Gyula, the historical spa town

THE HISTORICAL
SPA TOWN

Location
Gyula lies in southeast Hungary,
along the Romanian border, in
the South Great Plain. The climate
is continental with pretty
cold winter and hot summer.
The annual amount of precipitation
is 550-600 mm.
The annual number of
sunny hours is also high in
national terms.
Total population:
31,800 inhabitants
Population density:
124.32 per km2
Area: 255.6 km2

The region of
Körös-Rivers
Gyula was built not far from the
junction of Fekete- and Fehér-
Körös (Black and White Cris)
rivers, on the left bank of the
latter, in a wonderful area,
which has been declared a
national park in part and was
inhabited already in prehistoric
age.
We have 33 locally protected
natural areas and elements
and 215 unique landscape
values. The riverbanks provide
a great location for
those, who are attracted by
the undisturbed, peaceful
nature out of the town.

The Fehér-Körös (White Cris) and
the Fekete-Körös (Black Cris) belong
to the rivers of the cleanest
water in Europe. Along these
rivers, we meet two popular
holiday centres: Szanazug at
their junction within easy
reach even by bicycle and
Városerdő going upwards
along the Fekete-Körös.

The Beginnings
The life-giving water attracted
the first settlers to this area. Later
on, also the street structure of
the settlement, which has 32
thousand inhabitants now,
was formed based on the onetime
water system. Reeds,
marshes, meadows and gallery
forests dominated over
the landscape. Wetlands with
lush vegetation and rich fauna
determined the view.

The look of the town is determined
by its surface waters:
Fehér-Körös (White Cris) separating
Gyula from Gyulavári,
Élővíz-csatorna (Live-water
Canal) connecting three settlements
and string of lakes /
ponds surrounding the town.
The first people appeared
along the Fehér-Körös on the
higher, flood free areas at the
time of the Neolithic age.
The name of Körös-culture
refers to it. Artefacts from
the copper, bronze and iron
ages prove the existence of
former settlements.

History:
The medieval town
In 1332, the settlement was
mentioned already with the
name of Gyula in the chronicle.
Gyula began to develop into a
town in the period of the Anjou
Kings. The construction
of the fortress started in
1405. The holders of the fort
were king and the members
of royal families. The pre-
Ottoman Gyula was in its
prime at the early 16th century.
In 1525, it had already
about 3,000 inhabitants.
After the siege of 1566, the
Ottomans ruled the town
for 129 years.

After the ottoman
occupation
The fortress and the town were
deliberated in January 1695.
By this, it became possible to
repatriate permanently.
The history of Gyula after the
Ottoman rule starts from
1714. The wars partly destroyed
the population and
partly drove them away.
The new holder of the estate
John George Harruckern
reorganized the life in
the area.

Multinationality
Romanian and German population
settled in Gyula from the
1720s, which was depopulated
after forcing out the Ottomans.
The German settlers brought
such work and industrial culture
with them, which contributed
to the embourgeoisement
greatly.

While owing to the Romanianspeaking
population, Gyula became
the centre of Romanian
population in Hungary thereby
strengthening the tourism
being one of the most important
economic sectors of the
town. Town districts, buildings
and churches named after
them keep their memories
up to now faithfully.

Two Centres of the County:
Gyula and Békéscsaba
Gyula was the county town of
Békés county for almost 500
years. Though, since 1950,
Békéscsaba has owned this title,
a great part of the county
institutions stayed in Gyula.
• Gyula Regional Court
• Békés County Public Prosecutor’s Office
• Békés County Bar Association
• Pándy Kálmán County Hospital
• The Hungarian National Archives Békés
County Archives
• Körös Valley District Environment and
Water Directorate
• Educational institutions
(primary, secondary and higher)

Great Sons
Ferenc Erkel
The founding father of the
Hungarian national grand opera
and set the Hungarian
national anthem to music.
György Kohán
The Kossuth Prize-winner
painter of the Great Plain.
His name and works are
kept by the art gallery in
the Göndöcs Park.

Mihály Munkácsy
The world famous painter began
his career within the walls
of the Almásy Mansion.
Zoltán Bay
One of the greatest Hungarian
physicists, whose
name is linked with creating
electron multiplier,
lunar radar and a new definition
of the metre.

Agriculture and Food
Industry
Agriculture and food industry
as well as tourism are the main
pillars of our economy.
The Körös-Maros (Cris-Mures)
alluvial deposit provides highquality
arable soils, which
create ideal conditions for
cultivation of plants and animal
husbandry based on it.

’Gyulai’ sausage
We put the launch of the meat
trade in Gyula to 1868 – the first
abattoir of Gyula was opened
then.
The Gyulahús Kft. is our biggest
food company and one
of the biggest meat processing
companies in Hungary.
World famous product:
’Gyulai’ sausage

Traditional products
The Gyulai Pálinka Manufactory,
which has gained an international
reputation, is the worthy
follower of the tradition, where
their distillates are produced
from local fruits.
The handmade bonbons and
chocolates of the Cadeau
Bonbon Manufactory are
available also in Budapest in
addition to Gyula.
In Békés County a significant
number of beekeepers
work. Their products are
enjoying great popularity
within and outside the borders
of the country.

Tourism
Gyula is the fifth most popular
tourist destination in Hungary
for domestic tourists.
The visiting frequency of the
town was increasing in recent
years. In 2014, people visiting
here spent 430,000 overnight
stays in all accommodations
of Gyula.
4,800 beds altogether
ranges from four-star hotels,
through smaller guest
houses to apartment houses
with different categories.
Accomodations with descriptions:
WWW.VISITGYULA.COM

Industry in Gyula
The FaFém Bútor Zrt. furniture
factory:
Founded in 1950 introduced the
production of metal frame office
furniture in Hungary.
Dürer Printing House:
Estabilished by Printer István
Nagy P. in 1935. It has been
awarded a number of prestigious
professional recognitions.
Lovász Forgácsoló Kft.:
Our biggest metallurgic
company dealing with metal
cutting, which as a Mitsubishi
Carbide partner manufactures
and sells tool parts,
automotive components
and electronic components
throughout Europe.

Gyulai Várfürdő
Situated in the 8.5-hectare park
of the former Almásy Mansion.
The only five-star rated facility in
lido, water park and spa categories
alike in the country.
The water of the baths has belonged
to the healing waters
since 1968 also officially.
The baths obtained a medicinal
baths certification in
1971, while its environs was
certified as a health resort in
1984.
5,000-square-metre facility,
16 pools

The therapeutic section of the
Gyulai Várfürdő was opened to
the general public wishing to
recover in August 1968. Still in
the same year, head physician
Dr. Margit Aranyosi summarized
her experiences with the
medicinal bath treatment
of 1678 patients and submitted
it to the National Institute
of Public Hygiene.
Where, based on that, the
water of Gyula No. 1 well
was granted healing waters
status. Then, in 1971, the
Ministry of Health qualified
our baths as a spa performing
national duties. In
compliance with the applicable
legislation.

AquaPalace
Having enhanced with a new
family water park named Aqua-
Palace, the Gyula Castle Spa
has become the newest, wellequipped,
European standard
lido, spa and water park
complex in the South Great
Plain, which provides perfect
entertainment, in all seasons,
for the visitors of every
generation looking for recreation.
The rightly famous
four-star baths, the Gyula
Castle Spa pampers, relaxes,
exercises and heals.
Slides
• family slide
• “light tunnel” body slide
• “upwards inclining / drop
ping” in-line tube slide

Pools
• Toddler and kiddie pool:
2 water cannons, pirate ship water
slide, 2 animal spouts
• Recreational swimming pool
• Adventure pool:
12 water jet massage benches,
water curtain, lazy river, 2 water
jet massage cabins, 6 neck show
ers, pool floor jets, geysers
• Plunge pool to the saunas
• Whirlpool spa:
4 water jet massage benches,
8 pool floor jets Diving pool
• Saunas:
• Aromatherapy sauna
• Infrared sauna chamber
• Steam chamber
• Finnish sauna
• Playgrounds
• Pool bar
• Mother-baby room

The healing Water
The thermal mineral waters contain
various macro elements and
microelements. Due to the bathing,
the various ingredients of
healing waters get into the
body through the skin, while
other elements such as sulphur
by means of inhalation.
According to the latest water
chemistry tests, the water
of Várfürdő No. 1 well contains
2620 mg/l minerals,
and owing to its composition,
it is sodium hydrogen
carbonated thermal water
with a significant metasilicic
acid content. Its temperature
is 69 °C measured at
the outflow.

Effects of the sodium
hydrogen carbonated
healing waters:
It increases the regeneration
capacity of the body, has an analgesic
effect, reduces allergic
reactions, has a tranquillizing
on the nervous system, reduces
sleep disturbances, reduces
inflammatory processes at an
appropriate temperature, by
inhalation helps coughing
up respiratory secretions as
well as reduces muscle tension.
As a result of bathing,
the metasilicic acid is deposited
on the skin as a fine
film. The skin feels soapy
and oily, which is especially
useful in case of such
skin diseases as lichen,
psoriasis, eczema and
other allergic dermatitis.

To whom can be recommended
the water cure with the
healing waters of Gyula?
Gynaecological diseases:
• chronic oophoritis
• chronic inflammation of fallopian
tube and ligament
• certain forms of infertility
Urologic diseases:
• chronic cystitis
• chronic prostatitis
Dermatological diseases:
• psoriasis
• seborrhoea
• eczema
• other chronic dermatitis
Nervous system disorders:
• extrapyramidal movement
disorders, e.g. Parkinson’s
disease
• paralytic syndromes
• chronic neuritises

Musculoskeletal diseases:
• discomforts caused by intervertebral
disc diseases, disc abrasion and disc
herniation
• abrasion of vertebral joints, chronic
low back pain, chronic inflamma tion
of sciatic nerve, cerviobrachi algia
• abrasive disorders of hip, knee and
other small and large joints
• inactive stage of chronic arthritises
• discomforts caused by osteopo
rosis: chronic back pain, intercos tal
neuralgia
• follow-up treatments of accidents:
aftercare of fractures, liga
ment injuries
• orthopaedic interventions: af
tercare of replacement surgeries,
ligament and cartilage surgeries

Water cure and
complex treatment
Ideally, a water cure lasts 2-3
weeks, 20-30 minutes a day on
1-2 occasions depending on
the concomitant illnesses and
the actual status of the patient.
The bath treatments are
rarely used alone as a monotherapy.
Since a well-made
up, tailor-made complex
treatment is much more efficient
and reduces the patient’s
pains in a significant
degree, even in a shorter
period of time and increases
their muscle strength
and movement functions.

All spa visitors have the possibility
to make use of specialist
consultations, where they are
not only instructed on the use
of the baths, but the necessary
treatments are prescribed for
them.
Treatments:
• Mud cure
• Weight bath treatment
• Effervescent bath treatment
• Remedial massage treatments
• Underwater jet massage
• Underwater remedial exercises
• Other treatments of remedial
exercises
• Physical therapy

Gyula Fortress
The more than 600-year-old
Gyula fortress is the symbol
of our town and the same time
its oldest built heritage. This is
the only Gothic flatland brickmasonry
fortress in Central-
Europe, which remained intact.
After the siege of 1566,
the Ottomans ruled it for 129
years.
In the museum of the restored
fortress opened in
2005, 24 exhibition rooms
present the centuries old
history of the town.

Gyula Castle Theatre
The All Arts Festival with the
Shakespeare Festival of the
this year 52-year-old Gyula Castle
Theatre is the most famous
cultural event of our town. The
performances can be seen
partly on the stage mounted
in the courtyard of the fortress
and partly on the pondstage
constructed over the
boating pond beside it. The
chamber hall of the Castle
Theatre is available also
out of the summer season
for the visitors appreciating
the arts and culture.

Almásy Mansion
After having acquired the region,
George Harruckern began the
construction of the mansion.
The restoration of the mansion’s
right side-wing, the socalled
„vigadószárny” (literally
concert and dance hall wing),
which was emptied in 2002,
was completed in 2004.
The renovation of the mansion’s
principal building was
begun in 2013, and in the
spring of 2016 the newest
attraction of our town, the
Almásy Mansion of Gyula
Visitor Centre will be
opened to the public.

In a unique way in Hungary, the
theme of the exhibition does not
stop at displaying the magnificent
rooms, wall paintings and
the family history, but it shows
the visitors round the world of
aristocrats and the hidden
and barely researched areas
of the servants’ life.

Erkel Ferenc
Memorial House
The schoolhouse of Németgyula
(German Gyula) was built
in 1795. In the current form,
Mihály Nuszbek built it by the
end of 1830.
The Erkel family arrived in
Gyula from Pozsony (Bratislava)
in 1806. Ferenc Erkel was
born here on 7 November
1810.
In the opening room of the
exhibition terminals presenting
the national anthems
of the EU states receive
the visitors, and then
the hall of European music
follows.

In the interactive corner in its
19th century classroom there is a
possibility to solve assignments
of the period.
The Erkel memorial room
shows the composer’s personal
belongings and relics. The
bedroom, the salon and the
rustic kitchen brings the former
home of the Erkel family
to mind.

Ladics House
The single-storey town house
was built in the early 19th century
in Baroque style.
In the traditionalist family, the
furniture, objects and clothes
reflecting their lifestyle as well
as remembrances showing
their intellectual life remained
through 5 generations.
The estate of the Ladics family
in its kind is a unique historical
source and document
of the life of the rural
middle classes in Hungary
in the dualistic era and the
interwar phase. The only
fully furnished witness of
the world of the middle
classes.

‘Százéves’
Hundred-Year-Old
Confectionery
The second oldest confectionery
of Hungary. It has been
working since 1840.
Within its wonderful building
with empire style, among
the ornamentally painted
walls, its original Bieder Meier
furniture and traditional
parfait, sweet and ice cream
offer take the visitors back
to the one-time bustling
world of coffee houses.

In the place of the former confectionery
workshop, a confectionery
museum was furnished with
period tools and devices.
In 2004 and 2014, significant
renovations were carried out
on the building in order to
maintain it as the most valuable
gem of the Southern
Great Plain.

Göndöcs-kert Park
Benedek Göndöcs proposed in
1884 to create a public garden
on the western side of the
‘Sugár-út’ street (today’s Béke
sugárút). A hall was erected for
theatrical performances, social
evenings and dancing
meetings, which was finished
being built in 1889.
Between 1952 and 1975, this
building was the community
centre of the town, and
then, in 1979, the Kohán
bequest was placed in it.

The full rehabilitation of
Göndöcs-kert Park was completed
by the spring of 2014. The
Kohán Gallery moved to a larger
building, and its former place
serves as a Vigadó (concert
and dance hall) further. In the
event hall restored in its original
splendour many community
programmes serve the
entertainment of the locals
and the tourists.

Promenading in the
Town Centre
The Kossuth square is the beating
heart of Gyula town, which
has become the favourite of the
locals and the visitors with its
new appearance. Thanks to its
programmes and events, this
square handling a big traffic
has grown into a new centre.
The World Clock, the beauty
of squares, the vegetation
of parks and the splash of
waters makes complete the
special atmosphere of the
town centre serving as a
unique background for the
summer evening milling of
the promenade.

In the Mood of
Festivals
• Sausage and Gammon Muster of
Gyula
• International „Kisüsti Pálinka”
Festival, Show and Fair
• Várfürdő Half Marathon and
Relay Race – ’Run for children
with disabilities’
• Sunday of Flowers
• Gyula Castle Theatre summer
season
• „Minden Magyarok” International
Folk Dance Festival of
All Hungarians
• Honey and Gingerbread
International Festival of
Gyula

Gyula the Town of
Parks and Flowers
In our town, intense and well organized
landscaping and treeplanting
works have been going
on for almost 130 years.
The municipal tree nursery
was founded in 1860.
In the period starting from
the 1910s, about 21,000
square metres of new park
was built in Gyula.
The beauty of the town has
been rewarded every year
since 2005 on the ‘Hungary
in Bloom’ environment
embellishing competition.

In 2013, Gyula was the most floral
town in Hungary for the second
time. According to which it was
entitled to represent Hungary
on the European Competition
for Towns and Villages in
Bloom (Entente Florale Europe)
in 2014 and could take
over the Gold Certificate.

How can you reach
Gyula?
• By plane:
Budapest – Stockholm
(Wizz Air, Norwegian Air Shuttle) (130 min)
Budapest – Göteborg
(Wizz Air) (130 min)
Budapest – Malmö
(Wizz Air) (105 min)
Debrecen – Malmö
(Wizz Air) (120 min)
• On the road:
Budapest – Kecskemét –
Békéscsaba – Gyula
(M5 – 44) – 220 km
Debrecen – Berettyóújfalu –
Sarkad – Gyula
(47) – 126 km

Contact us
• Town Hall:
Gyula Város Önkormányzata Képviselőtestületének
Polgármesteri Hivatala
Petőfi tér 3. Gyula H-5700
Phone: +36-66/526-800
Fax: +36-66/526-800/294
gyulaph@gyula.hu
WWW.GYULA.HU
• Tourism Office of Gyula:
Gyulai Turisztikai Nonprofit Kft. és
Tourinform Iroda:
Kossuth u. 7. Gyula H-5700
Phone: +36-66/561-680
Fax: +36-66/561-681
info@visitgyula.com
WWW.VISITGYULA.COM