Kecskemét: Architecture, History and Sound
Accommodation in Kecskemét
Kecskemét offers a diverse range of cultural themes: Hungarian Art Nouveau, city history from the Middle Ages to the present day, and music that you can not only listen to but also bring to life yourself. Architecture, exhibitions and musical instruments provide concrete starting points for shaping your stay around your own interests.
Die Arkaden des Rathauses von Kecskemét am Kossuth-Platz.
Photo: Globetrotter19 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Art Nouveau and Historical Exhibitions
The Cifrapalota is an example of Hungarian Art Nouveau architecture. In addition to temporary exhibitions, it houses a permanent historical, archaeological and ethnographic exhibition. The Kunbábony Avar treasure, comprising 155 gold objects, is also on display there. This brings an architectural theme and a range of historical collections together in one place.
Town Hall History and Music
Kecskemét Town Hall was built between 1893 and 1897 to designs by Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos. Its façade features a carillon commissioned in 1983 to mark the 100th anniversary of Zoltán Kodály’s birth. It has played at every hour of the day ever since. At the Kecskeméti Városháza Látogatóközpont, the exhibition “Kecskemét, hirös város” presents the city’s history from the Middle Ages to the present day. The building period, dedication to Kodály and exhibition offer different ways to explore the city’s history.
Church Architecture and Instruments
The Roman Catholic Nagytemplom is the largest church in the Kiskunság region. It was built in a classicising late Baroque style and served as a model for churches in numerous towns. In 1993, by decree of Pope John Paul II, it was granted the status of a co-cathedral. Its style, influence as a model and ecclesiastical status reveal different facets of this building.
The Leskowsky Hangszergyűjtemény offers another way to experience culture: visitors can pick up and play string, wind and percussion instruments from five continents. So as well as viewing the collection, visitors can create sounds themselves as part of the experience.
If you are looking for a holiday rental, this mix of themes can help with your planning. First, consider whether architectural history, exhibitions or music will shape your stay most. You can then base your preferred location and planned activities on that choice.
More themes in Bács-Kiskun
The wider destination of Bács-Kiskun also offers archaeological and nature-related themes. The Tiszaalpár, Földvár educational trail explores the history of the Bronze Age fortified settlement of Tiszaalpári Földvár and the way of life of people in the Bronze Age. Tiszaalpári Földvár is a specially protected archaeological site in Bács-Kiskun; it was designated as such under Regulation 3/2003. (I. 25.) NKÖM.
The Boróka educational trail in Bugac is 1,100 metres long and has information boards and activity stations, including a forest xylophone and a play telescope. Lake Szelidi, meanwhile, is a natural oxbow lake that developed from a branch of the Danube after the Ice Age. The lake’s blue-green algae educational trail has twelve information stations covering the lake’s development, the properties of its water, the organisms living there and the wildlife in the surrounding area. The trail is described as accessible on foot and by bicycle throughout the year; as conditions on site can change, it is advisable to check for current information before visiting.
When looking for a holiday rental, you can use these options to distinguish between a stay focused on Kecskemét’s architecture and city history and other cultural or nature-related themes in Bács-Kiskun. The accommodation location that best suits your plans will depend on which of these themes you want to include in your trip.
Discover more destinations: Szentkirály, Tiszakecske, Lajosmizse, Tiszaug, Fülöpháza, Kerekegyháza, Ágasegyháza, Helvécia
View the wider travel overview: Kecskemét.
