Győr is the town of not only waters but also of cultural and active recreation. The National Theatre of Győr has deserved its popularity and the Ballet of Győr is known internationally. Innumerable museums, expositions, cultural festivals offer entertainment opportunities all the year long. We draw your kind attention to some of the remarkable sights of Győr below.

 

Mayor's Office (Városház tér 1.): the decisive building of Szent István út is the neo-baroque Mayor’s Office built on the turn of the 19th century, it is the most popular building of Győr and the symbol of the town.

 

Baross út: a marble board on the wall of building no. 18 and the row of red bricks in the coverage of the road remind us to the late Fehérvári Gate (1792) and the fire tower built above it, which served the protection of the town.

 

Széchenyi tér: The renewed baroque main square of Győr is an important site of the town’s life. Cafés, restaurants, ice-cream bars look forward to their guests.

 

Mária-column: the monument standing in the middle of the square was placed there upon the order of Kollonich Lipót, bishop of Győr, in 1686, for commemorating the reconquest of Buda from the Turkish occupants.

 

Set of Benedictine buildings: the Benedictine church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the buildings of the monastery and the grammar school were built by the Jesuits in the 17th century. After the order was dissolved, the Benedictines became the owners of the set of buildings. As a part of the Benedictine monastery standing on the southern side of the square, the pharmacy museum - decorated in early baroque style - is operated in its original function still today.

 

Lloyd (Széchenyi tér 7.): the multi-store building amalgamating the marks of baroque and classicist styles on its main façade - which was built for the purpose of an inn at the end of the 15th century- received its modern form of today via the renewal that was completed in 2010.

 

The Apátúr house (Abbot Master’s House) hosting the Xántus János Museum (Széchenyi tér 5.) was built upon the order of the senior abbot of Pannonhalma called  Sajghó Benedek in 1741-1742. The spectacular baroque palace has hosted the local historical museum since 1949.

 

Vastuskós ház (House with iron log) (Széchenyi tér 4.): based on the tradition, the building received its name from the wood log standing under its corner balcony to which the trader apprentices visiting Győr hit one nail each. The iron log is the remained trade-sign of the spice trader that worked here in the 1830’s.

 

Esterházy palace (Király u. 17.): the building received its shape of today in the 18th century by the integration of tiny houses originating from the Middle Ages. The initials of the sponsor,

 

C(omes) G(abriel) E(sterházy) and his golden, wrought-iron coat of arms can be seen on the balcony above the gate. Today it is the seat of the Town Arts Museum, the place of the Radnai collection and periodical expositions.

 

Kreszta house: in the monument building originating from the 18th century the life-work exposition of Kovács Margit, ceramics artist born in Győr (1902-1977) can be seen.

 

Dunakapu tér: the large square hosts the busy market of Győr. On every 3rd Sunday every month an old-style fair is organised in the square. The wind marker iron cock in the middle of the circular drinking well preserves the Turkish legend of the town. The emblem of Győr, the original iron cock can be seen in the Xántus János Museum.

 

Schwarzenberg-Pálffy statue: The statue - that was erected to the 400th anniversary of the reconquest of Győr from the Turkish occupants - shows two war-lords - Schwarzenberg Adolf and Pálffy Miklós - under the leading of whom the castle could be reconquested from the Turkish occupants.

 

Basilica: the foundation of the cathedral is connected to the name of Saint Steven King. In its first form it was built in Roman style in the 11th century, after the Mongol (Tartar) invasion it was built in gothic style. After the attack of the Turkish troops, the church was damaged very much, one tower collapsed and the other one was devastated by a lightning. The completely devastated cathedral was rebuilt in early baroque style, the current tower calotte of copf (a sub-branch of rococo) style was realised in the 1680’s. The interior of the church was completed in the 1780’s then the frescos that can be seen today on the walls and ceiling were painted. The cathedral received the basilica rank from Pope John Paul 2nd in 1996. The northern side-aisle is famous for the painting entitled Weeping Virgin Mary brought from Ireland in 1655 which was sweating blood on the 17th March 1697 on the holiday of Saint Patrick.

 

Bishop’s Castle: one of the decisive building sets of Káptalandomb (Chapter Hill) is the Bishop’s Palace or Bishop’s Castle, the seat of the one thousand-year-old bishopric of Győr the gem of which is the living tower originating from the 13th century and the Dóczy Chapel from the 15th century. In the basement rooms of the Bishop's Castle the exposition depicting the life and work of Apor Vilmos can be seen.

 

The Carmelite church and the monastery belonging to it were built based on the plans of the Carmelite friar, Wittwer Márton Athanázius  between 1721 and 1725. The painting in the high altar depicts Saint Steven King and (his son) Saint Imre prince as they venerate the Saint Virgin. The baroque Foam Mary statue stands in the chase near the church.

 

Castle (Bécsi kapu tér): it is the oldest building in the set of Bishop’s Castle built in the 14th - 15th centuries with its origins going back to the 13th century. Its fortress system (castle bastion, Sforza bastion) was built in the 16th - 17th centuries.

 

The Radó Island is embraced by the two branches of Rába river between the town parts Belváros (Downtown), Újváros (New Town) and Sziget (Island). The island lying in a monumental environment is a liked place for walks and recreation.

 

Synagogue: the modernist synagogue was built between 1868 and 1870 and it was completely renewed in 2006. Nowadays it is operated as a multicultural institute. It is the constant place of the private collection of Vasilescu János, senior, presenting the Hungarian fine arts from the era after the Second World War.