History and sights of Kőszeg

Once serving a defensive function and also a status symbol as the administrative centre of its landowners, the castle is the town's most prominent heritage site. Today it provides a venue for numerous events.

Kőszeg was established between 1263 and 1274 by two members of the Kőszegi Family, Henrik II and his son Ivan. When they arrived the Upper Castle (Felsővár) known as Kwszug already stood on the Old House Peak (Óház-tető). However, the Counts of  Kőszeg had their seat and fortress built in the Gyöngyös Valley at the foot of the hill, calling it the Lower Castle (Alsóvár). The town itself was called Kőszeg. Their rulers brought in German settlers and the town's German name, still in use, is Güns.

The rule of the Kőszegi family was ended in 1327 by King Charles Robert of Anjou and a year later the settlement became a royal town. Under the House of Anjou the town's defence system was reinforced, the city twin structure was developed and the town borders were demarked. Allowed to join the international wine trade, a significant craftsmen and merchant strata emerged.

In 1392, Palatine Miklós Garai became owner of the castle estate that then comprised 13 villages in addition to the town itself. He initiated the rebuilding of the church of St James. After the Garai period, the estate, the castle and the town became a Habsburg domain from the time of under Frederick III for nearly 200 years (1445-1648). Only King Matthias managed to take Kőszeg, together with Western Hungary, out of this pledge for a brief seven years (1483-1490).

The town played its most prominent historical role in the 1532 battles against the Turkish. Following that, an even stronger defence system was constructed and the town was granted numerous privileges. It also held two national fairs. At the behest of the Hungarian feudal parliament, Ferdinand III raised Kőszeg to the rank of free royal town in 1648.

In 1695 the castle and the estate fell into the hands of the princely branch of the Esterházys and remained their possession until 1931. During the Rákóczi War of Independence (1703-1711) Kőszeg became a stronghold of the Kuruc military leadership. A long and peaceful period of development followed the defeat. Numerous civil and public institutions were established, the craft guilds gained in strength and Baroque taste spread, lending itself to the castle and several civil dwellings.

The town depended financially on its viticulture that on the outset of the 20th century was devastated by the phylloxera epidemic. However, around the previous turn of the century, tourist services became much more developed as the Kőszeg Hills became a prominent destination for outings.

As a result of the Trianon Treaty that followed World War I the town lost its sphere of influence and most of its market. Although spared the bombing of World War II, the closing of the state border in 1949 was detrimental to its institutional network. It had no chance of establishing any significant industry beyond a little light industrial production. With the opening of the border crossing, the tourist industry caught up and Austrian shoppers already paid visits to Kőszeg as soon as the1970's. A developed retail trade and tourist network has since evolved including restaurants, hotels and taverns.

The town received the Hild Prize in 1978 for safeguarding its architectural heritage.

SIGHTS

Jurisics Castle

The walled town and the castle within were part of the national defence system. The Gothic inner castle built in the 13th-14th-century was later refurbished in a Renaissance and Baroque style.

The castle evolved continuously from the 13th-century onwards. Not only of a strategic and defensive nature, it also had a status role as the centre of the Kőszeg estate. To this day the castle's twin character has been preserved and it is easy to imagine both the outer and the inner castle surrounded by a moat. Although today a stone bridge leads towards the gate of the outer castle, the stone sockets above the gate bear witness to the former drawbridge.

In the outer castle courtyard is a statue of castle defender Nikola Jurisic (Jurisics Miklós) as well as part of the castle's former outbuildings. The stone bridge leading to the inner castle was laid following dismantlement of the drawbridge.

The trapezoid inner castle courtyard is framed by an arcade erected on the second storey following a 1777 fire. From the courtyard only the eastern wing has retained its original shape. Passing the so-called 'stairway house' visitors may enter the exhibition halls of the Jurisics Castle Museum (Vármúzeum) from where the splendid facade of the Kőszegi Palace (1279-90) can be enjoyed. Another stairway leads up to the knights' hall built between 1392 and 1441. In the north wing Gothic ornamental wall paintings have been preserved. Several decades later, from 1483 to 1490 the late Gothic-early Renaissance row of windows was created along with Renaissance wall paintings and sgraffito. The castle's east and south wings were constructed from the second half of the 15th to the first half of the 16th century. From 1616 to 1695 the inner courtyard was once again refurbished.

The castle owes its name to its captain and defender during the Turkish period, Nikola Juri±ić. Some also call it Esterházy Castle given that the Esterházy family owned it for the longest period of 236 years.

Today the castle is home to the Jurisics Community Centre and to the exhibitions of the Castle Museum.

Heart of Jesus Church

The neo-Gothic church designed by Ludwig Schöne was built between 1892 and 1894. With its 57-metre spire this impressive edifice is still the tallest building in town. It incorporates a number of ingenious architectural solutions.

The commanding church stands on an ascending slope at the optical axis of the square. The principal spire above the main facade is framed by a pair of smaller turrets. The sanctuary is polygonal and the cross nave of the triple-nave hall church has remained truncated.

The internal ornamentation was painted by Otto Kott, using polychrome ceiling, wall and column painting techniques. The organ is particularly valuable and the church also harbours several pieces of medieval and Baroque sacred art.

The church is generally open during the day.

Old Tower or Zwinger

The oldest and largest bastion in the town is the Old Tower or the 'Zwinger'. Originally built in the 11th century as the southwestern corner bastion of the former city wall, it was remodelled into a Gothic-style tower in the 15th century.

Its present shape was developed during the great constructions of the Anjou Period (1301-1386). Following the proliferation of firearms, narrow loopholes were cut into the walls of the covered tower, from where it was possible to fire upon the enemy.

Today, the Old Tower provides an exhibition space. Its two exhibitions are about, 'Costumes and weapons of the Hungarian settlers' and 'Leather ornamentations'.

Golden Unicorn Pharmacy Museum

The furniture masterpieces of this Baroque Jesuit Pharmacy were made by lay craftsmen between 1735 and 1744. Today these pieces as well as those from other local pharmacies are exhibited along with a collection on pharmaceutic history.

The Jesuits had the furniture created following samples from Rome and in an Austrian and Italian Baroque style. Exigent Baroque paintings adorn the front of these furnishings made from oak, walnut and linden.

In 1777 the Jesuit pharmacy was purchased together with all furnishings by Mátyás Svalla, himself a pharmacist. Today a museum, the permanent exhibition displays the history of pharmacies in Western Transdanubia.

Sgraffito House

One of the most attractive buildings in Kőszeg, the Sgrafitto House of Renaissance origins, received its current facade around 1560. Part of the sgraffito ornamentation was prepared at that time, the remainder in 1668.

The house was named after the technique used to decorate its facade. The Italian word sgraffiare means to scratch, and this is exactly how the ornamentation is made. First two different coloured layers of plasters are applied, the design is drawn and then the top layer is scratched to reveal the different colour of the layer below. A tulip vase and geometric pattern was used to adorn this building. Decorated by two lines, the facade is completed with an arched gable, and a statue of the Virgin Mary in a wall niche.

Extended with courtyard wings in the 18th and 19th centuries and partially remodelled, the building also hides a number of other beautiful details including the early Baroque ceiling painting framed by stucco in the saloon. This early 17th-century work contemporary with the Turkish occupation depicts a story of the Gospel of Luke, Poor Lazarus and the rich man's wedding.

A Dalmatian-type door leads into the café now operating in the building. There is a biblical quotation dating from the 17th century inscribed on the tripartite crown moulding.

Accommodation in Kőszeg: http://www.hungaryrooms.com/hotels/Kőszeg/

Map of Kőszeg: http://www.hungaryrooms.com/map/Kőszeg/