Bicske
Bicske | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Country |  Hungary |
| County | Fejér |
| Area | |
| • Total | 78.88 km2 (30.46 sq mi) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 11,552 |
| • Density | 141.48/km2 (366.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 2060 |
| Area code | 22 |
| Website | www |
Bicske [ˈbitʃkɛ] is a town in Fejér county, Hungary. It is around 35 km (22 mi) west of Budapest.
History
According to a document dating from 1306, Botond’s sons János (John) and Péter were granted permission to levy tolls in the locality of Bicske as well. Bicske was written Bykche, Biccke, Bykcze, Biczke, and Bitske. The name of the Byckche family has been known since 1258 when some members got a large donation of land from the king.
From 1596 Bicske belonged to the Ottoman Empire. Count Ádám Batthyány bought the land in 1642, built a castle and made it his residence. During the Batthyány era the village which had been destroyed by the Turks, became a prosperous town.
By the 19th century Bicske was a well-developed market town and cultural centre. The Batthyány family built an observatory as well and a little castle (Hegyi-kastély) for the astronomers.
During World War II, Bicske was captured on 24 December 1944 by Soviet troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front in the course of the Budapest Offensive.
The administration of Bicske underwent many changes – it was a settlement, a village, a market town, a village constituting an administrative division. From 1688 to 1877 it was the chief town of the district. From 1877 to 1946 it belonged to the district of Vál. In 1947 it became independent and had some 12,000 inhabitants in 1986.
Main sights
- Roman Catholic Church (18th century) with a Maulbertsch panel painting
- Batthyany Castle (built in 1754-1755)
- In the center of the town are excavated ruins of a temple with several tombs, dating from the 15th century
- Ruins of the Observatory and the astronomers' castle
Twin towns — Sister cities
Bicske is twinned with:
Altshausen, Germany
Melegnano, Italy
Băile Tușnad, Romania
External links
Media related to Bicske at Wikimedia Commons
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