Tata

The earliest documented mention of the town dates from 1388. The castle, emerging on the shore of Öreg-tó (Old Lake) was continually built and reconstructed from the second half of the 1300’s. It lived its glory days during the reign of Kings Sigismund of Luxembourg and Mátyás I (15th century) as a royal summer residence. It is the one and only fortification in Hungary which is surrounded by a moat. In the time of the wars against the Turks (16th and 17th centuries) Tata also served as an important link in the system of defence.

Following the expulsion of the Turks the area was owned by the Esterházy family, who established the centre of their estates in Tata. It was in this period that the town acquired its Baroque character owing to the work of the architect Jakab Fellner. His mastery is represented by the Esterházy Mansion, the Kiskastély (Small Manor) in Angolpark (Landscape Garden), the Piarist Monastery, the Szent Kereszt Plébániatemplom (Holy Cross Parish Church), and the Óratorony (Harangláb) (Clock Tower, the Belfry). Further sights well worth a visit include the renovated Kossuth tér (square), Fényes Tanösvény (nature trail), Kálváriadomb (Calvary Hill) and Geológus Kert (Geological Garden), as well as the arboretum and eco-village at Agostyán.

Tourist information office:
H-2890 Tata, Ady Endre utca 9.
Tel: +36 34 586 045
tata@tourinform.hu