Sopron Hungary. Sopron: sights and interesting places (with photo)

Sopron small cozy city, located very close to the Alpine border, at the foot of the Alps. From all sides it is surrounded by a ring of dense coniferous forests. In the III centuries, on the site of Sopron, there was a rich Roman settlement of Skarbantsia, through which the famous Amber Route passed: merchants brought amber mined on the Baltic shores to the countries Southern Europe. Fragments of stone sculptures and decorations from the ancient forum have survived to this day, located at the foot of the Fire Tower, known as one of the symbols of Sopron. This tower was erected on the remains of an ancient Roman foundation and, since the 13th century, served as the northern gate to the city. In the old days, the guards-firefighters played a very important role in the life of the city. In addition to their main function to monitor fire safety they also warned residents about approaching troops or trade convoys. In addition, they were invited as musicians to all kinds of events - weddings, funerals, festivals. Ironically, in 1676 the tower itself suffered a fire. As a result of subsequent reconstruction, it acquired its current Baroque appearance. The lower vault of the tower is decorated with a bas-relief "Hungary calls its sons", reminiscent of the historical event of 1921. The history of this bas-relief is as follows: after the First World War, when the borders were revised, the inhabitants of Sopron had the opportunity to decide during a referendum whether they wanted to belong to Austria or Hungary. Citizens voted in favor of Hungary. The Latin inscription on the emblem of the city, which reads "Civitas Fidelissima" ("The most faithful citizens"), also reminds of this event.
Sopron is often compared to a jewelry box, because in terms of the number of its architectural monuments and museums it is the second Hungarian city after Budapest. In connection with this fact, in 1975 Sopron was awarded the prestigious European Prize Europa Nostra. The main square of the Old Town Fő tér is surrounded by old houses, each of which is a valuable architectural monument. Museums are located in some of these houses, the most visited of which is the Shtorno House, built in the Baroque style and decorated with a cozy corner balcony. In the old days, the house belonged to immigrants from Italy, the Storno family. The head of the family, Felix Storno, is especially famous, who in 1872 acquired this now famous building. Having no special education, he restored many frescoes in the Transdanubian region at his own expense and as a result collected a huge collection of medieval cult objects, furniture, stained-glass windows, glassware and porcelain. Now all these values ​​are exhibits of the museum operating in the Shtorno House. The building is also known for the fact that Franz Liszt performed concerts here twice in 1840 and 1881 .
Another interesting building main square General's house. It originally belonged to Dr. K. Lackner, who in 1681 donated the house to the general. Today, the house houses an exhibition of contemporary sculpture.
A valuable architectural monument is the House of Fabricius. A unique example of the Gothic style is the hall of the building, in addition, the elegant loggia in the courtyard, as well as the Gothic and Baroque cellars, deserve attention. The owners of the building have always been wealthy citizens or merchants, it got its name in honor of the mayor and member of the city magistrate Endre Fabricius, who owned it at the beginning of the 19th century. When Franz Liszt gave concerts in Sopron, the outstanding Hungarian poet Sandor Petofi, with whom Fabritius had warm friendly relations and who at that time was at the front, having escaped from the military barracks, lived in this house. Today, the Fabritius House houses a museum, the decoration and furniture of which reflect the tastes of the burgher class of the 17th-18th centuries. However, of greatest interest is the medieval basement of the building, which housed the Roman lapidarium. Here you can see the ruins of buildings left over from the time of Skarbantsia, the ruins of temples and baths, statues, burial urns and sarcophagi... The Gambrinus Gothic house, built at the beginning of the 15th century by order of King Zsigmond, is famous for the fact that the town hall was located here. One of the most visited museums in Sopron is the City Historical Museum, also located on the Main Square. Its exposition is dedicated to the history of Sopron in the 17th-18th centuries. There is also a separate exhibition of archaeological finds from the vicinity of Sopron Celtic, Roman and Hungarian periods. As in many other Hungarian cities, the Central Square of Sopron is decorated with a statue of the Holy Trinity. According to one of the widespread versions, it was installed at the expense of Janos Yakov Levenburg, a native of Sopron, in memory of his wife, who died during the plague.
Sopron is also famous for its ancient churches and temples. In the southern part of the Central Square rises the Benedictine church, which is also popularly called the Church of the Goat. The temple is famous for the fact that the Hungarian rulers were crowned three times in it. The beauty of the interior of the church is remarkable - frescoes and ornaments, lancet windows and a unique Christian pulpit, which is of great value. Another significant temple of the city is the Church of St. Michael, located outside the Old City. The statue of the Virgin Mary, located inside the temple, is a masterpiece of wooden sculpture.
Around the central part of the city there is a system of streets and squares - the Sopron downtown. Its narrow winding streets, the medieval atmosphere of cozy courtyards, the walls of the old city that can be found at every step, and intricately decorated balconies will take you to bygone eras. Despite the fact that Sopron is called a museum under open sky, it still has its own museum street. Located in the downtown area, Tserkovnaya Street is distinguished by the fact that museums with valuable collections follow one after another. The Benedictine monastery houses the Kaptalan Hall, an architectural monument of the 13th century. Its magnificent decoration, statues and wall paintings are unsurpassed examples of medieval art. House number 12, once owned by a Sopron priest, now belongs to the State Evangelical Museum. In house number 5 you can see interesting samples of old clothes and coins. The Franz Liszt Museum is located on Tserkovnaya Street. The fact is that the great Hungarian composer was born not far from Sopron, in the town of Deboryan. The exhibition contains exhibits on the history of the city, ethnography, as well as works of fine art.
For many centuries, the Sopron downtown has been the area where artisans, merchants and winemakers lived. Streets such as Balfi, Fövényverem or Halász, for example, have retained their unique atmosphere to this day. Bécsi Street is home to the only bakery museum in the country. You will immediately recognize this building by the lions decorating its facade, leaning with one paw on pretzels (a delicacy characteristic of Central Europe - dry dumplings sprinkled with salt). From 1686 to 1970 the house was owned by a baker's family. After that, the City Council decided to open a museum here, while retaining the original furnishings left over from the previous owners. In the right wing there is a working bakery, where you can watch the process of making bread. In addition, the museum has a confectionery workshop and a bakery selling the freshest bakery products.
Sopron is known not only for the richness of its architectural monuments and museums, but also for being one of the oldest wine regions in Hungary. On all sides, the city is surrounded by gentle hills adjacent to Lake Fertő. Reflecting in the waters of the lake, the sun's rays intensify their effect, which contributes to better ripening of the grapes. The history of Sopron winemaking goes back to the era of the Celts, who were appreciated by the locals. climatic conditions and began to cultivate vineyards here. In the era of the Middle Ages, the fame of Sopron wines spread far beyond the borders of the Hungarian state: many European monarchs and representatives of the highest clergy ordered them to their table. The most famous wine variety produced in the region is kekfankos. It has a rich dark red color and rich bouquet. Of the white varieties, zöld veltelini is the most characteristic, while Piros veltelini, made from the early ripening grape variety, is considered a real exclusive.
Many interesting natural and cultural attractions are concentrated in the vicinity of the city. So, for example, to the east of Sopron is the Fertö-Hanshag National Park. Lake Ferto deserves special attention here, famous both for its size and for its unique animal and flora. In 2001, the lake and its surroundings were honored to be included in the list world heritage UNESCO. Climbing enthusiasts can recommend a walk along the Leverek hills surrounding Sopron. At the top of one of them stands the observation tower Karoy, from where a picturesque panorama of the city and its surroundings opens. Just 25 km from Sopron, in the town of Fertöd is the legendary Esterházy Palace, one of the most beautiful in Hungary. The city of Nagycenk (14 km west of Förted) is famous for being the birthplace of István Széchenyi. In the estate that has survived to this day, there is now a memorial museum, the exposition of which is dedicated to the life of the legendary Hungarian politician.

Initially, Jozsef Esterhazy built a hunting castle with 20 rooms and two ceremonial halls. But this did not match the ambitions of his son Miklós. Being the richest nobleman in Hungary, he decided to create a palace, not for the splendor of Versailles. For this, the best Italian artists and architects were invited and huge funds were spent.

The hunting castle was rebuilt and significantly expanded with side extensions, giving the façade the shape of a semicircle. A magnificent fountain with sculptures of a dolphin and cherubs was laid out in front of the palace.

In total, the palace has 126 rooms, each of which has an original design and does not repeat one another.

On the first floor there is the most beautiful room of the palace - the Reception Hall, made in the Italian style. Its floor is lined with marble tiles, the ceiling is painted with mythological scenes and dancing angels. The music hall delights with its gilded walls.

The ceiling of the main hall is decorated with a huge fresco depicting Apollo on a chariot, and allegorical figures of Day and Night. The fresco has an amazing feature: from whatever point in the hall you look at it, it seems that the chariot is moving right at you.

In addition to the main building, the museum complex includes Opera theatre, puppet theatre, Orange House, music house, as well as French and English parks.

Esterhazy Palace

Esterházy is nicknamed the "Hungarian Versailles" because it is the largest and beautiful palace Baroque Hungary.

The palace has 126 rooms. The Banquet Hall is especially beautiful, its ceiling is decorated with the image of Apollo in the chariot. Decorated with the letter "E" indicating the name of the owners, the Large Library contains almost 22,000 volumes. At the main entrance, tourists admire the wrought-iron gate, which is a masterpiece of blacksmithing art from 1764-1766.

The columns separating the parts of the gate are decorated with rococo stone vases. On both sides of the palace are small two-story buildings, like hands, ready to hug a symmetrical park. Today, a hotel is located in one of the parts of the palace, and Haydn festivals are held in the summer.

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Lake Fertő

Lake Fertő is the fourth largest lake in Central Europe, its area is about 315 km², while the average depth is about one meter.

More than 300 species of nesting and migratory birds can be observed on the amazing Lake Fertő, including herons, as well as spoonbills, wild geese, grebes, warblers, wigeons, and many others.

When seasonal flights come, snipes, bean gooses and plovers stop here, as well as among rare bird species, it is worth noting the red-throated goose, white-tailed eagle and harrier.

On the shore of the lake there is a study path from which ornithologists and visitors to the park can observe the biosphere of the reserve.

And already along the fertemelek ridge is observed, which have been developed since ancient rome until 1948.

Very beautiful and picturesque hills covered with forests, you can see them a large number of rare plants.

You can visit the park with an organized tour, and some areas are completely closed to people.

For centuries, the tower has played a very important role in the life of the city of Sopron. Fires were monitored from it, and, surprisingly, music often sounded from the tower when significant events in life took place, such as weddings and funerals.

The spire of the Fire Tower was decorated with a double-headed eagle, it was presented in 1622 by King Ferdinand II and Queen Eleanor.

To date, the tower is not functioning, despite everything, it has become significant in people's lives, it was a symbol of loyalty and love for Sopron's homeland.

In 1921, when the question of whether to remain a part of Hungary was being decided, the townspeople supported citizenship, and in memory of this, a sculptural composition “The people of Sopron pay tribute to a figure symbolizing Hungary” was placed over the gates of the tower.

The fire tower in Sopron has become a popular tourist attraction.

Many tourists climb the spiral staircase of 200 steps to observation deck, a former guard post, from where the whole city and its environs are visible at a glance.

Church of St. George Sopron

Church of St. George is located in the city of Sopron. It is squeezed between houses on the street of the same name not far from the main square of the city. The temple was built between 1380 and 1430 and was a typical gothic cathedral. Unfortunately, history has not brought us the name of the architect who supervised the construction.

Since the end of the 16th century, the growing Protestant community of the city of Sopron has taken over the church of St. George. In 1676, a serious fire broke out in the city, many houses were damaged, and the church of St. George was not spared. However, the building was quickly restored, with the Baroque style dominating the design. In 1674, the church changed owners again, coming under the authority of the Jesuit order. Since then, the appearance of the building has changed even more. In 1685, two side chapels were completed. In 1705–1706, stucco ornamentation, characteristic of the Baroque era, appeared in the interior.

The last, finishing touch to the appearance of the modern church of St. George was made in 1882, when a 55-meter tower rose nearby. There are three bells near the church, the largest one weighs 800 kg, the middle one - 200 kg, and the smallest one - 50 kg. All bells were cast in the twenties of the last century. The bas-reliefs on the church depict the famous battle between George and the dragon. A bas-relief depicting Saint Margaret of Antioch was also found. The value of these bas-reliefs is that they are left over from an old Gothic temple. The church also has an old organ built in 1633.

Today, tourists often come to the church of St. George to admire the rich altar. The atmosphere inside is really luxurious, quite corresponding to the 17th century. In the baptistery of the chapel next to the sanctuary, you can even see the remains of authentic medieval paintings. And when leaving, you can capture the general view of the building and yourself against its background.

The most popular attractions in Sopron with descriptions and photos for every taste. choose best places for visiting famous places Sopron on our website.

Sopron

- a small city with a subalpine climate, located at the very Austrian border, lying in a ring of pine forests covered with Löwerek and vineyards famous for good wines.

The panorama of Sopron is unusually beautiful, especially if you admire it from a high hill, on top of which there is a cozy hotel in the forest park. The city is also famous for its clean air. No wonder there is a sanatorium in the city pulmonological profile.

Spread near Sopron national park Ferto-Hansag (Ferto-Hansag), most of which lies on the territory of Austria. Here is a wonderful recreation area on Lake Fertő, the third largest lake in Central Europe. The surroundings of the lake are listed as World cultural heritage UNESCO. The waters of the lake are very salty, and the beaches and bathing areas make up an excellent resort area.
In summer, you can go sailing on the lake, ride a bike along the path that runs around the lake, and in winter you can go ice skating. A few kilometers from Sopron there is a well-known in Hungary Balfe thermal spa.

Sopron is known not only for the richness of its architectural monuments and museums, but also for being one of the oldest wine regions in Hungary. On all sides, the city is surrounded by gentle hills adjacent to Lake Fertő. Reflecting in the waters of the lake, the sun's rays intensify their effect, which contributes to better ripening of the grapes. Due to the cooler climate and the limestone soil, the region's red wines are rich in acids, especially tannins. The history of Sopron winemaking goes back to the era of the Celts, who appreciated the local climatic conditions and began to cultivate vineyards here.

In the era of the Middle Ages, the fame of Sopron wines spread far beyond the borders of the Hungarian state: many European monarchs and representatives of the highest clergy ordered them to their table. The most famous wine variety produced in the region is kekfankos. It has a rich dark red color and rich bouquet. Of the white varieties, zöld veltelini is the most characteristic, while Piros veltelini, made from the early ripening grape variety, is considered a real exclusive. Today, about 1800 hectares are grown grapes, mostly blue.

Sopron is one of the richest Hungarian cities in architectural monuments, awarded in 1975 with the Europa Nostra Prize.

A Brief History of the City of Sopron

A settlement on the site of the city has existed since ancient times. The city was founded by the Romans in the 1st century. n. e., as a Roman settlement, the city of Skarbantia, through which the famous Amber Road passed: merchants transported amber mined on the Baltic shores to the countries of Southern Europe.

The city retained its importance until the collapse of the empire. The Hungarians, who came to these lands as a result of the Great Migration of Nations, erected a castle and fortress walls on the site of Skarbantia (9th-11th centuries). The first mention of the name Sopron was recorded in 1153. The city got its Hungarian name from the manager of the castle named Suprun.

In the 13th century, Sopron received the status of a free royal city. Since Sopron was not far from Vienna, he managed to avoid both devastating raids (the Huns - starting from the 4th century and the Tatars from the 13th century) and the Turkish yoke (16-17 centuries).

Surely the inhabitants of the town were responsible and loving citizens. After all, the status of a free royal city, which Sopron was awarded in the XIII century, is not given just like that. The city was actively deteriorating, acquiring individual unique features ... 1529 is one of the black pages in the life of the Soprons. Turkish army soldiers filled the streets and thoroughly plundered the city. This is the sad result of the battle between royal Hungary and Sultan Suleiman I. The country was occupied and torn apart. But Sopron was lucky. It became part of the East Hungarian Kingdom - a small fragment of the former great Hungary under the patronage of the Habsburgs. There was no Turkish domination here, and the city managed to preserve its traditional architectural appearance. True, the fire of 1676 thoroughly corrected it. It took decades of hard work to recreate what was lost.

Thanks to the interweaving of various historical events in Sopron, city buildings of various architectural styles create an interesting combination: the Roman forum and the fortress wall of the Middle Ages, Gothic houses local residents, Synagogue, palaces of the XIX century. By the beginning of the 20th century, Sopron was an international city within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Here, in addition to the Hungarians, Germans lived (the proximity of Austria affected), Croats who fled here during the Turkish occupation. The city also had a significant Jewish population. And Hungary began to divide again. The victorious countries in the First World War determined the fate of Western Hungary, which included Sopron, according to the Saint-Germain and Trianon treaties. Land went to Austria. Given the proximity of its borders and a significant percentage of the German population, this decision looked more than logical. However, at the entrance to Sopron, the Austrian border guards and policemen were rebuffed by Hungarian snipers. The city did not want to recognize the new homeland... Uncertainty persisted for a month and something had to be decided. Italy mediated. At the tripartite negotiations, it was decided to hold a referendum in Sopron, which took place from December 14 to 16, 1921.
According to its results, more than half of the inhabitants wanted to remain part of Hungary!

After that, Sopron received the unofficial status of "the most loyal city", and the Latin inscription "Civitas Fidelissima" appeared on its coat of arms, which means "The most faithful citizens."

During the Second World War, the city was badly damaged, and almost the entire large Jewish population of the city was exterminated in the death camps. The Soviet army liberated Sopron on April 1, 1945. During the socialist period, several industrial enterprises were built in the city. On August 19, 1989, the so-called European picnic took place on the Austro-Hungarian border near Sopron. With the consent of both countries, the border gate on the old Bratislava road between the villages of St. Margareten and Sopronköchida was opened symbolically for three hours. At the same place, Austrian Foreign Minister Alois Mock and his Hungarian counterpart Gyula Horn jointly cut the border fence on June 27, 1989 to emphasize the elimination of protective structures begun by Hungary on May 2, 1989. Over 600 citizens of the GDR used this short opening of the iron curtain to flee through Austria to the FRG. The Hungarian border guards did not interfere with them, although, according to an agreement between the GDR and Hungary, they were not supposed to let them go to the West.

Today, the European Picnic is presented as one of the important events that led to the end of the history of the GDR and the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Iron Curtain and the unification of the two German states.

Sights of the city of Sopron (Sopron)

The fire tower is known as one of the symbols of Sopron. This tower was erected on the remains of an ancient Roman foundation and, since the 13th century, served as the northern gate to the city. In the old days, the guards-firefighters played a very important role in the life of the city. In addition to their main function - to monitor fire safety - they also warned residents about approaching troops or trade convoys. In addition, they were invited as musicians to all kinds of events - weddings, funerals, festivals. Ironically, in 1676 the tower itself suffered a fire. As a result of subsequent reconstruction, it acquired its current Baroque appearance.
The main square of the Old Town - Fő tér - is surrounded by old houses, each of which is a valuable architectural monument.

We note one of the oldest, most valuable and most beautiful baroque houses in Sopron. It is easy to distinguish it from other buildings that surround the square in a dense ring, by its yellowish color that is pleasing to the eye and the original corner balcony. Today, this house is commonly called the "Shtorno house", after the last names of its last owners. In 1875, the building was purchased by Ferenc Storno, the head of a large family of Italian immigrants, who owned it until 1984.
Now it houses a museum, the basis of the exposition of which is a rich collection of medieval furniture, weapons, household utensils, and old paintings. It was Ferenc Storno, who was not a professional art critic, who did not have any special knowledge, but thanks to his energy, enthusiasm and at his own expense, who restored a large number of frescoes in the temples of the Western Transdanubian region, laid the foundation for it. Later, the business of replenishing the collection was taken over by his sons and grandchildren. The people of Sopron, and not only them, remember the Storno family with gratitude. But at the same time, they do not forget that until 1875 there were two more owners near the house at number 8 on Füter Square.

Famous Hungarian noble families Haberleiter and Festetics. Moreover, at the time when the first family owned the house, before the storming of Vienna, from December 1482 to February of the next, 1483, Matthias I himself, better known as Matthias Korvin (Raven), stayed there. One of the most revered Hungarian kings. A landmark figure for the country, who annexed many lands to Hungary, including Austria. And by the way, it was he, Matthias Korvin, who established diplomatic relations with Russia.
The building is also known for the fact that here twice - in 1840 and 1881 - performed concerts Franz Liszt. The great composer Franz Liszt was born on October 22, 1811 in Hungary, in the town of Doboryan (Austrian name Riding) not far from Sopron. His father, Georg Adam List, served as an official in the administration of Prince Esterházy. The Esterhazy princes encouraged the arts. Until the age of 14, Georg Adam played the cello in the prince's orchestra, led by Joseph Haydn.
Another interesting building of the Main Square is the General's House. It originally belonged to Dr. K. Lackner, who in 1681 donated the house to the general. Today, the house houses an exhibition of contemporary sculpture.

A valuable architectural monument is the House of Fabricius. A unique example of the Gothic style is the hall of the building, in addition, the elegant loggia in the courtyard, as well as the Gothic and Baroque cellars, deserve attention. The owners of the building have always been wealthy citizens or merchants, it got its name in honor of the mayor and member of the city magistrate Endre Fabricius, who owned it at the beginning of the 19th century. When Franz Liszt gave concerts in Sopron, the outstanding Hungarian poet Sandor Petofi, with whom Fabritius had warm friendly relations and who at that time was at the front, having escaped from the military barracks, lived in this house. Today, the Fabritius House houses a museum, the decoration and furniture of which reflect the tastes of the burgher class of the 17th-18th centuries.
However, of greatest interest is the medieval basement of the building, which housed the Roman lapidarium. Here you can see the ruins of buildings left over from the time of Scarbantia - the ruins of temples and baths, statues, burial urns and sarcophagi ...

The Gothic house "Gambrinus", built at the beginning of the 15th century by order of King Zsigmond, is known for the fact that the city hall was located here.

One of the most visited museums in Sopron is the City Historical Museum, also located on the Main Square. Its exposition is dedicated to the history of Sopron in the 17th-18th centuries. There is also a separate exhibition of archaeological finds from the vicinity of Sopron - Celtic, Roman and Hungarian periods.

As in many other European cities, the Central Square of Sopron is decorated with a statue of the Holy Trinity. According to one of the widespread versions, it was installed at the expense of Janos Yakov Levenburg, a native of Sopron, in memory of his wife, who died during the plague. Sopron is also famous for its ancient churches and temples.

In the southern part of the Central Square rises the Benedictine church, which is also popularly called the Church of the Goat. The temple is famous for the fact that the Hungarian rulers were crowned three times in it. The interior of the church is distinguished by beauty - frescoes and ornaments, lancet windows and a unique Christian pulpit, which is of great value.

Another significant temple of the city is the Church of St. Michael, located outside the Old City. The statue of the Virgin Mary, located inside the temple, is a masterpiece of wooden sculpture. Around the central part of the city there is a system of streets and squares - the Sopron downtown. Its narrow winding streets, the medieval atmosphere of cozy courtyards, the walls of the old city that can be found at every step, and intricately decorated balconies will take you to bygone eras.

Despite the fact that Sopron is called an open-air museum, it still has its own museum street. Located in the downtown area, Tserkovnaya Street is distinguished by the fact that museums with valuable collections follow one after another. The Benedictine monastery houses the Kaptalan Hall, an architectural monument of the 13th century. Its magnificent decoration, statues and wall paintings are unsurpassed examples of medieval art.

House number 12, once owned by a Sopron priest, now belongs to the State Evangelical Museum. In house number 5 you can see interesting samples of old clothes and coins. The Franz Liszt Museum is located on Tserkovnaya Street. The exhibition contains exhibits on the history of the city, ethnography, as well as works of fine art.

For many centuries, the Sopron downtown has been the area where artisans, merchants and winemakers lived. Streets such as Balfi, Fövényverem or Halász, for example, have retained their unique atmosphere to this day. Bécsi Street is home to the only bakery museum in the country. This building can be recognized by the lions decorating its facade, leaning with one paw on pretzels (a delicacy typical for Central Europe - dry dumplings sprinkled with salt). From 1686 to 1970 the house was owned by a baker's family. After that, the City Council decided to open a museum here, while retaining the original furnishings left over from the previous owners. In the right wing there is a working bakery, where you can watch the process of making bread. In addition, the museum has a confectionery workshop and a bakery selling the freshest bakery products.

The historical center of Sopron is not very big. But three hours you can walk with pleasure. Moreover, not wandering along the same streets. It seemed to us that the rest of the city is quite pleasant. Several times we fell out of narrow streets onto large avenues. Looked around, walked a couple of blocks. They returned. But only because they were somewhat limited in time. I don’t know if it’s worth staying the night, but it’s quite possible that there will be something to do with yourself.

We left the car in the underground car park near the tourist office, which turned out to be completely useless. True, it is strategically located. Just a couple of blocks away Old city. At first you just find yourself in cozy streets intended only for pedestrians.

And with every step, everything slows down: almost every house is worthy of taking time for it. Some curious details in the design, old gates, beckoning deep into the yards. It immediately becomes very cozy and comfortable. I must say that in general the city is arranged in such a way that you want to break apart and move in all directions at once, simultaneously looking into every gateway that can lead to a small courtyard with balconies hanging from above.

If you keep the path to the spire of the church sticking out in front, you will inevitably get into all the places that are considered attractions. True, the Museum of Mining along the way ( Központi Banyaszati ​​Muzeum) was not enthusiastic.

And the old synagogue located a little further ( Soproni ozsinagoga - Uju, 22) of the 14th century, where another low wooden gate led, the entrance to which was lined with pretty blue tiles, was closed. Actually, appearance of buildings is interesting enough not to try to bother with the history of mining and other local pride. We just walked, occasionally hanging out somewhere to drink wine or beer, then eat.

No matter how you move, no matter what street you enter the old city, you will very quickly get to the Central Square of the city ( Főter). It is elongated almost in an oval and all the old streets converge on it. So if you focus on protruding spiers and towers, then there is no other alternative. Moreover, it is here that most of the historical buildings that are considered mandatory to visit are concentrated.

Directly across from the Mining Museum is the Dominican Church of the Assumption of the Virgin ( Nagyboldogasszony templom), which for some reason the locals call the Goat Church ( kecske-templom). A classic gothic church, similar to which there are many in every city. This one is notable only for the fact that three rulers of the country were crowned in it. Apparently, either they were in exile, or the city once had a more serious military and political significance for the country. Otherwise, it is difficult to understand why the monarchs needed to go here. By the way. why it is called "goat" is not said in any guidebook. Apparently, there is some kind of local bike, which no one considered necessary to clarify.

Since this is the territory of Austria-Hungary with its Habsburg dynasty, the Plague Column is an indispensable part of the landscape. It stands right in the middle of the square, but nothing special is remarkable. It seemed to me that she was one of the most uninteresting among her kind. Although it must be admitted that in its shape and size it fits perfectly into the square, without becoming its dominant, but at the same time drawing attention to itself. She is more of a symbol and part of history. Apparently, a feature of perception: on the territory of the empire, I began to perceive them as an identification mark. Approximately the same as I perceive the symbol of the path of St. James, meeting him in different places in Europe.

There are mansions along the perimeter of the square. local nobility. You can walk along them and, if you wish, visit the expositions. For example, Shtorno's house ( Storno-haz) - an old yellow mansion - was built in 1417. Its owner collected porcelain, paintings, bronzes. In the end, all this went to the city, which opened a museum in the house. Near the house of Gambrinus ( Gambrinus-haz) with baroque windows, where the city hall was once located. The current city hall ( Varoshaza) is located next door and is slightly more pompous.

By this external sign, it can be unmistakably identified. And, of course, the flag of the European Union. The Museum of Modern Sculpture was stuffed into the General's house ( Generalis-haz). They didn't bother much with the names. The mansion was once built for his family by a certain doctor, but transferred to the use of the general. An old pharmacy hid in one of the buildings. Her address Föter, 2. But there was no mood to look for. At that moment, I was much more interested in a pretty cafe located opposite the church under a canopy of one of the mansions.

In fact, the square is crowned by the Fire Tower ( Tuztorony). As it turned out at her address ( Föter, 1), the area begins with it. We still went in the wrong direction. Although it doesn't matter at all. The entrance is under the arch. For some ridiculous money, we were able to go upstairs (inside, by the way, there is a cozy cafe with an outdoor balcony).

I can’t say that the view from above shook me to the core. Nice. But the tower is not so high that you can see the whole city. Rather, take a look at the roofs of neighboring houses and lay a couple of further traffic routes by eye. In any case, getting and climbing the tower is not difficult. So feel free to go.

From the tower we examined the most important thing: small streets stretch around under the old fortress walls. It turned out to be an amazing world that fit between the medieval towers, which bulge their sides into tiny alleys, and Roman ruins, discovered a little more than a hundred years ago. They called it the Archaeological Park. Scarbantia, preserved and left alone.

And in this narrow space, almost cut off from the rest of the world, small courtyards are hidden. Some amazing attics, houses with stairs going up steeply. So it's hard to imagine: how did they bring furniture here? And all this goes in a ring around the old city.

We wandered here for half an hour and almost every house I wanted to photograph. True, attempts to get into the covered galleries hanging overhead were unsuccessful. There are either locked gates, or an entrance from the inside. But the place pleased with its unusualness and photogenicity.

From here we got to some wonderful street, which also went around old center. Covered galleries led from it to modern Sopron. But we didn’t want to leave, so we just wound circles, meeting St. George’s Church along the way ( Szent György-templom).

Just as imperceptibly and completely spontaneously, we suddenly taxied to the wonderful Urshuly Square ( Orsolya ter) with an unusual fountain. There is also a museum here. (Labashaz) , which we didn't even try to hit. The walk around the city was so comfortable that I didn’t want to waste time looking at regular paintings by local artists and household items, which are not much different from one museum to another.

In the end, we nevertheless dived into one of the galleries and, having passed a series of courtyards with shops, ended up on the streets of modern Sopron.

Walked to the Dominican church Domonkos templom), somehow quickly slipped Cultural Center Franz Liszt to walk around the next square. The weather was pleasing. Prices and the surrounding city too. And somehow imperceptibly, we realized that it was time to move on.

We also took a walk to clear our conscience through quite nice and quiet quarters of the center, turning into side streets. But at some point they ended up near the underground parking lot and took it as a sign that it was time to leave.