Sightseeing in Kecskemet - what to see. Complete travel guide

The Hungarian city of Kecskemet is situated in the heart of the Hungarian Valley. This settlement has become internationally acclaimed because of its maiolica, various ornaments, and apricot vodka. Tourists from all over the world come here to see attractive buildings of the 19th and 20th centuries, visit an interesting museum of naive art, admire exhibits in the museum of photography, and walk in the arboretum at the outskirts of the city.

In the past, there was an ancient settlement on the site of modern Kecskemet. Mongols invaded Hungarian lands in the 13th century and completely defeated local people. Despite big losses and much damage, the settlement recovered quickly. A beneficial location at the crossing of trading routes helped the town. At the end of the 40s of the 14th century, King Louis I of Hungary officially gave Kecskemet a town status.

At the edge of the 16th-17th centuries, the Ottomans were rulers in the region. As Kecskemet paid taxes directly to the pasha in Buda, the town enjoyed a special status and no one had a right to plunder and damage it. Cattle breeding became very popular in the neighborhoods of Kecskemet in the 18th century. However, gardening and vine-growing became the major occupations of local people a century later. Kecskemet was getting richer, turning into the main center of trade in the region at the end of the 19th century. World War II didn’t bring many disasters to the city, and so many new factories appeared in Kecskemet soon after the war had ended. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The City Hall is usually the first landmark that tourists visit in this city. It took four years to build. The construction started in 1893. The gorgeous building is a wonderful example of the Secession architectural style. The landmark underwent extensive restoration in 1911 after a devastating earthquake that had damaged many buildings in Kecskemet.

The fundamental part of the City Hall features classy traits of Renaissance architecture. An interesting ceramic décor adorns the façade of the building. The old clock on the front side of the building is, perhaps, the most eye-catching element of the City Hall. Why is the clock so popular? First of all, the clock is decorated with several bells that make a pleasant sound when the wind is blowing. Second, this is, actually, a musical clock. The clock plays different melodies every hour. As a rule, these are the national songs of Kecskemet or a beautiful melody by Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály.

The central city square, which is named after legendary Kossuth Lajos, is also not deprived of landmarks. Tourists can visit the Szent Miklos Church here. This is a Catholic church, the first mentions of which date back to the 70s of the 15th century. The church changed its look a number of times over the years, so now it looks quite different from the original gothic design. Only an elegant and simple looking façade reminds of the original architectural style of the landmark. With time, the church got more Baroque elements. The Szent Miklos Church was expanded at the end of the 40s of the 17th century and got a new chapel tower and an adjacent hall.

Step inside the Szent Miklos Church to see its interesting décor. The gorgeous main altar is recognized as the main attraction of the shrine’s inner décor. More than ten artists worked hard to create such a masterpiece. If you come closer to the altar, you will notice numerous scenes from the Bible and images of the saints. There are many gilded elements of décor. A big loge is another eye-catching element in the church. In the past, this loge belonged to the emperor and his family.

When taking a stroll in Kecskemet, it is hard to fail to notice the Cifrapalota Palace. This is a true masterpiece of Hungarian modern. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the palace has a gorgeous façade with floral motifs. Nowadays, a picture gallery is open in his architectural landmark. It exhibits works of notable Hungarian painters.

There are three exhibitions in total. The first one is dedicated to works of such painters as Odon Marffy, Mihály Munkácsy, and Bertalan Székely. There are eighty-one paintings in this exhibition. The second one features works by Mednyánszky, Egri, and Anna. Finally, the third exhibition is dedicated to the masterpieces of talented painter Menyhért Tóth.

It is easy to get to Kecskemet by train that goes from Budapest to Szeged. The ride lasts approximately one hour. There are also daily buses that connect Kecskemet with other parts of the country. A bus ride is almost as fast as a train one. Needless to say, taxi drivers are always ready to get you to the right destination. This is the fastest but also the most expensive way to reach the city.