Szeged Dom Ter - National Pantheon

Szeged Dom Ter

When you visit Szeged one of the first places you visit must be Dom square where you can see the Votive Church of Our Lady. It is the fourth largest church in Hungary but the square around it is equally important. We have to mention the three people who played vital roles in creating the square and the church.

Klebelsberg Kuno cultural minister, Glattfelder Gyula bishop of Csanad and Rerrich Bela architect.  It is one of the finest architectural work from the time between the two world wars. Dom square is surrounded by buildings where you can find different institutions. In the western part you can find the Theological College, in the south-western part there is the Bishop’s Palace and int he southern and eastern part there are university halls and classrooms and reserach centres.

The buildings surrounding the square are built from clinker. What I really like in the square is the National Pantheon under  the arcades. When you go round you can see sculptures of famous Hungarian people. It was founded in 1930 and the base for the Pantheon was the legacy of Kisfaludi Strobl Zsigmond, one of the most important sculptor at the turn of the 19th century. Since then many other busts and reliefs were added to the collection and now you can see more than 120 works of art. Among the busts and reliefs you can find painters, musicians, kings, writers, poets, scientists and architects.

The majority of them are Hungarian but you can also see there Adam Clark. It is very evocative just to walk under the arcades and think of all these people who did so much to create something good and use their talent and knowledge to produce quality.  When you go around you will see that there is only one woman, Maria Theresa. I think it would be a good idea to look for famous Hungarian women and put their busts there.

Rose Festival in Szeged Szoreg

If you visit Szeged you can see several famous sights and interesting places. You can visit festivals and stroll along the river Tisza. If you spend a bit more time in Szeged and have seen the most important things it could be a good idea to visit some places nearby especially if there is a special event.

Szeged Szoreg is now part of Szeged but itused to be a separate settlement about 7 km from Szeged and every June there is a Rose festival there. This year, in 2011, it will be between 24-26 June. It will be the 13th festival this year and the organisers want itt o be even more spactacular than last year. Szoreg is famous for its roses and started this festival to celebrate this beautiful flower. The whole town is decorated with roses, more than a million roses are used for the weekend.

The most interesting part of the Rose festival in Szoreg is on Saturday when there is a procession. Numerous carts, vehicles and people go through the town decorated by roses, of course. Lots of people come from all over the world and enjoy the different programmes. There are folk singers, dance groups, concerts, exhibitions, lectures during the festival and usually there is a rose price and rose princess election. It is so much fun for young and old and you can marvel at the beautiful flowers. The easiest way to visit Szeged-Szoreg is by car but you can also go ba bus from Mars square. You have to take 60Y bus and it will take you there.

Szeged-Szoreg Nagyobb térképre váltás

River Tisza in Blossom

This weekend there will be one of the most interesting event in Szeged.
No, it is not the Open Air festival, not even a festival but in my opinion it is very special. In Hungarian we say Tisza in blossom although it has nothing to do with flowers or even plants.
Tiszavirag or Tisza flower is an animal which belongs to the order Ephemeroptera, it is a type of mayfly. They live for three years as nymphs in fresh water and after that they come to the surface and turn into insects. Males and females start their dances and after only a few hours they die.
Hungary is among the very few countries where you can observe this unique event as such a thing can only be seen on the river Tisza. It is spectacular because these mayflies appear in vast quantities over the river and you can see how they moult. You can even hold some of them during the process.
You can feel the special connection with nature and it is a perfect time to slow down a bit and think about our fast lives. It is always at the beginning of June and this year there are two special tours organised by Kiskunsag National Park from Szeged.
One of them to Martely where there is Tisza backwater and the other to Pusztaszer where you can go boating and watch the event ont he river. Those who go will have a memorable time. The tours are on 12th June, meeting in Szeged at Demasz boathouse or you can ask for information on this e-mail address: zoldpont@knp.hu