Nagycenk is located near the Austrian border, 12 kilometers from Sopron and not far from the Fertő Lake. The city was the one-time home of the Széchenyi Family - a family with great importance in the history of Hungary. The Mausoleum in the village cemetery is a memorial place of national identity and an invaluable piece of art. The Mausoleum is the final resting place of Count Ferenc Széchenyi, the founder of the Hungarian National Museum and his son, Count István Széchenyi, the “Greatest Hungarian”, the outstanding politician of the Reform Age, founder of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. István played an important role in building and improving the economy of the country by building railroads, brigdes, supporting sciences, research and horse breeding.
The
Castle in the courtyard is in contrast with the
beautiful interior of the castle. The main part of the
castle is now serves as a museum about the life and
success of the family. A stud farm, an open-air
locomotive museum, a nostalgia train with steam
locomotives, a beautiful alleyway with limetrees, and a
neo-romanesque church designed by Miklós Ybl provide all
visitors enough attraction for a day-long excursion.
Children are allowed to drive the nostalgia train and
they can get a certificate of being a junior steam
locomotive driver. An international festival is
organized each summer in the nearby court in the memory
of István Széchenyi and his efforts for the riding
sports with show jumping and couch driving.
Pécs is the regional and cultural capital of Baranya County in Hungary and has been selected to be the European Capital of Culture in 2010 together with Essen and Istanbul. The city center is beautiful with a number of Turkish and medieval monuments. The city has a long history since the Roman Ages. The Cathedral is a beautiful piece of art, as well a number of buildings in the city, like the County Hall, the University, the Zsolnay Mausoleum and the porcelain factory, the National Theater and the Mosque of Gázi Kászim Pasha.
The city with its parks, statues, fountains and narrow streets has a romantic feeling and ideal for lovers. They are advised to locate the ‘Lovelocks’ and place a padlock as a symbol of their everlasting love.