Central Transdanubia is located west of Budapest and north of Lake Balaton. The region offers recreational opportunities, centuries-old monuments and archaeological sites, as well as historical and architectural landmarks.
This little township, Martonvásár, lies 32km (20mi.) west of Budapest in the lowlands between the Buda Mountains and the range of hills near Velence.
Martonvásár became well-known through Europe as the home of the musical Brunswick family. Ludwig van Beethoven was a regular visitor to the Brunswick mansion. The manion now houses a museum dedicated to him.
In well-tended parkland reminiscent of English landscaped gardens stands the palace which was built in 1775 for the Brunswick family and is now the home of an agricultural research institute. In 1875 it was renovated in English Neo-Gothic style. Countess Theresa Brunswick (1775-1861), who is buried in the crypt of the palace church, was an advocate of the teachings of Pestalozzi and in 1821 she founded the first Hungarian kindergarten school. However, Martonvásár became famous mainly through Ludwig van Beethoven, a friend of Count Franz Brunswick who often stayed at the palace. Josephine Brunswick, sister of Countess Theresa, was probably the "immortal beloved" to whom the composer wrote those enigmatic love-letters which he never posted. As the letters contained neither name nor date, historians can only speculate on the identity of the lady to whom they were addressed. It is thought that during one of his many visits to the palace Beethoven composed parts of the famous "Appassionata" piano sonata, which was dedicated to his host's family, and probably also the "Moonlight Sonata".
There is a small Beethoven Museum in the palace, and in summer concerts of his music are performed in the park.
After 2km (1 mi) is the turning for Majk Puszta where in the 18th C Kamadulens monks retreated to a hermit-like existence. A Baroque monastery was built and renowned architects such as Franz Anton Pilgram and Jakob Fellner were engaged in its construction and furnishing. The monastery consists of a main building (now a conference center) and 17 hermits' cells. Only the tower (end of 18th C) remains of the church.
On the road to Tatabány, 5km (3mi.) south of Tata on road 100, evidence of primitive man, who lived here about 500,000 years ago, was discovered in the 1960s. In the open-air museum bones and everyday objects of this culture are on display.
A short detour from Tatabánya into the Vértes Hills is recommended. From Oroszlány, about 15km (9mi.) southwest of Tatabánya, the road leads to Csákvar (former castle of the Eszterházys from 1823; today a sanatorium) through wooded hills.
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Szekesfehervar
Old Castle, Tata
Szekesfehervar
Tata
Old Castle, Tata
