Page 242 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary

240  HUNGAR Y REGION B Y REGION KECSKEMÉ T  241

5 Kecskemét R Old Catholic Church E Zwack Pálinka VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Nagytemplom Manufactory (Fruit
The town of Kecskemét dates back to 1368, though little Kossuth tér 2. Tel (76) 48 75 01. Brandy Distillery and Practical Information
of that era remains today. Kecskemét benefited from Open noon–7pm Mon, 6am–7pm Exhibition) Road Map D4. * 105,000.
Tue–Sun. & 7
n Tourin form, Kossuth tér 1, (76)
self-government during Turkish rule, and the Habs burgs Matkói utca 2. Tel (76) 48 77 11, or 48 10 65. ( Mon–Fri; Sat am
(20) 519 22 79. Open 10am–6pm
encouraged the development of agriculture in the region, The Old Catholic Church was Mon–Fri, by appointment only. & in summer only. _ Hirös Hét
built in 1774–99. Its spire rises
often termed the “Garden of Hungary”. One local product to 73 m (240 ft); its clockface is 8 compulsory. Festival (Jun); Zoltan Kodály
is the apricot, which is the source of a delicious brandy. the largest in Hungary, and the The Hungarian market leader Classical Music Festival (Jul–Aug);
An earthquake in June 1911 shook the city, but the clock’s works among the oldest. in pálinka (fruit brandy), the World Pairs Driving Championship
(Aug). ∑ kecskemet.hu
outstanding Baroque and Secessionist city centre was The Baroque exterior features factory of the Zwack Unicum
mercifully spared. Home to some great museums, statues and reliefs of figures Display of mechanical toys in the Toy Company offers a fascinating Transport
£ @ Kodály Zoltán tér; regular
Museum and Workshop
insight into the world of alcohol
from Hun garian history. Inside,
Kecskemét is a superb place to explore. services throughout the day from
grand steps lead up to the pulpit. distillation. Visitors can see
E Szórakaténusz Toy how the pálinka is made – Budapest. £ Narrow Gauge,
Museum and Workshop before tasting it – as well Széchenyi tér.
R Piarist Church & School outstanding. An art gallery Szórakaténusz Játékmúzeum as learning about the life of
Piarista Templom & Rendház since World War II, the palace és Műhely the Zwack family. The plant is
Jókai utca 1. Tel (76) 48 16 03. holds over 10,000 works, and Gáspár András utca 11. Tel (76) 48 14 open only for groups; Tourinform 200 years. Opened to the public
Open Church: by appointment. exhibitions on the Secessionist 69. Open 10am–12:30pm & 1–5pm will provide information on in 1984 as the Museum of
The Piarists are a relatively architects Tóth and Glücks. Tue–Sat. & = where and when to join one. Popular Folk Art, the permanent
progressive, scientific Catholic Next to the Museum of Hungarian collection expanded rapidly
order founded in Rome in 1617 E Hungarian Photography Naïve Art is this children’s paradise, and now covers woodcarving,
by St Joseph Calasanc tius. They Museum housed in a wooden building. E Collection of Applied pottery, embroidery and
arrived in Kecskemét in 1715 and Magyar Fotográfiai Múzeum There are displays of Hungarian Folk Art weaving. There are workshops
founded the school on Jókai utca, Katona József tér 12. Tel (76) 48 toys from the 18th century to the Népi Iparművészeti Múzeum on site where visitors can watch
which still operates to this present 32 21. Open noon–5pm Tue–Sat. present, with dolls and wooden Serfőző utca 19. Tel (76) 32 72 03. and then try embroidering
day. (The present, bland school Closed public holidays. & 7 toys taking pride of place. Older Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sat or by a waistcoat or tablecloth
building, however, was built in ∑ fotomuzeum.hu Room in the Museum of Medicinal and children will enjoy the mechanical appointment. & 8 Hungarian themselves, before tasting
the late 1940s.) The Baro que This outstanding museum, Pharmaceutical History toys that were consid ered state of only. 7 local specialities fresh from the
church opposite was erected housed in a splendid the art in the 1950s. There are also This vast and enchanting traditional ovens. The workshops
between 1729 and 1765, to 18th-century mansion, formerly E Museum of Medicinal and interactive toy work shops for building and garden was and kitchen are open only on
designs by Andreas Mayerhoffer. the horse-changing station Pharmaceutical History children during the sum mer. formerly a brewery for nearly selected days in the summer.
St Joseph Cala sanctius is repre- of the Pest–Szeged mail-coach Orvos- és Gyógyszertörténeti
sented by one of four statues route and a synagogue, Gyűjtemény
on the front of the building, displays the work of every Kölcsey utca 3. Tel (76) 32 99 64. Kecskemét City Centre
alongside the Virgin Mary and great Hungarian photographer, Open May–Oct: 10am–2pm Tue–Sun; 1 Piarist Church and School Piarist Church
Saints István and László. including André Kertész and Nov–Apr: by appointment. & 7 2 Cifra Palace JÓ KA I UTCA and School Train Station
300 m (330 yards)
László Moholy-Nagy. There Although this museum has 3 Hungarian Photography PIARISTÁK Bus Station
250 m (270 yards)
P Cifra Palace are regular exhibitions by a small collection, consisting Museum F RÁTE R G Y ÖRG Y UT C A TERE NAGYKŐRŐSI UTCA
Cifrapalota international artists, and mainly of some colourful 4 József Katona Theatre and Synagogue
Rákóczi út 1. Tel (76) 48 07 76. the attached photography medicine bottles, old surgical Holy Trinity Monument LU T H ER K Ö Z R ÁKÓ CZ I Ú T
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. & 7 bookshop is one of the best. instruments and various KÁP OLN A UTCA HORNYIK J. KRT
K O H ÁRY K Ö R ÚT
This Secessionist masterpiece, reference works, it is housed 5 Old Catholic Church AR A N Y J. U T CA Lutheran Palace K L APK A U T CA
Cifra
Church
completed in 1902, is the work P József Katona Theatre inside a superb build ing, itself 6 Museum of Medicinal and
of architect Géza Márkus. The and Holy Trinity Monument once a phar macy, and seeing Pharmaceutical History SIMO NY I U TC A Local Bus SZABADSÁG CSÁNYI J. KÖRÚT
TÉR
Station
Calvinist
green and orange tiled roof is Katona József tér 5. that alone is well worth the 7 Museum of Hungarian Naïve Art SZÉCHENYI New College
Tel (76) 50 11 70. Open for small entrance fee. 8 Szórakaténusz Toy Museum GÁ S PÁ R AN DRÁS KÖRÚT TÉR Calvinist
performances only. 7 ^ and Workshop C S ÁNYI UTCA Old KOSSUTH Church KALVIN
Catholic
This Neo-Baroque theatre was E Museum of Hungarian 9 Zwack Fruit Brandy Distillery Church TÉR TÉR
the creation of Austrian archi- Naïve Art and Exhibition Museum of Medicinal
tects Ferdinand Fellner and Magyar Naiv Művészek Múzeuma 0 Collection of Applied and Pharmaceutical Town KETTEMPLOM KOZ A
History
Hall
Hermann Helmer. Completed Gáspár András utca 11. Tel (76) 32 47 Folk Art L ECHN ER Ö DÖ N UT C A St Michael’s
in 1896, it was named after 67. Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat. & 8 Museum of Church
Kecskemét’s play wright son, This charming museum is Hungarian PE T ŐFI S A N D OR UT CA KATONA JÓZSEF Hungarian
TÉR
Photography
K ÖLCS E Y U T C A
József Katona
József Katona. It is as impres- devoted to contemporary and Naïve Art F E ST Ő UTC A Theatre and Holy BAJCSY- Z SILINSZKY UTC Museum
sive inside as out; the ceiling earlier local Naïve artists who Trinity Monument
in particular is worth attending produced some stunning work. Szórakaténusz Toy
Museum
a performance for. The Holy Unique in Hungary, the museum 0 metres 100 and Workshop KI S FA LU DY UT C A
Trinity Monument in front of provides a thorough survey of Zwack Fruit D OB O I S T VÁ N K Ö RÚ T B ATT H YA N Y UT C A TR O M B ITA U TC A
Brandy Distillery
and Exhibition
the theatre was erected to offer the genre: there are more than 0 yards 100
thanks after the passing of the 2,500 exhibits on display, with Key Collection of D A MJ A NI C H U TC A
Applied Folk Art
most recent outbreak of plague, the collection of small animal Narrow Gauge
The Secessionist Cifra Palace in 1742. sculptures a special highlight. Street by Street pp242–3 Train Station
For hotels and restaurants see pp264–269 and pp276–285 For keys to map symbols see back flap
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