Győr

Coordinates: 47°41′03″N 17°38′04″E / 47.68417°N 17.63444°E / 47.68417; 17.63444
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Emiellaiendiay (talk | contribs) at 18:59, 3 April 2013 (→‎Notable people: Erzsébet Galgóczi added, Zoli Pitman moved to alphabetically appropriate place in list). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

47°41′03″N 17°38′04″E / 47.68417°N 17.63444°E / 47.68417; 17.63444

Győr
  • Raab
  • Arrabona
Top left:Saint Ignatius of Loyola Cathedral, Top right:Győr City Hall, Middle left:Viennese Gate Square, Middle right:Győr Castle in Keptalan Hill, Bottom left:Carmelite Cathedral, Bottom right:Széchenyi Street nearby János Xantus Museum
Top left:Saint Ignatius of Loyola Cathedral, Top right:Győr City Hall, Middle left:Viennese Gate Square, Middle right:Győr Castle in Keptalan Hill, Bottom left:Carmelite Cathedral, Bottom right:Széchenyi Street nearby János Xantus Museum
Coat of arms of Győr
Coat of arms
Country Hungary
County Győr-Moson-Sopron
Government
 • MayorZsolt Borkai
Area
 • City174.61 km2 (67.42 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • City131,267Increase
 • Rank6th
 • Density730.71/km2 (1,892.5/sq mi)
 • Urban
183 407
 • Metro
357 264
 • Demonym
győri
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
9000 - 9030
Area code96

Győr (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈɟøːr] ⓘ; German: Raab, Slovak: Ráb, names in other languages) is the most important city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron county and Western Transdanubia region, and — halfway between Budapest and Vienna — situated on one of the important roads of Central Europe. The city is the sixth largest in Hungary, and one of the seven main regional centres of the country.

History

The area along the Danube River has been inhabited by varying cultures since ancient times. The first large settlement dates back to the 5th century BCE; the inhabitants were Celts. They called the town Arrabona, a name that was used for eight centuries; its shortened form is still used as the German (Raab) and Slovak (Ráb) names of the city.

Roman merchants moved to Arrabona during the 1st century BCE. Around 10 CE, the Roman army occupied the northern part of Western Hungary, which they called Pannonia. Although the Roman Empire abandoned the area in the 4th century due to constant attacks by the tribes living to the east, the town remained inhabited.

Around 500 the territory was settled by Slavs, in 547 by the Lombards, and in 568-c.800 by the Avars, at that time under Frankish and Slavic influence. Between 880 and 894, it was part of Great Moravia, and then briefly under East Frankish dominance.

Town Hall
File:Gyordowntownhungary1.jpg
Széchenyi Square
File:Gyordowtownhungary2.jpg
City Centre
Széchenyi Square
Rába at Győr

The Magyars occupied the town around 900 and fortified the abandoned Roman fortress. Stephen I, the first king of Hungary, founded an episcopate there. The town received its Hungarian name Győr. The Hungarians lived in tents, later in cottages, in what is now the southeastern part of the city centre. The town was affected by all the trials and tribulations of the history of Hungary: it was occupied by Mongols during the Mongol invasion of Hungary (1241–1242) and then was destroyed by the Czech army in 1271.

After the disastrous battle of Mohács, Baron Tamás Nádasdy and Count György Cseszneky occupied the town for King Ferdinand I while John Zápolya also was attempting to annex it. During the Ottoman occupation of present-day central and eastern Hungary[1] (1541 - late 17th century), Győr's commander Kristóf Lamberg thought it would be futile to try to defend the town from the Turkish army. He burned down the town and the Turkish forces found nothing but blackened ruins, hence the Turkish name for Győr, Yanık kale ("burnt city").

During rebuilding, the town was surrounded with a castle and a city wall, designed by the leading Italian builders of the era. The town changed in character during these years, with many new buildings built in Renaissance style, but the main square and the grid of streets remained.

In 1594, after the death of Count János Cseszneky, captain of Hungarian foot-soldiers, the Ottoman army occupied the castle and the town. In 1598 the Hungarian and Austrian army took control of it again and occupied it. During the Turkish occupation the city was called Yanık.

In 1683, the Turks returned briefly, only to leave after being defeated in the Battle of Vienna.

During the following centuries, the town became prosperous. In 1743 Győr was elevated to free royal town status by Maria Theresa. The religious orders of Jesuits and Carmelites) settled there, building schools, churches, a hospital and a monastery.

In June 14, 1809, this was the site of the Battle of Győr (Battle of Raab), where the Grand Armee of Napoleon defeated the Hungarian noble rebels and Austrian corps. Napoleon occupied the castle and had some of its walls blown up. The leaders of the town soon realized that the old ramparts were not useful any more. Most of the ramparts were destroyed, allowing the town to expand.

In the mid-19th century, Győr's role in trade grew as steamship traffic on the River Danube began. The town lost its importance in trade when the railway line between Budapest and Kanizsa superseded river traffic after 1861. The town leaders compensated for this loss with industrialisation. The town prospered till World War II but, during the war, several buildings were destroyed.

During World War II, after the Nazis took control in Hungary, they organized the deportation of the Jews. They comprised 12.6% of the Győr population according to the 1910 census. On May 13, 1944, the Nazis ordered them into a ghetto. Two trains were loaded to transport the Jews of the town and the neighboring villages to Auschwitz on June 11 and on June 14. Altogether, 5,635 people were deported on these two days. Nearly all were killed in the extermination camp or along the way. Some exempted Jews were left behind, but they were massacred on March 26, 1945, just hours before liberation by the Allies.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1870 21,767—    
1890 28,175+29.4%
1900 38,094+35.2%
1910 45,083+18.3%
1920 51,268+13.7%
1930 52,456+2.3%
1941 58,431+11.4%
1949 58,431+0.0%
1960 72,060+23.3%
1970 102,600+42.4%
1980 124,147+21.0%
1990 129,331+4.2%
2001 129,412+0.1%
2011 129,527+0.1%

The 1950s and 60s brought more change: only big blocks of flats were built, and the old historical buildings were not given care or attention. In the 1970s the reconstruction of the city centre began; old buildings were restored and reconstructed. In 1989 Győr won the European award for the protection of monuments.[citation needed]

A 100-year-old Raba factory on the River Danube close to the historical centre is to be replaced by a new community called Városrét. The mixed-use community will have residential and commercial space as well as schools, clinics and parks.

The city's main theatre is the National Theatre of Győr, finished in 1978. It features large ceramic ornaments made by Victor Vasarely.

The city has several historical documents, for example the castle, and the Lutheran Evangelic church.

Climate

Győr
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
32
 
 
2
−4
 
 
33
 
 
5
−2
 
 
28
 
 
10
1
 
 
38
 
 
16
6
 
 
55
 
 
21
10
 
 
64
 
 
24
13
 
 
53
 
 
26
14
 
 
65
 
 
26
14
 
 
38
 
 
22
11
 
 
35
 
 
16
6
 
 
53
 
 
8
2
 
 
38
 
 
3
−2
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: HKO
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
1.3
 
 
35
25
 
 
1.3
 
 
40
28
 
 
1.1
 
 
50
35
 
 
1.5
 
 
61
42
 
 
2.2
 
 
70
50
 
 
2.5
 
 
75
56
 
 
2.1
 
 
79
58
 
 
2.6
 
 
78
57
 
 
1.5
 
 
71
51
 
 
1.4
 
 
61
43
 
 
2.1
 
 
47
35
 
 
1.5
 
 
38
29
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Climate data for Győr
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 1.9
(35.4) 		4.6
(40.3) 		10.2
(50.4) 		16.0
(60.8) 		21.1
(70.0) 		24.0
(75.2) 		26.2
(79.2) 		25.6
(78.1) 		21.6
(70.9) 		15.9
(60.6) 		8.3
(46.9) 		3.3
(37.9) 		14.9
(58.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −4.0
(24.8) 		−2.0
(28.4) 		1.4
(34.5) 		5.5
(41.9) 		9.9
(49.8) 		13.1
(55.6) 		14.4
(57.9) 		14.1
(57.4) 		10.8
(51.4) 		5.9
(42.6) 		1.9
(35.4) 		−1.9
(28.6) 		5.8
(42.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 32
(1.3) 		33
(1.3) 		28
(1.1) 		38
(1.5) 		55
(2.2) 		64
(2.5) 		53
(2.1) 		65
(2.6) 		38
(1.5) 		35
(1.4) 		53
(2.1) 		38
(1.5) 		532
(21.1)
Average precipitation days 7 6 7 7 8 9 7 7 6 5 8 7 84
Source: HKO

Main sights

The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops, can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the 15th-century Gothic Dóczy Chapel. The Cathedral, originally in Romanesque style, was rebuilt in Gothic and Baroque style.

Other sights include:

  • Town Hall
  • Benedictine church of St. Ignatius of Loyola
  • Carmelite church
  • Museum of Roman Archaeology

The Pannonhalma Archabbey is located some 20 km outside the town.

Economy

Audi AG subsidiary company Audi Hungaria Motor Kft. has a big factory in Győr, where the Audi TT sports car, the A3 Cabriolet,[2] and many engines (1,913,053 engines in 2007) are built. The factory opened in 1994, at first producing inline-four engines for the Audi marque. Business then spread to assembling the Audi TT Coupé and TT Roadster. Eventually, V6 and V8 engines were also included, and after the acquisition of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., Audi then began to build V10 engines. The V10s for Audi vehicles are fully assembled here, but only the cylinder blocks for the Lamborghini V10.[3] Engines are also supplied to other Volkswagen Group marques, but over 90% of Audi vehicle engines are made here.[4]

Notable people

Ladislaus I of Hungary

Sports

Győr is the home of the Győri ETO Sport Club, which has many sport divisions. The most popular sport in the city is handball, with the Győri ETO KC being the city's main team. Győri ETO FC is a football team.

File:Gyor 26.jpg
Castlewall

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Hungary

Győr is twinned with:[5][6]

City Region Country
Kuopio Northern Savonia  Finland
Erfurt  Thuringia  Germany
Sindelfingen  Baden-Württemberg  Germany
Ingolstadt  Bavaria  Germany
Colmar  Alsace  France
Bryansk  Bryansk Oblast  Russia
Braşov Braşov County  Romania
Nazareth Illit Israel North District  Israel
Wuhan China Hubei  China
Poznań  Greater Poland Voivodeship  Poland
Montevideo Montevideo Department  Uruguay

Trivia

In December 2011, the composer Andi Coryn released a song named "Győr."[7]

References

Notes

  1. ^ "Royal Hungary (historical region, Hungary) -". Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2011-09-16.
  2. ^ "Start of production and world premiere for the Audi A3 Cabriolet in Hungary". Volkswagen AG. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  3. ^ "Lamborghini Cars full specifications - First spyshots of the Lamborghini L140 model". LamboCars.com. Archived from the original on 2005-04-18. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  4. ^ "Audi ups Hungarian output". BBJ.hu. Archived from the original on 2008-06-21. Retrieved 2 January 2012. {{cite web}}: External link in |deadurl= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "www.gyor.hu - Twincities of Győr" (PDF). Admin.gyor.hu. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  6. ^ "Официальный сайт города Брянска" (in Russian). Admin.bryansk.ru. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  7. ^ "Andi Coryn's official website".

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Győr.

Template:Link FA

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Győr&oldid=548530947"