| Veszprém | |
| Settlement Type: | City with county rights |
| Nickname: | City of Queens |
| Named For: | Bezprym of Poland |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Central Transdanubia |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Veszprém |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Veszprém |
| Established Title1: | Established |
| Established Date1: | 9th century AD |
| Established Title2: | City status |
| Established Date2: | 1870 |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Pushpin Map: | Hungary Veszprém#Hungary |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Gyula Porga (Fidesz - KDNP) |
| Leader Title1: | Deputy Mayor |
| Leader Title2: | Town Notary |
| Leader Name2: | Dr Gábor Mohos |
| Area Total Km2: | 126.93 |
| Elevation M: | 266 |
| Population Total: | 56,927[1] |
| Population Rank: | 16th |
| Population As Of: | January 1, 2017 |
| Population Urban: | 133,880 (13th)[2] |
| Population Density Km2: | 448.49 |
| Population Demonym: | veszprémi |
| Demographics Type1: | Population by ethnicity |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [3] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Hungarians |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 83.9% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Germans |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 2.4% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Gypsies |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.7% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | Romanians |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Serbs |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title6: | Slovaks |
| Demographics1 Info6: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title7: | Armenians |
| Demographics1 Info7: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title8: | Bulgarians |
| Demographics1 Info8: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title9: | Polish |
| Demographics1 Info9: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title10: | Ukrainians |
| Demographics1 Info10: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title11: | Others |
| Demographics1 Info11: | 1.5%--> |
| Demographics Type2: | Population by religion |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Roman Catholic |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 38.9% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Greek Catholic |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 0.3% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Calvinists |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 7.0% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Lutherans |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 2.1% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 1.4% |
| Demographics2 Title6: | Non-religious |
| Demographics2 Info6: | 20.6% |
| Demographics2 Title7: | Unknown |
| Demographics2 Info7: | 29.6% |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 8200 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | (+36) 88 |
| Coordinates: | 47.093°N 17.9138°W |
| Blank6 Name Sec1: | Airport |
| Blank6 Info Sec1: | Veszprém |
| Blank2 Name: | Distance from Budapest |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | HU213 |
| Blank3 Name Sec2: | MP |
| Blank3 Info Sec2: | Péter Ovádi (Fidesz) |
Veszprém (in Hungarian pronounced as /ˈvɛspreːm/; German: Weißbrünn, Czech: Bezpřím, Slovak: Bezprím, Slovenian: Belomost) is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately 150NaN0 north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county of the same name.
The city's name derives from the West Slavic-language personal name Bezprem or Bezprym (Proto-Slavic Bezprěmъ) which translates literally to "stubborn", "self-confident, not willing to retreat".[4] Besprem (before 1002), Vezprem (1086), Bezpremensis (1109).[4] The form Vezprem originates in early medieval scribal habits and frequent exchange of B and V under the influence of the Greek language.[4]
The city was named either after a chieftain, or the son of Judith of Hungary, who settled here after her husband Boleslaus I of Poland expelled her and her son.
The city can be reached via the M7 highway and Road 8. It can also be reached from Győr via Road 82 and from Székesfehérvár via Road 8.
According to legend, Veszprém was founded on seven hills. The seven hills are Várhegy (Castle Hill), Benedek-hegy (St. Benedict Hill), Jeruzsálem-hegy (Jerusalem Hill), Temetőhegy (Cemetery Hill), Gulyadomb (Herd Hill), Kálvária-domb (Calvary Hill), and Cserhát.
Anonymus Belæ Regis Notarius (the anonymous notary of King Béla III) wrote that a castle already stood here when the Hungarians first occupied the area. The castle was probably a 9th-century Frankish fortress. The castles of Veszprém, Esztergom and Székesfehérvár, were the earliest Hungarian stone castles, which had already been built during the reign of High Prince Géza, a time when motte castles were much more common.
Veszprém had an important religious role during the struggle to make Christianity the official religion of Hungary - Stephen I of Hungary defeated the armies of his chief opponent, Koppány, near Veszprém. The city became the first episcopal seat of Hungary in 1009 and an archiepiscopal seat in 1993. Comitatus Veszprém was one of the earliest historical counties of Hungary.
Veszprém was the favorite city of Queen Gisela, the wife of St. Stephen. For centuries, the queens of Hungary were crowned by the bishop of Veszprém. The city is still often called "the city of queens". In the year 1294 Queen Fenenna confirmed that, at that time, the former Queen Elizabeth had the privilege to collect the donations of the church in the Veszprém County.
Veszprém was among the first Hungarian cities to have a university - students studied law and arts here for several centuries. The university was destroyed by fire in 1276, when Peter I Csák invaded and devastated the Diocese of Veszprém. Veszprém became a university town again in the 20th century.
Veszprém changed hands between Austrians and Ottomans until 1684 after the Battle of Mohács in 1526. It was known as 'Pespirim' and was a sanjak centre in Budin Province during Ottoman rule.
The town was plundered by the Turks in 1552, but they could not maintain occupation: the region north of Lake Balaton remained in the Kingdom of Hungary (1538–1867) (captaincy between Balaton and Drava). The castle was demolished in 1706. Until 1918, VESZPRIM (also named WESZPRIM and WESPRIM near 1850, and WEISSBRUNN in German) was part of the Austrian monarchy/Austria-Hungary, Kingdom of Hungary;[5] in Transleithania after the compromise of 1867 in the Kingdom of Hungary. Between 16 August and 4 October 1919, Romanian troops occupied the city under colonel Constantin Neagu and major Alexander Totescu.[6]
During World War II, Veszprém was captured by Soviet troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front on 23 March 1945 in the course of the Vienna Offensive.
The Hungarian automotive plastic spare parts manufacturer Videoton Plastic[7] (part of Videoton), the Hungarian kiosk manufacturer Kiosksystems,[8] the Hungarian shutter manufacturer Roll-Lux,[9] the Hungarian label manufacturer Imprenta,[10] the Hungarian tool manufacturer Solidsteel,[11] the Hungarian technical ceramics manufacturer Bakony Ipari Kerámia,[12] the Hungarian furniture manufacturer Balaton Bútor,[13] the Hungarian machine manufacturer Flexmont,[14] the Hungarian watermanagement company PureAqua,[15] the Hungarian automotive spare parts manufacturer Win-Pres,[16] the Hungarian construction company VEMÉVSZER,[17] the Hungarian metal manufacturer Ferro-Trio,[18] the Hungarian OOK Printhouse,[19] the Hungarian toolmanufacturer Plasticor,[20] the Hungarian machine manufacturer Transmoduls,[21] the Hungarian Prospektus Printhouse[22] have both their headquarters and main production facilities in Veszprém.
The French pharmaceutical company Citoxlab,[23] the Austrian plaster manufacturer Lasselsberger-Knauf,[24] the Swiss electric motor manufacturer Maxon Motor,[25] the Austrian tile manufacturer Bramac,[26] the French automotive spare parts manufacturer Valeo,[27] the German electromagnetical controlsystems manufacturer nass magnet,[28] the German automotive spare parts manufacturer Continental AG,[29] the German automotive spare parts manufacturer Thun,[30] the German sensor manufacturer Pepperl+Fuchs,[31] the Austrian chimney and ventilation system manufacturer Schiedel,[32] the American power supply security company CoreComm,[33] the German sensor manufacturer Balluff,[34] the German automotive spare parts manufacturer Jost,[35] the German health devices manufacturer Beurer,[36] the British-Dutch food producer Unilever[37] and the Hungarian dairy product manufacturer Pannontej[38] operate production plants in the city.
The Dutch General Logistics Systems,[39] the Hungarian Magyar Posta, the German Penny Market,[40] the Hungarian Locargo[41] and the Austrian Persped[42] have logistics centres there.
The Hungarian owned Vöröskő electrical retailer (holder of the brand Euronics in Hungary) is also based in the city.
The Veszprém Aréna provides place besides sport events for exhibitions and conferences.[43]
According to the 2011 census beside the 83.9% Hungarian majority the city has a historical German minority numbering 2.4% of the population. The second largest ethnic group is the Roma with 0.7%. The others are all marginal.[44]
The religious affiliation of the citizens has a Catholic majority with 38.9% Roman Catholic and 0.3% Greek Catholic. The Calvinists (7.0%) have the second, the Lutherans (2.1%) the third largest denomination in the city. 20.6% are not religious.[3]
The current mayor of Veszprém is Gyula Porga (Fidesz-KDNP).
The local Municipal Assembly, elected at the 2019 local government elections, is made up of 18 members (1 Mayor, 12 Individual constituencies MEPs and 5 Compensation List MEPs) divided into this political parties and alliances:[45]
| Party | Seats | Current Municipal Assembly | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidesz-KDNP | 11 | M | ||||||||||||
| Opposition coalition | 7 | |||||||||||||
The city's public transportation consists exclusively of buses, which are run by the city-funded company V-Busz. 30 bus lines run throughout the city, including lines 44 and 45 which are night buses. All buses are easily recognizable even from a distance due to their purple livery. Tickets can be purchased on the buses, from ticket machines across the city and at bus stations from the ticket desks. V-Busz took over the city's public transportation in 2018 from the regional, state-funded bus company (ÉNYKK) due to a lack of funding and an old rolling stock of buses, some of which were from the mid 80s.
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Hungary. Veszprém is twinned with:[46]
Most, Czech Republic
Nitra, Slovakia
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Rovaniemi, Finland
Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania
Tartu, Estonia
Tirat Carmel, Israel Žamberk, Czech Republic