Eger is one of the most wonderful baroque towns in Hungary. It can boast a 1000-year-old bishop's seat (it is an archdiocese today), a glorious past and valuable groups of monuments.

It was Istvan Dobo who made it the town of patriotism. In 1552 he and his small troop resisted the Turkish army (a force 20 times as large) for more than a month. An immortal novel "The Stars of Eger" by Geza Gardonyi (1863-1922) is about the town of patriotism.
Eger is more than a town of thermal baths and students; it is also a town of wine : the excellent red and white wines of its famous and historic wine-producing region are measured in several hundred-year-old cellars.

The second largest church in Hungary is the classicist Archbishop's Cathedral (Eszterhazy Square). It has the country's biggest organ. On the first floor of the late-baroque Lyceum - a teachers college today - we can find one of the most famous libraries in the country, with ornamental carvings and wonderful ceiling-frescos. The Main Bishopric Library has 130,000 volumes, including the first book printed in Hungary (in 1473), and a letter written by Mozart. In the tower we can find the country's first astronomical museum, the Spekula Observatory.
The most interesting device in this state-of-the-art (in 1776) observatory is the periscope, which projects the real image of the town on a white board in the darkened room.
The residence of the bishops of Eger is the Bishop's Palace (Szechenyi Street 1-3). The carefully-guarded treasure of the Bishop's Collection Centre (Szechenyi street 5.), recalling the town's 250-year history, is the crowning pall of Habsburg Empress Maria Theresia.

Within the grounds of the Mediaeval Egri Castle (Vár Street 1.) - the victorious, fortified castle of the "Turkish Age" - archaeologists have excavated the remains of the cathedral from the 13th century and restored the Gothic Bishop's Palace from the 15th century. The Dobo Istvan Castle Museum, which exhibits the common history of the castle and the town, is located here (Vár street 1.). We can see Dobo Istvan's grave in the Heroes' Hall, and the Stone Repertory in the underground casemates. The Prison Museum, the Waxworks, the Mint and the Gallery (with paintings from the 16th to the 18th centuries) evoke historical times. The grave of Geza Gardonyi, who recorded the heroic deeds of the defenders of the castle, can be found in the yard of the castle. A memorial museum was established in his former house. (Gardonyi Geza Street 28).

The Turkish Bath (Furdo Street 1.) is a monument from the Turkish conquest (1526-1686). Its water is good for diseases of the locomotor system and rheumatism. It has seven pools and is open throughout the year (Petofi square 2).

Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: http://www.cometohungary.com/html/varos.php?varos_id=67