Let’s explore Tata! – PHOTOS, VIDEO

If Hungary is the country of waters, than Tata must be the town of waters, as it became the Hungarian capital of Biodiversity in 2010. It is located in Komárom-Esztergom county, some 70 km from Budapest. It serves as a great destination for tourists. Although it is a significant railway and road junction – both the Motorway M1 from Vienna to Budapest and the railway line Budapest-Vienna pass through the town – its atmosphere is very relaxing and harmonious. Let’s explore it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm5RJjeCvis

Old Lake

It has a telling name, as this artificial lake is Hungary’s first and oldest fish pond. It is located right in the centre of Tata. It is connected to the Danube by Által-brook, therefore the town has suffered some floods through the years. The last time they measured some high water level in 2010, it was 258 cm, which is about a meter higher than the average water level of the lake. It is also significant as a natural environment, as many rare birds stop by there during their migration.

The statue of John the Baptist in Old Lake

Tata Castle and Esterházy Castle

Tata Castle is located at the shore of the Old Lake, providing a beautiful view together. It was built between 1397 and 1409 by Sigismung of Luxemburg. It was in its prime during the reign of Matthias Corvinus, who rebuilt the castle in the style of the Italian water castles and used it as his summer castle.

The Tata Castle with the Old Lake

Esterházy Castle can be found right next to the Tata Castle near the Old Lake. It was built in 1776, which dates the beginning of its complicated history. Its furniture was destroyed in 1945 by some Soviet troops, after which it served as a hospital. Today the castle is empty – there have been several plans for its appropriation, none of which was realized.

Esterházy Castle

English Park

It is also located near the Old Lake. It was built in 1783 by engineer Ferenc Böhm. It was built on a territory full of springs. One of its interesting features is that the park itself hosts some ruins, which were created artificially on purpose. They provide the romantic atmosphere of the whole park. It became a protected area in 1955. It also has an open-air theatre, which has made the town known all over Hungary due to its significant open-air performances in the summer.

The ruins of English Park provide a romantic atmosphere.

The ruins of English Park were created to bring about harmony.

Sightseeing Train

There are many sights in Tata which are worth seeing, and a great way for doing that is to take the sightseeing train, which shows many of them in 50 minutes. However, before you set off, check out the schedule of the train.

Water, Music, Flower Festival

If you have wondered what to do in the last weekend of June (23-25.), you are lucky, because this is the time when the Water, Music, Flower Festival is traditionally held in Tata. The festival takes place by the Old Lake, which already creates a special atmosphere for the event. Its name contains the three most important elements of the festival itself:

Water stands for the water carnival, which provides a very romantic view with many boats decorated by lanterns and the sight of Tata Castle at the shore. Flower stands for the floral design competition, which takes place in the Castle, while music obviously marks the several concerts the festival will provide. It is a perfect opportunity not only to see the town with all its sights, but also to take part in the cultural life of this wonderful town. For further information, check out the festival’s program.

Ce: bm