Szentendre – A Charming Town by the Danube

Szentendre is a town beside the river of Danube in Pest County of Hungary. The town can be easily accessed from Budapest the capital city of Hungary by rail or river that attracts visitors to this historical town. The name of the town was originally from the Medieval Latin, Sankt Andrae that means St. Andrew in English.

Located at the Fo tér this prestigious Serbian Orthodox Blagovescenska church built in the year 1752 by Andreas Mayerhoffer that dedicated to the Annunciation. The face of the church was formed by lisières that lead to a long narrow entrance hall in the main ledge to the top of the front tower. The church shows the architecture from the Baroque period. The Serbian artist Michael Zéivkovicé is responsible for the iconostasis inside the church.

The main square in Szentendre is known for the “Merchant’s Cross” that is erected in the middle of this triangular land that was built after a plague.

The Museum of Folk Art is also present in the main square of this small town, Fo tér. This old building reminds the locals the traditional buildings of the old inhabitants on this historical town. The small museum houses some of the ethnographical collections and folk arts.

The Church Square is a Catholic Church dedicated to John the Baptist. It is thought to have originated from the 14th century with additional constructions on the following century. It was supposed to be built in replacement of an old small church. Templom tér that is a walled structure on top of the castle hill became the settlement of Catholic Croats from Dalmatia in the 18th Century. The Immigrants from Dalmatia restored the church’s premises that were damaged by Turks. The view over the rooftops is breath-taking and attracts tourist to see the picturesque city. The Romanesque was a result of the Gothic Period along with the towers’ Gothic window and sun dial. The church square is full of market stalls during the summer where you can choose among different souvenirs.

One of the Seven Baroque Churches in Szentendre and is the most elegant among others. Görög-keleti székesegyház is the local name of the Church recognizable by its bright red and yellow front and a beautiful church garden. Like the Blagovescenska church, this Belgrade Church also has a tall tower within its premises. The iconostasis in the church is carved from lime wood.

PoÏarevacéka Church is one of the Greek Orthodox Church that was built by PoÏarevac immigrants in the former place of a wooden church in 1690. The Orthodox faith states that the choir should face east causing the builders to build the rear of the church facing the street. The iconostasis in the church is said to be brought by the refugees.

The Opovacka Church is now a Reformed community property.

Opposite the Episcopal Church is the Serbian Art Collection located in the former Bishop’s Palace. The collection is composed of Church Arts such as sacral objects that belonged to the Orthodox Church with the older objects brought by the Serbs that are mainly icons and liturgical requisites from the 17th century up to the 19th century.

The Hungarian Open Air Museum also known as the Szabadteri Neprajzi Muzeum is a unique and unusual museum that exhibits the village life of Hungarian village life. There are maps available to help you navigate through the vast walkways of the village that showcases the architectures and tradition of its past inhabitants.

Found on the foot of the Szatmár hill is the Preobraenska Church a Greek Orthodox Church that is known to be one of the famous Pravoslavic church. It was built by tobacco farmers and tanners following the architecture from the Baroque Period. Women were prohibited to enter the church from the front. It is filled with dark green iconostasis and Corinthian columns. The exquisite wood carving or the Tsar’s Gate is one of the most beautiful sight that you can see in this prestigious church that is surrounded by the amazing icons.

Hunyadi utca is a museum dedicated to the work of Lajos Vajda a known Surrealist. Bogdányi út is a single-story Baroque House for the works of the artist couple Imre and Anna Margit Amos that were victims from the Holocaust. Ady Endre utca is a small glass pavilion that exhibits the sculptures and models made by Jeno Kerényi.

The Szentendre Island is sitting in the river of Danube that stretches to the main capital city of Budapest that can be reached by crossing a bridge in the village of Tahitótfalu. There are holiday resorts in the island that are always open to those who want to relax. Horány and Surány are the known holiday getaways in the island.

This riverside village is a retreat for families that are looking for a calm place where family and friends can relax. There are holiday homes and resorts present in this small town. This independent municipality became a retreat of some Hungarian writers, artists and musicians.