UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN HUNGARY

Early Christian Necropolis Of Pécs (Sopianae) - Pecs, Hungary

Pecs is located in the south of Hungary near the Mecsek Mountains. This city is home to the ancient cemetery of Sopianae, which was founded by the Romans in the 4th century. The site consists of churches, mausoleums and chapels with tombs beneath them. These are important both structurally and architecturally, since they were built as underground burial chambers with memorial chapels above the ground. Over a period of 200 years, a series of archaeological excavations were conducted on the site. These excavations were able to unearth graves and artefacts that point to the fact that this is a Christian cemetery. The tombs are important also in artistic terms, since they are richly decorated with murals of remarkable quality depicting Christian themes.

Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue

Budapest is not only the capital of Hungary, it also features outstanding architectural monuments in an urban landscape. Some of the notable monuments in Budapest include the Gothic Castle of Buda and the Roman City of Aquincum. Both of these monuments had a significant impact and influence on the architecture of Budapest. The city is also located along the banks of the Danube River.

Budapest was created by the unification of three cities, Buda, Pest, and Óbuda, in the 19th century. The Buda Castle was built in the 13th century by king Béla IV of Hungary. The Castle Quarter features buildings in the Gothic and Baroque styles. Buildings in Pest are in the Historicism and Art Nouveau styles. The Andrássy Avenue, which was added as an extension to the World Heritage Site in 2002, was built in the late 19th century and marked the transformation of Budapest into a modern metropolis. The Millennium Underground Railway that runs under the avenue was the first underground in Continental Europe and has been operational since 1896.

ADDITIONAL UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN HUNGARY

NOTE: These additional UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hungary can be visited and are popular with travelers. However, we do not offer accommodations in these exact destinations. A few of them can be reached from some of the major cities that we do offer in Hungary.

Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (2001)

For eight millennia, this site has been a meeting place of different cultures. Hence, it was inscribed into the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hungary in 2001. The lake area features a varied landscape that was a result of evolutionary symbiosis between humans and its physical environment. The remarkable rural architecture of the villages surrounding the lake and several 18th and 19th century palaces adds to the area’s cultural interest.

Hortobágy National Park - The Puszta (1999)

This vast area of plains and wetlands in eastern Hungary is called Puszta in Hungarian, and the official UNESCO site also calls it “the Puszta”. It means the eternal grassland and some more. This national park is rich in cultural history and folklore. The park is the first in Hungary and is the largest protected area in the country. The national park is filled with grassy plains and home to numerous wildlife such as cattle, horses, water buffalo, and racka. The area is considered an important stopover for migrating bird species.

Millenary Benedictine Abbey Of Pannonhalma And Its Natural Environment (1996)

A key national memorial site, the Millenary Benedictine Abbey is where the first Benedictine monks in Hungary settled during the 10th century. Located near Hungary's Northern border, the monks that lived here were responsible for converting Hungarians and founded the first school in the country. Since it was founded, the monastic community promoted the culture in central Europe. Its 1,000-year history can be seen in the succession of architectural styles of the monastic buildings ) the oldest dating from 1224), which still today house a school and a monastic community.

The monastery, which is currently home to approximately 40 monks, today has a larger vineyard and winery, with traditions stretching back to Roman times. The monks also produce various herbal extracts and essences, the quality of which is making them increasingly popular. They make yet trappist beer too since it comes from hops, that's also a kind of herbal extract.

Old Village Of Hollóko And Its Surroundings (1987)

The village of Hollóko was inscribed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hungary in 1987. It is a remarkable example of a deliberately preserved traditional settlement. The village was founded during the 17th and 18th centuries and exemplifies rural living before the agricultural revolution of the 20th century.

Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape (2002)

This cultural wine region in Hungary was named as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002. The landscape of Takaj graphically demonstrates the long tradition of wine production in this region of low hills and river valleys. The property consists of 28 villages and over 11,000 hectares of vineyard. The intricate pattern of vineyards, farms, villages, and small towns, with their historic networks of deep wine cellars, shows every facet of the production of the famous Tokaj wines, the quality and management of which have been strictly regulated for nearly three centuries. The soil, microclimate, and grape varieties make this wine region unique.

Caves Of Aggtelek Karst And Slovak Karst (1995)

The Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of 712 caves spread out over a total area 138,000 acres along the border of Hungary and Slovakia. This is the only natural site listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hungary. These caves are distinctive for the variety of formations and the fact that they are located within close proximity to each other. A highlighted feature of these caves is the temperate-zone karstic system due to its combination of glacial and tropical climatic effects. As such, it has been a topic of geological study for millions of years.