Andrea Pajkó – Barbara Sárdi – Marianna Mészáros: Kecskemét, stories, watercolors* (Art Brigád Bt. 2024)
Kecskemét is one of my favorite cities and now with this particular booklet I would like to recommend it to all those who have not visited it yet. The name of the city was first mentioned in 1353 by the charter of Louis I of Hungary, but the area was inhabited since the Bronze Age. In the Town Hall, built between 1893 and -97 and recently renovated to the original style, you can see an interactive city history exhibition in the Visitor Center.
In Kecskemét, denominations have always coexisted well: in the city center, there are churches of four Christian denominations (Catholic, Reformed, Evangelical and Greek Orthodox), as well as a Jewish house of prayer. The former synagogue (House of Science and Arts) functions as a conference center and exhibition hall.
Among the many monuments and exhibition spaces, the Cifra Palace stands out, which is probably a unique building in the country, and everyone calls it by its nickname. Géza Márkus began designing his main work of his youth under the name “Kecskemét City Rental Palace”, which later became Cifra Palace in the vernacular. And those who are also curious about natural values can visit the Kecskemét Wildlife Park, which is the smallest zoo in the country, or the Arboretum, which covers 62 hectares. The list of attractions could go on for a long time, but it is worth visiting them in person. And those who would like to see the city at the same time can do so from the top of the Malom Center, from the 360-degree viewing platform.
In this publication, Andrea Pajkó, a former tourism expert, and Barbara Sárdi, a journalist, retold the research of excellent local historians and art historians from a personal perspective, and their writings are accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Marianna Mészáros, a fine artist, art teacher, and art therapist.
*my translation
