Hungary, Eger

Eger is a city in northern Hungary, the county seat of Heves, east of the Mátra Mountains. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings (including the northernmost Turkish minaret), and red and white wines.

The name Eger derives from the Hungarian word égerfa (alder tree). In German, the town is known as Erlau, in Latin as Agria, in Serbian and Croatian as Jegar / Јегар or Jegra / Јегра, in Czech as Jager, in Slovak as Jáger, in Polish as Jagier, and in Turkish as Eğri.

Eger has been inhabited since the Stone Age. During the early Middle Ages the area was inhabited by German, Avar, and Slavonic tribes. The area was taken over by the Hungarians in the 10th century. St. Stephen (997–1038), the first Christian king of Hungary, founded an episcopal see in Eger.

The 14th-16th centuries were an age of prosperity for Eger. Winegrowing, for which the town is still famous, began to be important at that time.

The rule of the Turks in Central Hungary began to collapse after a failed Ottoman attempt to capture Vienna. The Vienna-based Habsburgs, who controlled the rest of Hungary, apart from Transylvania, steadily expelled the Turks out of the country.

The 19th century began with disasters: a fire that destroyed half he town in 1800, and a collapse of the south wall of the Castle in 1801, which ruined several houses.

Economic recovery was slow after World War I, although the 1899 publication of Gárdonyi's "Eclipse of the Crescent Moon" made Eger popular as a tourist attraction and archaeological excavation of the castle began.

Eger today is a prosperous city and popular tourist destination with a charming Baroque town center.

The city in the early 20th century contained 633,804 Roman Catholics, 81,217 Greek Catholics, and 503,407 others (Orthodox, Protestants and a sprinkling of Jews). The 200 Catholic parishes had 342 secular clergy and 51 religious houses.

Beside its historic sights and its thermal baths, Eger is famous for its wines. In fact, it produces both red and white wines of high quality Eger Wine Region. The famous and traditional varieties of the region are Egri Leányka, Egerszóláti Olaszrizling, Debrői Hárslevelű (whites), and Egri Bikavér (a red).