Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
500Ft; 9.30am-3.30pm Tue-Sun Apr-mid-Oct, 9.30am-1pm Sat & Sun mid-Oct-mid-Dec,
9.30am-1.30pm Tue-Sun Feb & Mar)
The 60,000-volume library on the 1st floor of the renovated Zopf-style Lyceum's south wing
contains hundreds of priceless manuscripts and codices. The
trompe l'oeil
ceiling fresco
(1778) depicts the Counter-Reformation's Council of Trent (1545-63), with a lightning bolt
setting heretical manuscripts ablaze. The
Astronomy Museum
(Csillagászati Múzeum;
GOOGLE MAP
; 36-520 400;
www.varazstorony.ektf.hu
; Eszterházy tér 1, 6th fl, Lyceum; adult/stu-
dent Ft1000/800)
on the 6th floor of the east wing contains 18th-century astronomical equip-
ment, an observatory and a planetarium with regularly scheduled star shows.
Climb up three more floors to the so-called Magic Tower (Varász Torony) observation
deck to try out the camera obscura, the 'eye of Eger', designed in 1776 to entertain
townspeople.
SQUARE
DOBÓ ISTVÁN TÉR
On the southern side of Eger's main square below the castle stands the
Minorite Church of
9am-5pm Tue-Sun)
, built in 1771 and, to our collective mind, probably the most beautiful
baroque building in the world. Statues of István Dobó and his comrades-in-arms routing the
Turks fill the square in front of the church. Just north of and visible from the square is the
10am-6pm Apr-Oct)
, which can be climbed via 97 narrow spiral steps.
NOTABLE BUILDING
COUNTY HALL
The tree-lined street of Kossuth Lajos utca boasts dozens of architectural gems, including
the delightful County Hall, the main door of which is crowned by a wrought-iron represent-
ation of Faith, Hope and Charity by Henrik Fazola, a Rhinelander who settled in Eger in the
mid-18th century. Walk down the passageway, and you'll see more of his magnificent work
- two baroque wrought-iron gates that have superseded the minaret as the symbol of Eger.
