Vác
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Vác | |
|---|---|
 |
|
  Vác
|
|
| Coordinates: 47°46′31″N 19°07′52″E / 47.77518°N 19.13102°E | |
| Country |  Hungary |
| County | Pest |
| Area | |
| - Total | 61.63 km2 (23.8 sq mi) |
| Population (2008) | |
| - Total | 33,223 |
| - Density | 539/km2 (1,396/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 2600 |
| Area code(s) | 27 |
Vác (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈvaːts], approximately "vats") is a city in Pest county in Hungary with approximately 33,000 inhabitants. The town is occasionally known in Hungarian by the archaic names Vacz and Vacs.
Contents |
[edit] Location
Vác is located 34 kilometres north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube river where it bends to begin its southern route. The town is seated at the foot of the Naszály Mountain on the outskirts of the Carpathians.
[edit] Modern Vác
Vác is a commercial center as well as a popular summer resort for citizens of Budapest. The cathedral, built 1761–1777, was modelled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The episcopal palace houses a museum for Roman and medieval artifacts. The city is also known for its 18th century arch of triumph and for its beautiful baroque city center.
[edit] History
Settlement in Vác dating as far back as the Roman Empire has been found.
Bishops from the diocese were influential within the Kingdom of Hungary, with many serving as chancellors or later becoming archbishops.
The town was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1541. During the Habsburg Monarchy's wars against the Ottomans, the Austrians won victories against the Turks at Vác in 1597 and 1684.
During the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848-49, the Honvédség routed the Austrian forces stationed in the city after a major battle (April 10, 1849); the Second Battle of Vác ended in Russian victory (July 17).
See also:
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Ethnicity
- Hungarians : 94.9%
- Gipsies : 1.3%
- Germans : 0.5%
- Romanians : 0.1%
- Slovaks : 0.5%
- Ukrainians : 0.1%
- Other/Undeclared: 4.5%
[edit] Religious denomination
- Roman Catholic: 59.4%
- Greek Catholic: 0.7%
- Calvinist: 9.3%
- Lutheran: 3.1%
- Other denomination: 1.4%
- Non-religious: 14.4%
- Undeclared: 11.5%
According to the 1910 census, the religious make-up of the town was the following:
- Roman Catholic: 76.3%
- Jewish: 11.2%
- Calvinist: 8.3%
- Lutheran: 2.8%
- Other denomination: 1.4%
[edit] Gallery
 Vác |
 The Sharpened Tower |
 Castle, Vác |
 Main Square |
 Holy Trinity columns |
 Vác - temple |
 The Stone Gate was built for Empress Maria Theresia's visit in 1764. |
[edit] International relations
[edit] Twin towns — Sister cities
Vác is a twinned with:
- Deuil-la-Barre, Val-d'Oise, France
- Donaueschingen Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Dubnica nad Váhom, Trenčín Region, Slovakia
- Giv'atayim, Tel Aviv District, Israel
- Järvenpää, Southern Finland
- Odorheiu Secuiesc, Harghita, Romania- - Šahy, Nitra Region, Slovakia
[edit] Sources and external links
- This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913. [1]
- Official website of town
- The newsportal
- Live webcam from the square (The yellow building in the background is the town hall)
- Map of Vác
- Map of the surrounding area
- Tragor Ignác Museum of Vác
- The House of Culture
- Katona Lajos Town Library
- Aerial photographs: Vác
- Vác travel guide from Wikitravel
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vác |
