Eger and Beyond

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

We spent the morning following a self-guided walking tour brochure through Eger’s historic center, beginning with the 19^th-century Basilica, Hungary’s second-largest church.  Its massive presence is accentuated by its position up a long flight of stairs from a lovely square and the large statuary adorning its exterior. 

At the foot of the stairs and across the square is the Lyceum, a university founded in the 18^th century as a teachers’ college when the emperor forbade the Archbishop from starting a university.  In response, Archbishop Charles Esterhazy built the most impressive teachers’ college in the world.  The only things the May Day holiday prevented us from seeing today were at the Lyceum – its baroque library and the Camera Obscura housed in its astronomical tower.  Next time…

Speaking of this holiday – Europe’s Labor Day – it’s taken very seriously.  We’ve gotten State Department alerts about workers’ demonstrations planned for today on cities along our route and pretty much all the stores are closed in Hungary today.  Even the biggest multinational superstores are shuttered – a significant difference from the way retailers in the US observe national holidays.

 Now, back to the sights of Eger…

We stopped into the Archbishop’s Park, a green leafy space with a variety of recreational and sporting options; we just enjoyed a shady brook-side bench!

Next to the park, we peeked into the thermal baths (Hungary is full of such facilities) and then headed to Dobo Square, where we’d had dinner last night.  The food, wine and beer stands were back in operation as we stopped into the Minorite Church, dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua (we meet again!) and containing remains of St. Hedwig, Hungarian princess and Polish queen.  The Baroque church was built in the 18^th century and sits adjacent to Eger’s Town Hall, overlooking the square’s statue of Istvan Dobo, who led the defense of the castle against a 40-day long siege by the Ottoman Turks in 1552. 

This, of course, led us to the castle itself, which was begun in the 13^th century and made famous by the events of 1552; it is now a national memorial.  We wandered around and walked atop the castle’s walls, which overlook the town center, as well as the Minaret that was built by the occupying Ottoman Turks after they eventually overran and occupied the castle in 1596 and ruled the city for almost a century. 

The Minaret is the northernmost surviving Turkish structure in Europe from that period.  It is largely obscured now due to renovation work, but its traditional crescent -- now topped by a very untraditional cross – is visible.

Only Mel could resist a Mexican food truck in Eger, Hungary

After lunch and a cold brew at a shady table in the square, we returned to our apartment to pick up the car and head out of town to Szilvasvarad, the home of  Bukki National Park.   We rode a small train – uphill -- about 2 miles into the deeply forested park to see the area’s main attraction, a waterfall, which was lovely, but not impressive as waterfalls go.  We enjoyed a shady walk back on a paved (downhill!) path to our car and back to Eger for HH and dinner chez nous, or I should say, a házunkban.