Vac

Vac sits on the left bank of the Danube where the river turns south, an episcopal town rebuilt in the eighteenth century after the Ottoman wars, which gives it an unusually complete Baroque centre: a wide main square of painted facades, a neoclassical cathedral that was among the first of its kind in central Europe, and a stone triumphal arch, the only one in Hungary, built in 1764 for a visit by Maria Theresa that lasted a single day. A riverside promenade runs along the Danube facing the hills of the bend. In 1994 workers reopened a sealed crypt under the Dominican church and found some 260 naturally mummified bodies in painted coffins, a find of real scientific value now partly displayed.

History

Finds show settlement at Vác going back to Roman times, and it has been the seat of a Catholic bishopric since the 11th century, its bishops often serving as chancellors or becoming archbishops. The Mongols destroyed the town on 17 March 1241, after which it was rebuilt and German settlers were invited in, and in 1541 it was conquered by the Ottomans (Wikipedia, Vác).

What you'll find

• The 1764 triumphal arch - built for a royal visit of one day.
• The Baroque main square - painted facades around the town centre.
• The Danube promenade - the walk facing the bend hills.
• The mummy crypt find - the sealed Dominican vault opened in 1994.

When to go

April to October for the promenade and terraces. Half a day. Trains from Budapest are frequent. The mummy exhibition has limited opening, so check.

Before you go

The town is small and half a day covers it. The mummy display is partial and not always open. The riverside is pleasant but the town beyond the centre is ordinary. Sunday closures affect food options.

Nearby

Szentendre is downstream on the far bank; Visegrad lies north.

Key facts