Nagykanizsa accommodation, sights, events

It had been inhabited long before it was first mentioned in 1245.

It turned into a busy merchant town, first becoming the market centre of the area, then, by the end of the century, an administration and cultural centre as well. Its development was promoted by the strengthening middle-class.

After the building of the railway, it became an important junction. In 1937, it became a centre of the dynamically developing oil-industry. The past two decades have seen spectacular development with new industries introduced, businesses starting, public and private buildings constructed.

The centre of the town is Fo square /Main square/, where the markets used to be. On the southern perimeter of the square there is an 18th-century two-storey house, which was later rebuilt in classical style. At one corner there used to be a hardware shop with a sign-board showing a knight in armour. This is why it is locally called ""ironman house"". Today it houses the municipal art gallery. The sign-board has recently been replaced in its original position.

Also to be found in the square is the Town Hall sharing the same building with the court of justice and the public prosecutor's office. On the north side of the square, we can find the Turkish well, which is the exact replica of the original in the museum. According to local tradition, its stone basin came from the castle.

In the middle of Deak square there is a monument to the 1848 infantry regiment, made by Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl. A church, and a bust of Istvan Szechenyi are also to be found in the square in addition to the national flag and the statue of the ""turul"", the mythical eagle of the ancient Hungarians, renovated by the association dedicated to preservation of town's heritage. Behind the church and just a few minutes' walk away, we can reach the cultural centre, named after Sándor Hevesi, who was born in the town.

The monument erected in 1996 to commemorate the former Kanizsa castle can be found towards the country frontier, past the industrial park. The castle was originally built on an island in the marsh, but there is no visible evidence of it today. We can find the bronze bust of the famous commander, Gyorgy Thury in front of the substantial brick bastion, which resembles a castle gate house.