Győr

Coordinates: 47°41′03″N 17°38′04″E / 47.68417°N 17.63444°E / 47.68417; 17.63444

Győr
City
Coat of arms
Győr Location of Győr
Coordinates: 47°41′03″N 17°38′06″E / 47.68403°N 17.63507°E / 47.68403; 17.63507
Country	Hungary
County	Győr-Moson-Sopron
Government
• Mayor	Zsolt Borkai
Area
• City	174.61 km2 (67.42 sq mi)
Elevation	108 m (354 ft)
Population (2011)
• City	131,267
• Rank	6th
• Density	730.71/km2 (1,892.5/sq mi)
• Urban	183 407
• Metro	357 264
• Demonym	győri
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	9000 - 9030
Area code(s)	96
Website	www.gyor.hu

Győr (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈɟøːr] ( listen); German: Raab, Slovak: Ráb, names in other languages) is the most important city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron county and Western Transdanubia region, and — halfway between Budapest and Vienna — situated on one of the important roads of Central Europe. The city is the sixth largest in Hungary, and one of the seven main regional centres of the country.

History

The area along the Danube River has been inhabited by varying cultures since ancient times. The first large settlement dates back to the 5th century BCE; the inhabitants were Celts. They called the town Arrabona, a name that was used for eight centuries; its shortened form is still used as the German (Raab) and Slovak (Ráb) names of the city.

Roman merchants moved to Arrabona during the 1st century BCE. Around 10 CE, the Roman army occupied the northern part of Western Hungary, which they called Pannonia. Although the Roman Empire abandoned the area in the 4th century due to constant attacks by the tribes living to the east, the town remained inhabited.

Around 500 the territory was settled by Slavs, in 547 by the Lombards, and in 568-c.800 by the Avars, at that time under Frankish and Slavic influence. Between 880 and 894, it was part of Great Moravia, and then briefly under East Frankish dominance.

Town Hall

Széchenyi Square

Rába at Győr

The Magyars occupied the town around 900 and fortified the abandoned Roman fortress. Stephen I, the first king of Hungary, founded an episcopate there. The town received its Hungarian name Győr. The Hungarians lived in tents, later in cottages, in what is now the southeastern part of the city centre. The town was affected by all the trials and tribulations of the history of Hungary: it was occupied by Mongols during the Mongol invasion of Hungary (1241–1242) and then was destroyed by the Czech army in 1271.

After the disastrous battle of Mohács, Baron Tamás Nádasdy and Count György Cseszneky occupied the town for King Ferdinand I while John Zápolya also was attempting to annex it. During the Ottoman occupation of present-day central and eastern Hungary^[1] (1541 - late 17th century), Győr's commander Kristóf Lamberg thought it would be futile to try to defend the town from the Turkish army. He burned down the town and the Turkish forces found nothing but blackened ruins, hence the Turkish name for Győr, Yanık kale ("burnt city").

During rebuilding, the town was surrounded with a castle and a city wall, designed by the leading Italian builders of the era. The town changed in character during these years, with many new buildings built in Renaissance style, but the main square and the grid of streets remained.

In 1594, after the death of Count János Cseszneky, captain of Hungarian foot-soldiers, the Ottoman army occupied the castle and the town. In 1598 the Hungarian and Austrian army took control of it again and occupied it. During the Turkish occupation the city was called Yanık.

In 1683, the Turks returned briefly, only to leave after being defeated in the Battle of Vienna.

During the following centuries, the town became prosperous. In 1743 Győr was elevated to free royal town status by Maria Theresa. The religious orders of Jesuits and Carmelites) settled there, building schools, churches, a hospital and a monastery.

In June 14, 1809, this was the site of the Battle of Győr (Battle of Raab), where the Grand Armee of Napoleon defeated the Hungarian noble rebels and Austrian corps. Napoleon occupied the castle and had some of its walls blown up. The leaders of the town soon realized that the old ramparts were not useful any more. Most of the ramparts were destroyed, allowing the town to expand.

In the mid-19th century, Győr's role in trade grew as steamship traffic on the River Danube began. The town lost its importance in trade when the railway line between Budapest and Kanizsa superseded river traffic after 1861. The town leaders compensated for this loss with industrialisation. The town prospered till World War II but, during the war, several buildings were destroyed.

During World War II, after the Nazis took control in Hungary, they organized the deportation of the Jews. They comprised 12.6% of the Győr population according to the 1910 census. On May 13, 1944, the Nazis ordered them into a ghetto. Two trains were loaded to transport the Jews of the town and the neighboring villages to Auschwitz on June 11 and on June 14. Altogether, 5,635 people were deported on these two days. Nearly all were killed in the extermination camp or along the way. Some exempted Jews were left behind, but they were massacred on March 26, 1945, just hours before liberation by the Allies.

The 1950s and 60s brought more change: only big blocks of flats were built, and the old historical buildings were not given care or attention. In the 1970s the reconstruction of the city centre began; old buildings were restored and reconstructed. In 1989 Győr won the European award for the protection of monuments.^{[citation needed]}

A 100-year-old Raba factory on the River Danube close to the historical centre is to be replaced by a new community called Városrét. The mixed-use community will have residential and commercial space as well as schools, clinics and parks.

The city's main theatre is the National Theatre of Győr, finished in 1978. It features large ceramic ornaments made by Victor Vasarely.

The city has several historical documents, for example the castle, and the Lutheran Evangelic church.

Climate

Main sights

The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops, can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the 15th-century Gothic Dóczy Chapel. The Cathedral, originally in Romanesque style, was rebuilt in Gothic and Baroque style.

Other sights include:

• Town Hall
• Benedictine church of St. Ignatius of Loyola
• Carmelite church
• Museum of Roman Archaeology

The Pannonhalma Archabbey is located some 20 kilometres (12 miles) outside the town.

Economy

Audi AG subsidiary company Audi Hungaria Motor Kft. has a large factory in Győr, where the Audi TT sports car, the A3 Cabriolet,^[2] A3 Limousine^[3] and many engines (1,913,053 engines in 2007) are built. The factory opened in 1994, at first producing inline-four engines for the Audi marque. Business then grew to assembling the Audi TT Coupé and TT Roadster. Eventually, V6 and V8 engines were also included, and after the acquisition of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., Audi then began to build V10 engines. The V10s for Audi vehicles are fully assembled here, but only the cylinder blocks for the Lamborghini V10.^[4] Engines are also supplied to other Volkswagen Group marques, but over 90% of Audi vehicle engines are made here.^[5]

Notable people

Ladislaus I of Hungary

Sports

Győr is the home of the Győri ETO Sport Club, which has many sport divisions. The most popular sport in the city is handball, with the Győri ETO KC being the city's main team. Győri ETO FC is a football team.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Győr is twinned with:^[6][7]

City	Region	Country
Kuopio	Northern Savonia	Finland
Erfurt	Thuringia	Germany
Sindelfingen	Baden-Württemberg	Germany
Ingolstadt	Bavaria	Germany
Colmar	Alsace	France
Bryansk	Bryansk Oblast	Russia
Braşov	Braşov County	Romania
Nazareth Illit	North District	Israel
Wuhan	Hubei	China
Poznań	Greater Poland Voivodeship	Poland[8]
Montevideo	Montevideo Department	Uruguay

Trivia

In December 2011, the composer Andi Coryn released a song named "Győr."^[9]

References

Notes

External links

• Official site (English) (Hungarian) (German)
• Győr travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Aerial photography: Győr
• Aerial view of Gyor by Volkan Yuksel
• Győr at funiq.hu (English)

v t e Győr-Moson-Sopron County County seat: Győr Cities and towns Sopron Mosonmagyaróvár Csorna Kapuvár Jánossomorja Tét Pannonhalma Fertőszentmiklós Fertőd Beled Villages Abda Acsalag Ágfalva Agyagosszergény Árpás Ásványráró Babót Bágyogszovát Bakonygyirót Bakonypéterd Bakonyszentlászló Barbacs Bezenye Bezi Bodonhely Bogyoszló Börcs Bőny Bősárkány Cakóháza Cirák Csáfordjánosfa Csapod Csér Csikvánd Darnózseli Dunakiliti Dunaremete Dunaszeg Dunaszentpál Dunasziget Dénesfa Dör Ebergőc Écs Edve Egyed Egyházasfalu Enese Farád Fehértó Feketeerdő Felpéc Fenyőfő Fertőboz Fertőendréd Fertőhomok Fertőrákos Fertőszéplak Gyalóka Gyarmat Gyömöre Győrasszonyfa Győrság Gyóró Győrladamér Győrszemere Győrsövényház Győrzámoly Győrújbarát Győrújfalu Gönyű Halászi Harka Hegyeshalom Hegykő Hidegség Himod Hédervár Hövej Ikrény Iván Jobaháza Kajárpéc Kimle Kisbabot Kisbajcs Kisbodak Kisfalud Koroncó Kunsziget Károlyháza Kóny Kópháza Lázi Levél Lipót Lébény Lövő Maglóca Magyarkeresztúr Máriakálnok Markotabödöge Mecsér Mérges Mezőörs Mihályi Mosonszentmiklós Mosonszolnok Mórichida Nagybajcs Nagycenk Nagylózs Nagyszentjános Nemeskér Nyalka Nyúl Osli Öttevény Pereszteg Petőháza Pinnye Potyond Pusztacsalád Páli Pásztori Pázmándfalu Pér Püski Rábacsanak Rajka Ravazd Répceszemere Répcevis Röjtökmuzsaj Románd Rábacsécsény Rábakecöl Rábapatona Rábapordány Rábasebes Rábaszentandrás Rábaszentmihály Rábaszentmiklós Rábatamási Rábcakapi Rétalap Sarród Sikátor Sobor Sokorópátka Sopronhorpács Sopronkövesd Sopronkőhida Sopronnémeti Szakony Szany Szerecseny Szil Szilsárkány Szárföld Táp Tápszentmiklós Tarjánpuszta Tényő Tárnokréti Töltéstava Újkér Újrónafő Und Vadosfa Vág Várbalog Veszkény Veszprémvarsány Vitnyéd Völcsej Vámosszabadi Vásárosfalu Vének Zsebeháza Zsira Other topics History Geography Government Economy Culture Tourism

v t e Counties of Hungary Counties Bács-Kiskun Baranya Békés Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Csongrád Fejér Győr-Moson-Sopron Hajdú-Bihar Heves Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Komárom-Esztergom Nógrád Pest Somogy Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg Tolna Vas Veszprém Zala Urban counties Békéscsaba Budapest (capital) Debrecen Dunaújváros Eger Érd Győr Hódmezővásárhely Kaposvár Kecskemét Miskolc Nagykanizsa Nyíregyháza Pécs Salgótarján Sopron Szeged Székesfehérvár Szekszárd Szolnok Szombathely Tatabánya Veszprém Zalaegerszeg

v t e The Danube Countries Germany Austria Slovakia Hungary Croatia Serbia Bulgaria Romania Moldova Ukraine Cities Ulm Ingolstadt Regensburg Passau Linz Vienna Bratislava Győr Budapest Novi Sad Belgrade Ruse Brăila Galați Izmail Tulcea Tributaries Iller Lech Regen Isar Inn Morava Váh Hron Ipeľ Drava Tisza/Tisa Sava Timiș/Tamiš Great Morava Timok Jiu Iskar Olt Osam Yantra Vedea Argeș Ialomița Siret Prut Islands Ada Kaleh (currently submerged) Balta Ialomiţei Belene Island Csepel Island Donauinsel Dranova Island Great Brăila Island Great War Island Island of Vukovar Island of Šarengrad Kozloduy Island Maican Island Margaret Island (Margit-sziget) Ostrovul Ciocăneşti Ostrovul Mare, Islaz Ostrvo (Kostolac) Sfântu Gheorghe Island Vardim Island Žitný ostrov List of crossings

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