's population is about 56,500 people.

Sopron is the richest Hungarian city in architectural monuments, awarded the Europa Nostra Prize in 1975. Due to its territorial position, Sopron is practically the only city that has completely preserved its architectural heritage.

History of Sopron:

On the territory of Sopron, back in the Roman period, there was a city of Scarbantia, lying on the amber trade route: merchants transported amber mined on the Baltic shores to the countries of southern Europe. After the collapse of the empire, the city was devastated and rebuilt again after the arrival of the Hungarians.

In the 11th century, city walls and a castle were built on the surviving Roman foundations. The city got its name from one of the owners of the castle. The first written mention of the name Sopron was recorded in 1153.

In the 13th century, Sopron received the status of a free royal city.

In the 16th century, during the Turkish invasion, the city was sacked by the Turkish army, but the Turks were unable to gain control of Sopron. A large number of refugees flocked to the city, causing the city to expand. In 1676, Sopron burned down in a strong fire. And over the course of several decades it was rebuilt, as a result it acquired that unique appearance that has survived almost intact to this day.

After the First World War and the collapse of Austria-Hungary, Sopron was supposed to pass to Austria. Hungary refused to hand over the city and a referendum was held in 1921. 65% of the votes were in favor of the city remaining in Hungary.

Sights of Sopron:

Historical city center– is a well-preserved monument of urban planning from the 16th to 18th centuries. Most of the buildings were built in the Baroque style.

fire tower– the tower was originally built in the 11th century, then it was rebuilt several times. The height of the tower is 60 meters; it was previously used for its intended purpose by firefighters; now the tower houses a museum and an observation deck. Having climbed 200 steps up the spiral staircase, you will see a stunning view of the historical part of the city. In a referendum in 1921 on the redistribution of borders after the First World War, city residents decided to leave Sopron in Hungary. In honor of this, a “Gate of Fidelity” was installed in the tower, decorated with the motto “Civitas Fidelissima” (“most faithful citizens”).

Address: Sopron, Fő ter 1

central square(Fő tér) - surrounded by ancient houses, most of which are valuable architectural monuments: House of Shtorno, House of the General, House of Gambrinus. Currently they house museums.

Plague Column(Column of the Holy Trinity) - located in the center of the main square, built in 1680. According to legend, it was installed by Sopron resident Janos Jacob Levenburg in memory of his wife, who died during the plague epidemic.

City Historical Museum– also located in the central square. The museum's exhibitions are dedicated to the history of the city of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Dominican Church– was originally built in the Gothic style at the end of the 13th century. Due to repeated reconstructions, the appearance of the church currently has more Baroque features than Gothic ones.

Church of St. George– built in the 17th-18th centuries. The bell tower was erected in 1882.

Old synagogue– built in 1379, it is one of the oldest synagogues in Central Europe.

Address: Sopron, Új u. 22.

Bakery– the only museum-bakery in the country. Located on Beci Street (Bécsi utca, 5) in a building with lions resting their paws on a dumpling. From 1686 to 1970, the house belonged to the family of a baker, then a museum was opened here. The museum has a real bakery where you can see how bread is made, there is also a pastry shop and a shop where you can buy and try everything.

Forestry and Forestry University of Sopron– founded in 1808 and is one of the largest educational institutions in Europe.

- the largest and most beautiful palace in the country, which was called the “Hungarian Versailles”. It is located 20 km from Sopron, in a place called Fertőd.

How to get there:

From Budapest to Sopron there is a train from the east station (Keleti pályaudvar), travel time is from 2.5 hours.