Székesfehérvár (E–F5) In the last decade of the 20th century Székesfehérvár became the most dynamically developing town in the country, where the thousand- year-old past meets with heavy industry and cutting edge technology. In the romantic alleys and hidden courtyards of the town centre, we can still find interesting places today. For example, the leather-scented workshop where horse accessories have been made since 1906, the Fekete Sas Apothecary Museum, the Doll Collection, or the new chimes made by the local clockmaker. Every hour royal figures appear from the machinery as the bells sound. Székesfehérvár, which was founded in 972 as Alba Regia, is a city of kings. It was founded by Prince Géza. The medieval basilica was the place where Hungarian kings were crowned and buried: in the main church thirty-seven Hungarian rulers were crowned and fifteen were buried, including King Stephen, who founded the state of Hungary. Of this eleventh-century basilica, which was for centuries the most important building in the country and the centre of legislation, only remnants can now be seen in the medieval garden of ruins. St. Stephen’s mausoleum, containing his decorated sarcophagus, is to be found here. The relic of the skull of the founder of the state, however, can be seen in the more modern, baroque-style cathedral.
The Holy Crown was kept in Székesfehérvár, as was the archive. The national assembly was held here. The symbol of coronation, a stone sculpture depicting the orb, which has become the symbol of Fehérvár, can be seen in one of the most elegant squares of the Baroque centre. Behind it is the Baroque town hall, dating back to the early 1600s, to which was later added the Copf style Zichy palace. The oldest intact building in the town is St. Anna’s Chapel, from the 15th century.
Another interesting point: in the 16th century a great many Racz (a Serbian minority) craftsmen settled here. Their former houses, finely restored for posterity, combine Byzantine and Rococo styles, and their church which incorporates an iconostasis, form a spectacular open-air museum. This museum, which now also contains a dairy museum and a craftsmen’s house, has been awarded the Europa Nostra prize for the commendable protection of monuments.

Velencei-tó (F5) This is the warmest lake in Europe, which in summer can reach 26–28 °C. Lake Velence, lying almost half-way between Budapest and Lake Balaton, and whose shores were trodden by the Romans, has long been surrounded by fishing villages. The yards running down to the water’s edge, the boats, and the ice pits for the storage of fish all disappeared from the villages long ago. But Lake Velencei is still one of the favourite resorts and fishing paradises in Hungary. It has an average depth of one and a half metres, so even families with small children are happy to visit. Agárd (F5), the most popular bathing resort on the lake, is a centre for water sports – surfing, and sailing. On the northern part of the lake rise the Velencei Hills, a favourite terrain for walkers.

Tác-Gorsium (E5) One of the largest open-air museums and archaeological parks in the country. The ruins of the Roman settlement were found exactly one Roman mile (1480 m) from the village of Tác. Originally a military camp stood here, then Gorsium became the religious centre of Pannonia and the venue for the provincial assemblies. Over forty years of excavations have uncovered city walls, gates, the forum, temples, shrines, baths, and palaces.

Mór (E5) The area is famous for its wine, the Móri Ezerjó. Even back in Roman times, and the Romans understood viticulture, it was known that the vale dividing the Bakony and Vértes Hills is an excellent wine-growing area. Viniculture continued after the Hungarians settled here, too. Ezerjó is one of the most characteristic old Hungarian wines of the region. The winepresses of the small town of Mór and the wine cellars are built from Vértes limestone.