William Penn Life, 2002 (37. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
2002-10-01 / 9. szám
Magyar Nyelv The City of Eger THE CITY OF EGER LIES AT THE foot of the Matra and Bukk hills, where the Great Plain meets the highland. It is a county town, one of the first episcopal seats established by St. Stephen (in 1009) and an archbishopric since 1804. On the hill above the city stood the nation's first cathedral, which-along with the episcopal fortifications-was destroyed by the Tartars in 1241. The cathedral was rebuilt in the late 13th century, but suffered damage during the Turks' siege of the city in 1552. Significant parts remained standing long after, until it was finally demolished in the late 18th century. Today, its partly restored walls bear witness to its significance in medieval times. In the Middle Ages, the city's populace was mostly Hungarian, but the 14th century saw the arrival of Walloons, Italians and Germans, who, as craftsmen and wine-growers, played a significant role in Eger's urbanization. After occupying Buda, the Turks hoped to extend their authority over this region. However, in 1552 a tiny army of soldiers, citizens and farmers from nearby villages, led by Castelian István Dobo, succeeded in forcing the more numerous and better-armed Turks to retreat. In the decades after reoccupation, Eger was reconstructed in the Baroque style that defines the atmosphere and historic treasures of the city to this day. This period saw the building of the town houses, public buildings and mansions, as well as the monasteries of various orders. The episcopal see also moved into the town. The Franciscan order returned, together with the Friars Minor and the Jesuits. A Greek Orthodox church was erected. Among the Catholic churches, the richest exterior belongs to the Church of the Friars Minor, standing on the city's main square. Ignaz Dietzenhofer, an eminent master of For those of you who do not read Hungarian, we present an Englishlanguage version of this month’s “Magyar Nyelv” feature. While not a word-for-word translation, it will give you a general understanding and appreciation of the subject discussed. Prague's rococo style, designed the building with its dynamic facade, interior murals and altar glorifying St. Anthony of Padua. When the patriarch of Venice Janos Pyrker was appointed archbishop of Eger in 1827, it was decided a new cathedral would be built. This was the age of classicism, and one of the leading exponents of the style in Hungary-Jozsef Hild-oversaw the building of the new cathedral in 1830- 37. Thanks also to Pyrker, the Venetian sculptor Marco Casagrande played a substantial role, creating many statues and reliefs. Opposite the cathedral stands the legacy of Bishop Karoly Esterhazy, the Lyceum. The edifice is richly decorated. The library is adorned by a mural depicting the Council of Trent painted by Johann Lukas Kracker in 1778. The ceremonial hall houses a fresco honoring the sciences, completed in 1783 by Franz Sigrist. Franc Anton Maulbertsch painted the chapel ceiling. A statue of Castellian István Dobo, the hero of the resistance against the Turks, stands in the main square of Eger. The castle is a national monument, together with the enclosed Gothic episcopal palace completed in 1474. The palace of Buda served as its model. According to contemporary specifications, the walls were covered with Gobelin tapestries, and the tile stoves decorated with green glass figures. In the mid-16th century, the defenders of the castle, preparing for a siege, converted the Gothic sanctuary of the cathedral into a fortified stronghold. The Turks finally occupied Eger in 1596, holding it for 91 years. Their first act was to convert the churches into mosques. Later, they constructed new mosques based on the Balkan model. The city's main mosque stood as late as 1841. Its needle-like minaret survived as a memory of the Turkish occupation. Besides its historic buildings, Eger is famed for the wines produced in the surrounding hills, which are of volcanic origin and blessed with abundant sunlight. During the Hungarian conquerors' long migration westward, they learned wine cultivation and wine-making from Turkic peoples in the Caucasians. Indeed, the Hungarian word for wine (bor) is a Turkic word, not of Latin origin as in many other languages (from the Latin vinum). In the Middles Ages, while wines were the fashion in the regions around Eger and Gyöngyös, southern Slavic peoples settling in the 15th and 16th centuries introduced black and blue grape varieties yielding red wines. One of the finest dry reds is Bull's Blood of Eger (Egri Bikaver), which is made from several grape varieties. It unites the features of kékfrankos, cabernet sauvignon, kadarka and merlot grapes. It is a sharp, full-bodied, spicy wine. One of the best places to sample Bull's Blood and the other wines of the region is at the Szepasszony-völgy cellars in Eger. The surrounding countryside has many places of interest to offer the sightseer, including fine restaurants, hotels and numerous public baths. When you are in Hungary, don't miss the opportunity to visit this beautiful and historic city. |jyp| | 16 llilliiini Pi'iin Lile, October 2002
