The charming Danube town of Szentendre, with its crooked lanes and bumpy cobblestones, has attracted artists since the beginning of the 20th century. Today visitors come from all over the world to visit the little galleries and museums, marzipan and souvenir shops.
The small town on the hilly right-hand bank of the Danube is one of the most popular destinations for a short excursion from the capital – especially during the warmer times of year, when it is possible to arrive by boat. Consequently this »Hungarian Montmartre« gets very crowded in during the high season.
The origins of this settlement go back to the 4th century BC, when Celts settled here. The Romans built a garrison on the shores of the Bükkös stream in the first century AD, and called it Ulcisia Castra (Wolf Castle). It was first mentioned in documents in the 12th century, and Serbs came to Szentendre in several waves from the 14th century onwards, bringing their culture, Orthodox religion, customs and building traditions to Hungary. Szentendre experienced an economic upturn in the 18th century, when the town became the religious and cultural centre of the Hungarian Serbs and seat of the Greek Orthodox church. The tourist development of the town began in the early 20th century.
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