Riverbank of Danube at Vác - Vác, Hungary

Location:

GPS coordinates: Latitude 47°46'32", Longitude 19°7'33" (N47 46.53 - E19 7.55) Map

Bandstand pavilon on the banks of Danube at Vác, and on the other side of the river Szentendre Island (Szentendrei-sziget) verdants

Southwards from the ferry port of Vác along the Danube River there is a spacious park and promenade before the floodplain forest on the south. Beside a pleasant walking there is opportunity to do sports as well. The park is very popular among for example the cyclists and the roller skaters. Adventurous playgrounds are waiting for the little ones, and the restaurants with fragrant roasts around the promenade often overbrim with guests.

Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk at the ferry port of Vác

Saint John of Nepomuk (also known as John Nepomucene) was a 14th-century priest, canon of Prague and the archbishop's vicar, as well as the penitentiary (father confessor) of the queen, wife of King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia. The king was suspicious of the queen and he want John to tell him what the queen confessed. John of Nepomuk declined to answer to protect the sanctity of the confessional secret, so King Wenceslaus IV had him tortured and thrown him into the river. So he became the martyr of the Seal of Confession, then Pope Benedict XIII canonized him in 1729.

It should be mentioned that King Wenceslaus IV was angry for John also because he helped in the election of the abbot without the permission of the king. It is still uncertain which one was the main reason to kill St. John of Nepomuk.

Sculpture of Saint John Nepomucene, the national saint of the Czech Republic

St. John of Nepomuk is the parton saint of among others the rivers, bridges and the boatmen, and also the national saint of Bohemia (Czech Republic). There are statues of him throughout the entire Hungary, mostly from the baroque era and often in waterfront settlements, because he is the patron of the people who work around the water. This statue in Vác town was ordered by Cardinal Kristóf Migazzi and was erected in 1764. It stood on a bridge for 125 years, then it was dismantled and in 1890 erected again at the current location, restored in 1998.

Behind the statue in the background the so-called "Pointed Tower" (in Hungarian "Hegyes torony") can be seen, which is the northernmost corner tower of the medieval city wall and also the only surviving medieval building of Vác town. Today it is part of a dwelling house.

Music pavilon on the riverbanks of Danube at Vác, and on the other side it is Island of Szentendre (Szentendrei-sziget)

The promenade of the Danube bank at Vác is lined with plane trees and a cast-iron railing which was designed by Frigyes Feszl (1821-1884). This renowned Hungarian architect was born into a family of German origin, his works include for example the Vigadó Concert Hall and the Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest.

Holy Cross Franciscan Monastery and Church with the detail of the castle wall remains

The Franciscan Church of the Holy Cross (in Hungarian "Szent Kereszt ferences templom") is currently the oldest still standing church in Vác town. The baroque style Franciscan monastery and church was built between 1721-1761 by using the stones of the former episcopal cathedral and the medieval castle that was destroyed in the Turkish siege in 1685. For a while it was the home of the Pest County Archives (in Hungarian "Pest Megyei Levéltár"), until the Franciscans got back the building complex in 2004. But independently of this today (in around 2010) the monastery is still empty. Beside its carved wooden main altar the hallway of the former County Archives is also interesting. Here can be seen the hand wash basin of the Franciscans' summer restaurant. The basin was made of the red marble tombstone of Bishop Báthory.

Statue of King Géza I of Hungary

Created by János Blaskó jr. in 2000

Géza I King of Hungary (1040-1077) from the Árpád dynasty was the founder of Vác town. His statue is standing on the remains of the former medieval city wall and it was set for the millenary (thousandth anniversary) of the (Christian) Hungarian statehood. The statue also marks the end of the Danube bank promenade, from here there are mostly floodplain groves on the riverbank with pleasant suburban atmosphere.