Pápa
Encyclopedia
Pápa is a historical city
in Veszprém county, Hungary
, located close to the northern edge of the Bakony
Hills, and noted for its baroque
architecture. With its 33,000 inhabitants, it is the cultural, economic and tourism centre of the region.
Pápa is one of the centres of the Reformed faith in Transdanubia
, as the existence of numerous ecclesiastical heritage sites and museums suggest. Due to the multitude of heritage buildings the centre of the town is now protected.
Pápa has a large historical centre, with renovated old burgher's houses, cafes, and museums, including the Blue-Dyeing Museum (Kékfestő Múzeum), set up in a former factory which produced clothes and other textiles dyed with indigo blue under a unique method.
The town is also noted for its thermal baths, particularly a newly constructed swimming complex, the Esterházy family's palace, its grand Roman Catholic church, and Calvinist secondary school; the town is an important religious centre. It also boasts a large park near the centre of town.
The town has been the main center of trade in the wines of the Somló wine region
. Pápa was an administrative regional capital from 1945 to 1983.
On 18 November 2007, Pápa Air Base was selected to host three NATO C-17 Globemaster III
transport aircraft of the future Heavy Airlift Wing
which was activated in 2009.
The town evolved from the 11 villages that occupied the current territory of the town during the Middle Ages
. Large landowning families and various religious orders played an important role in the development of Pápa as a city: the Franciscans settled here in 1475 and the Paulines in 1638.
In the late Middle Ages
it was the most important centre of Protestantism
in Transdanubia
. Reform doctrines swept in at the start of the Reformation
. The first Hungarian translation of the Catechism of Heidelberg
was printed in 1577. Thus, after Sopron
and Sárvár, this town became the third most important centre of Protestantism in Transdanubia.
A Reformed Church school operated here as early as in 1531, which was later expanded with a faculty of theology
and an academy of law. The castle of Pápa already stood in the 15th century, and in Turkish times it became part of the system of border fortresses.
Construction of the current town centre began in the late 18th century, when it looked surprisingly similar to how it does today, hence its heritage protection status. The castle was converted into a palace, the lake that used to protect the castle from the east was drained, and a monumental church was built on the main square.
Jews
were permitted to settle in 1748, which helped Pápa to grow into a regional trade centre. By the 19th century, Hungary's third most significant Jewish community had gathered and the third largest synagogue
was built here in 1846.
Between 1929 and 1945 Pápa was a county town and from 1945 to 1983 a district town. The Jewish population, numbering about 2500 people before the Second World War, was almost completely exterminated during the Holocaust, very few of its members surviving. World War II
caused immeasurable losses to the city as a whole. The palace and the synagogue
were severely damaged, the archives were destroyed.
A symbol of the town is the Great Church in the Main square, which was built according to the plans of Jakab Fellner
between 1774 and 1786. It was decorated with frescoes by Franz Anton Maulbertsch
.
The 'white church' in the Main street built by the Paulites, later home of the Benedictine
order, was completed by 1744. Its furnishing is valuable decorated with unique wood-carving. The 17th century so called Black Christ can be found in its parvis.
The Franciscan church is in Barát street, it was built between 1678 and 1680. Pápa has been the centre of the Transdanubian Reformed Church, whose famous college was founded in 1531. Its spirituality has had a significant role in the life of the town since then.
The population is largely descendants of German settlers, who came here mostly in the 18th century.
Pápa is considered to be a school town. The present building of the college was built between 1895 and 1899. Today a secondary school of six and four classes and the Pápa Reformed Collection (library, archives, museum) can be found there.
The Old college is in Petőfi Sándor street, beside it there is a plaque on the house where Sándor Petőfi, Hungary's National Poet, at one time dwelt.
The Calvinist old church houses the permanent exhibition of the Museum of Religious Art.
The famous Museum of Blue-dyeing is opposite the Calvinist College. The blue-dyeing workshop of the Kluge family was one of the most significant in Central Europe. It was active until 1956, its original furnishings and equipment can be seen even today.
Next to the hospital one can find the Gránátalma (pomegranate) Pharmacy, which is also a pharmacy
museum.
In the town and in the town centre one can find several other important buildings, declared to monuments and restored to their original forms.
Another important building of the Main square is the building complex of the Esterházy-mansion, the park of which is a nature conservation area.
The reading hall of the library in the mansion was awarded the Europa Nostra
-prize after the restoration of the former mansion chapel. The frescoes on the ceiling are especially valuable.
The restoration of the baroque
mansion started in 2000 and works are still underway. Apart from the baroque mansion and the Great Church in the Main square, the town is also proud of its baroque
dwelling houses. In the historical part of the town there is a considerable number of monuments and locally protected buildings.
with:
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Veszprém county, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, located close to the northern edge of the Bakony
Bakony
Bakony is a mountainous region in Transdanubia, Hungary. It forms the largest part of the Transdanubian Mountains. It is located north of Lake Balaton and lies almost entirely in Veszprém county....
Hills, and noted for its baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
architecture. With its 33,000 inhabitants, it is the cultural, economic and tourism centre of the region.
Pápa is one of the centres of the Reformed faith in Transdanubia
Transdanubia
Transdanubia is a traditional region of Hungary.-Traditional interpretation:The borders of Transdanubia are the Danube river , the Drava and Mura rivers and the foothills of the Alps roughly along the border between Hungary and Austria .Transdanubia comprises the counties of Győr-Moson-Sopron,...
, as the existence of numerous ecclesiastical heritage sites and museums suggest. Due to the multitude of heritage buildings the centre of the town is now protected.
Pápa has a large historical centre, with renovated old burgher's houses, cafes, and museums, including the Blue-Dyeing Museum (Kékfestő Múzeum), set up in a former factory which produced clothes and other textiles dyed with indigo blue under a unique method.
The town is also noted for its thermal baths, particularly a newly constructed swimming complex, the Esterházy family's palace, its grand Roman Catholic church, and Calvinist secondary school; the town is an important religious centre. It also boasts a large park near the centre of town.
The town has been the main center of trade in the wines of the Somló wine region
Somló
thumb|250px|Somló Hill, HungarySomló is a 832 hectare wine region in the Veszprém and Vas counties, in the North-West of Hungary...
. Pápa was an administrative regional capital from 1945 to 1983.
On 18 November 2007, Pápa Air Base was selected to host three NATO C-17 Globemaster III
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
transport aircraft of the future Heavy Airlift Wing
Heavy Airlift Wing
The Heavy Airlift Wing is a multinational military airlift organization based at Pápa Air Base, Hungary. It was officially activated on July 27, 2009 as part the Strategic Airlift Capability consortium. The consortium purchased and operates three C-17 Globemaster III aircraft that fly under the...
which was activated in 2009.
History
Pápa is a historic town first mentioned in records in 1061. Its importance and development is proved by the fact that in the 14th century the town was given civic privileges and at the beginning of the next century it became a market-town.The town evolved from the 11 villages that occupied the current territory of the town during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Large landowning families and various religious orders played an important role in the development of Pápa as a city: the Franciscans settled here in 1475 and the Paulines in 1638.
In the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
it was the most important centre of Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
in Transdanubia
Transdanubia
Transdanubia is a traditional region of Hungary.-Traditional interpretation:The borders of Transdanubia are the Danube river , the Drava and Mura rivers and the foothills of the Alps roughly along the border between Hungary and Austria .Transdanubia comprises the counties of Győr-Moson-Sopron,...
. Reform doctrines swept in at the start of the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. The first Hungarian translation of the Catechism of Heidelberg
Heidelberg Catechism
The Heidelberg Catechism is a Protestant confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine...
was printed in 1577. Thus, after Sopron
Sopron
In 1910 Sopron had 33,932 inhabitants . Religions: 64.1% Roman Catholic, 27.8% Lutheran, 6.6% Jewish, 1.2% Calvinist, 0.3% other. In 2001 the city had 56,125 inhabitants...
and Sárvár, this town became the third most important centre of Protestantism in Transdanubia.
A Reformed Church school operated here as early as in 1531, which was later expanded with a faculty of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and an academy of law. The castle of Pápa already stood in the 15th century, and in Turkish times it became part of the system of border fortresses.
Construction of the current town centre began in the late 18th century, when it looked surprisingly similar to how it does today, hence its heritage protection status. The castle was converted into a palace, the lake that used to protect the castle from the east was drained, and a monumental church was built on the main square.
Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
were permitted to settle in 1748, which helped Pápa to grow into a regional trade centre. By the 19th century, Hungary's third most significant Jewish community had gathered and the third largest synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
was built here in 1846.
Between 1929 and 1945 Pápa was a county town and from 1945 to 1983 a district town. The Jewish population, numbering about 2500 people before the Second World War, was almost completely exterminated during the Holocaust, very few of its members surviving. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
caused immeasurable losses to the city as a whole. The palace and the synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
were severely damaged, the archives were destroyed.
Main Historical Buildings
Pápa won the János Hild memorial medal in 1989 for restoration work creating a beautiful townscape in the town. After the change of the system the Reform church and educational traditions were reawakened: a new grammar school was built, the Reformed College recommenced its activities and higher education began once again.A symbol of the town is the Great Church in the Main square, which was built according to the plans of Jakab Fellner
Jakab Fellner
Jakab Fellner was the most important Baroque architect of his generation in Hungary.-Life:...
between 1774 and 1786. It was decorated with frescoes by Franz Anton Maulbertsch
Franz Anton Maulbertsch
Franz Anton Maulbertsch was an Austrian painter and engraver, one of the most renowned exponents of roccoco painting in the German region....
.
The 'white church' in the Main street built by the Paulites, later home of the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
order, was completed by 1744. Its furnishing is valuable decorated with unique wood-carving. The 17th century so called Black Christ can be found in its parvis.
The Franciscan church is in Barát street, it was built between 1678 and 1680. Pápa has been the centre of the Transdanubian Reformed Church, whose famous college was founded in 1531. Its spirituality has had a significant role in the life of the town since then.
The population is largely descendants of German settlers, who came here mostly in the 18th century.
Pápa is considered to be a school town. The present building of the college was built between 1895 and 1899. Today a secondary school of six and four classes and the Pápa Reformed Collection (library, archives, museum) can be found there.
The Old college is in Petőfi Sándor street, beside it there is a plaque on the house where Sándor Petőfi, Hungary's National Poet, at one time dwelt.
The Calvinist old church houses the permanent exhibition of the Museum of Religious Art.
The famous Museum of Blue-dyeing is opposite the Calvinist College. The blue-dyeing workshop of the Kluge family was one of the most significant in Central Europe. It was active until 1956, its original furnishings and equipment can be seen even today.
Next to the hospital one can find the Gránátalma (pomegranate) Pharmacy, which is also a pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
museum.
In the town and in the town centre one can find several other important buildings, declared to monuments and restored to their original forms.
Another important building of the Main square is the building complex of the Esterházy-mansion, the park of which is a nature conservation area.
The reading hall of the library in the mansion was awarded the Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra, the pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage, is the representative platform of 250 heritage NGOs active in 45 countries across Europe...
-prize after the restoration of the former mansion chapel. The frescoes on the ceiling are especially valuable.
The restoration of the baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
mansion started in 2000 and works are still underway. Apart from the baroque mansion and the Great Church in the Main square, the town is also proud of its baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
dwelling houses. In the historical part of the town there is a considerable number of monuments and locally protected buildings.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Pápa is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
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Notable people from Pápa
- Ferenc GyurcsányFerenc GyurcsányFerenc Gyurcsány is a Hungarian politician. He was the sixth Prime Minister of Hungary from 2004 to 2009.He was nominated to take that position on 25 August 2004 by the Hungarian Socialist Party , after Péter Medgyessy resigned due to a conflict with the Socialist Party's coalition partner...
, Hungarian PM - Fülöp Ö. BeckFülöp Ö. BeckBeck Ö. Fülöp was a Hungarian sculptor noted for his medal sculptures of Endre Ady, Sándor Petõfi, Ferenc Liszt, Mihály Babits and Kelemen Mikes creating over 500 in his career...
(1873–1945), sculptor - Rabbi Joseph BreuerJoseph BreuerJoseph Breuer was a rabbi and community leader in Germany and the United States. He was a Rabbi of one of the large Jewish synagogues founded by German-Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi oppression that had settled in Washington Heights, New York....
- Rabbi Isaac BreuerIsaac BreuerIsaac Breuer was a rabbi in the German Neo-Orthodoxy movement of his maternal grandfather Samson Raphael Hirsch, and was the first president of Agudat Israel Workers.- Biography :...
, Hungarian-Jewish philosopher - Greenwald family of Pupa hasidimPuppa (Hasidic dynasty)Puppa is the name of a Hasidic dynasty within Judaism. The dynasty is named after the town of its origin , also known in Hungarian as Pápa. Before World War II, Puppa had an important yeshiva which produced many well-known Orthodox rabbis in Hungary. The whole community was deported to Auschwitz...
- Johann von Zimmermann (de)
- Rabbi Jacob HoffmanRabbi Jacob HoffmanJacob Hoffman was born in Pápa, Hungary, in 1881. Hoffman studied in traditional Hungarian yeshivot and was ordained by, among others, Rabbi Simcha Bunem Sofer, who headed the yeshivah in Pressburg founded by the Chatam Sofer....
- Ignác Bárány, father of Róbert BárányRobert BárányRobert Bárány was a Austro-Hungarian otologist. For his work on the physiology and pathology of the vestibular apparatus of the ear he received the 1914 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.- Biography :...
, Austro-Hungarian Nobel Prize winner 1914 in medicine