Vác (pop. 35,000), on the left bank of the Danube Bend, has retained the charm of a pretty Baroque town despite industrial development on its periphery.
Fortuitously located at a Danube crossing, Vác was the seat of a bishop from the 11th century onwards and, at the height of the Middle Ages, a regional trading centre protected by a royal castle. The town was severely ravaged during the Turkish wars and the Baroque town was built north of the medieval castle in the 18th century. The first Hungarian railway line, inaugurated in 1846, ran from Pest to Vác. The historic centre of Vác lies along the eastern bank of the Danube between Konstantin tér, which is dominated by the cathedral, and Március 15 tér (March 15 Square) to the north, which is lined by beautiful town houses.
more Vác photos
