The small town with nearly 12,000 residents, with sub-alpine climate, is situated at the foothills of the Alps. The settlement and its vicinity at the foot of the Kőszeg hills, in the valley of the brook Gyöngyös has been inhabited since the 6th-7th centuries. In the 14th century it was given the rank of free royal town. The castle built in the13th century was named after captain Miklós Jurisics, who managed to hold up the Turkish troops advancing towards Vienna in 1532 with the help of the inhabitants. Its guilds, trade, vine growing and wine making, schools have a long history.
The mediaeval town centre was not affected by the historical events, so inside the one-time town walls, the remains of which can still be seen, the houses have been preserved in their original form in Jurisics square and in the neighbouring streets. Outstanding monuments include the Jurisics Castle, Museum; the Old Bastion; the Town Hall; the General's House; the Golden Unicorn Pharmacy Museum, St. James Church; St. Emeric church; the Jesus' Heart Parish church; Synagoue; the Lutheran church; the Calvary church. Other sights include the Chernel garden Arboretum and Memorial Museum; the Postal Museum, the Marchpane Museum; Natur shop, Herb and Spice garden; István Bechtold Nature Protection Visitor Centre; the House of Wines and the Bicycle Centre of Kőszeg. Excursion spots: Rowing lake, King's valley, Calvary (Calvary church, Trianon cross), Old House look-out tower (605 m), Seven Springs, Stájer Houses, Forestry Museum and Forest School, Írottkő look-out tower (883 m), St. Vid Chapel, the wine cellars of Csák, Sibrik mansion park of Bozsok and the monument water mill of Kőszegszerdahely. Theatre performances in the Castle Theatre of Kőszeg from 1 June to 31 August.
For further information: www.koszeg.hu, www.naturpark.hu |
