16km (10mi.) beyond Aszód lies Hatvan, an important traffic hub in the foothills of the Mátra Mountains and extending to both sides of the River Zagyva. Its 25,000 inhabitants are engaged mainly in the food industry, especially in sugar refineries and canning factories.
As well as having a stately home in Gödöllo the Grassalkovich family also
built a fine Baroque palace in 1754-63 a short distance away in Hatvan; with its U-shaped ground plan and domed central ressaut, it was the family's favorite style of residence. Situated on the Hatvan through-road, at Kossuth tér 18, the building has been sadly neglected and can be viewed only from the outside.
The onion tower with its clock and the architrave above the main entrance are features of the 1757 Baroque Catholic Church on Kossuth tér. The pulpit, altars and stalls are also Baroque in style.
In 1974 the newly-built Hatvan Thermal Baths, surrounded by a park, were officially opened. The water is at a temperature of 40°C (104°F) and is said to benefit diseases of the digestive organs as well as joint problems.
It is worthwhile making a small detour to see the Baroque palace of the Counts of Teleki-Degenfeld, which is about 30km (19mi.) northwest of Hatvan in the southern foothills of the Cserhát Mountains. It is now a hotel.