Szentes: Kurca, Art Nouveau and City History
Accommodation in Szentes
Szentes can be explored through a wide range of experiences: the Kurca offers a focus on nature and recreation, while Art Nouveau buildings, churches, museums and the history of firefighting open up cultural themes. When planning your stay, consider whether you would rather focus on the landscape and leisure activities or are primarily interested in architecture and collections. The search for a holiday apartment in Szentes therefore begins with the question of what kind of stay you have in mind.
File:Szentes Attila út kerékpárút 2012-12-31.JPG
Photo: user:Beroesz via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 hu
The Kurca and Széchenyi Grove
The Kurca is a distinctive feature of the landscape. Below the mouth of the Körös, it branches off from the Tisza and winds for 15 kilometres through Szentes and its outlying districts. The river is popular with dog owners, nature photographers and people seeking relaxation, as well as those who enjoy active leisure pursuits. It therefore offers a different focus from the city’s architectural and historical themes: nature, photography, relaxation or leisure with a dog may shape your interests during your stay.
Széchenyi Grove combines a distinctive nature conservation history with various leisure facilities. In 1953, it was designated a local nature reserve by the National Nature Conservation Council. If you want to take the protected area’s status into account when finding your way around, check its current boundaries beforehand. The grove has adventure pools, slides, playgrounds and tennis courts. As the availability of visitor facilities may change, check the current situation before your visit.
Art Nouveau and City History
Szentes’ architecture offers several distinct examples of Art Nouveau. Petőfi Hotel and Vigadó, a building in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style constructed between 1897 and 1899, stands in the main square. The Reformed Church in the Felsőpárt district is also an example of turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau architecture. In St Anne’s Church, the sanctuary is decorated with an Art Nouveau mural by Endre Béla depicting the Annunciation.
On an Art Nouveau tour, you can explore the well-known Art Nouveau buildings in the city centre on foot or by bicycle; a guide is available on request. The tour gives your interest in architecture its own focus, setting it apart from a visit centred primarily on collections or the city’s history. Ask the local tourist office about current tour arrangements.
The József Koszta Museum gives visitors an overview of the Middle Ages, Ottoman rule, the Rákóczi War of Independence and Szentes’ development into a city. A dedicated room displays works by the museum’s namesake. The themes combine the city’s history with a look at its historical periods and art collection.
The permanent exhibition on the history of firefighting at the Szentes Fire Station offers another historical perspective. It presents the development of fire protection in Szentes and the surrounding area, as well as three Köhler steam fire engines and an early 20th-century water-cart pump. The 24-metre-high fire tower offers panoramic views over Szentes. Visits to the exhibition and tower must be arranged in advance.
More Unique Experiences
Beneath the dome of the thermal baths are five medicinal pools at different temperatures. If you plan to include the baths in your itinerary, check the operating details before your visit. This makes it easy to plan this activity alongside nature and culture.
Handmade Miracles is for those interested in Hungarian folk art. The private ethnographic collection includes a traditional kitchen corner, a traditional farmhouse room and painted furniture. Visits are possible by prior arrangement.
When choosing a holiday apartment in Szentes, your preferred way of spending the day is a useful first filter: the Kurca and Széchenyi Grove appeal to different interests than an Art Nouveau tour, a museum or the history of firefighting; the thermal baths offer another focus.
Discover more destinations: Nagymágocs.
Go to the main travel overview: Szentesi.
