Vác

Infobox Settlement

---

image_caption = Vác Cathedral
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = HUN
timezone=CET
utc_offset=+1
timezone_DST=CEST
utc_offset_DST=+2
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position =
pushpin_map_caption =Location of Vác
pushpin_mapsize =

official_name=Vác


subdivision_type1=County
subdivision_name1=Pest
area_total_km2=61.63
population_total=33223
population_as_of=2008
population_density_km2=539
postal_code_type=Postal code
postal_code=2600
area_code=27
latd=47.77518
longd=19.13102

Vác (pronounced|ˈvaːts, approximately "vats"), ( _sk. Vacov, _de. Waitzen, _la. Vacium) is a city in Pest county in Hungary with approximately 33,000 inhabitants. The town is occasionally known in Hungarian by the archaic names "Vacz" and "Vacs".

Location

Vác is located 34 kilometres north of Budapest on the left bank of the Danube river where it bends to begin its southern route. The town is seated at the foot of the Naszály Mountain on the outskirts of the Carpathians.

Modern Vác

Vác is a commercial center as well as a popular summer resort for citizens of Budapest. The cathedral, built 1761–1777, was modelled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The episcopal palace houses a museum for Roman and medieval artifacts. The city is also known for its 18th century arch of triumph and for its beautiful baroque city center.

History

Settlement in Vác dating as far back as the Roman Empire has been found.

Bishops from the diocese were influential within the Kingdom of Hungary, with many serving as chancellors or later becoming archbishops.

The town was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1541. During the Habsburg Monarchy's wars against the Ottomans, the Austrians won victories against the Turks at Vác in 1597 and 1684.

See also:
*Bishopric of Vác

Demographics

Ethnicity

* Hungarians : 94.9%
* Gipsies : 1.3%
* Germans : 0.5%
* Romanians : 0.1%
* Slovaks : 0.5%
* Ukrainians : 0.1%
*Other/Undeclared: 4.5%

Religious denomination

*Roman Catholic: 59.4%
*Greek Catholic: 0.7%
*Calvinist: 9.3%
*Lutheran: 3.1%
*Other denomination: 1.4%
*Non-religious: 14.4%
*Undeclared: 11.5%

According to the 1910 census,the religious make-up of thetown was the following:

*Roman Catholic: 76.3%
*Jewish: 11.2%
*Calvinist: 8.3%
*Lutheran: 2.8%
*Other denomination: 1.4%

Gallery

Twin towns

Vác is a twinned with:
*flagicon|France - Deuil-la-Barre, Val-d'Oise, France
*flagicon|Germany - Donaueschingen Baden-Württemberg, Germany
*flagicon|Slovakia - Dubnica nad Váhom, Trenčín Region, Slovakia
*flagicon|Israel - Giv'atayim, Tel Aviv District, Israel
*flagicon|Finland - Järvenpää, Southern Finland
*flagicon|Romania - Odorheiu Secuiesc, Harghita, Romania
*flagicon|Slovakia - Šahy, Nitra Region, Slovakia

ources and external links

* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15525b.htm]
* [http://www.vac.hu Official website of town]
* [http://www.vaconline.hu/ The newsportal]
* [http://www.vac.hu/index.php?page=webkamera Live webcam from the square (The yellow building in the background is the town hall)]
* [http://www.terkepcentrum.hu/index.asp?go=map&mid=13&tid=24934 Map of Vác]
* [http://www.terkepcentrum.hu/index.asp?go=mapeu&rid=0&lx=0&ly=0&nz=2&z=500.0&cx=19.13724&cy=47.77641 Map of the surrounding area]
* [http://www.muzeum.vac.hu/ Tragor Ignác Museum of Vác]
* [http://mimk.vac.hu/mimk/ The House of Culture]
* [http://www.klvk.vac.hu/ Katona Lajos Town Library]
* [http://www.civertan.hu/legifoto/legifoto.php?page_level=802 Aerial photographs: Vác]
*