Old Town Square (Óváros Tér), Veszprém

The octagonal Óváros tér is the heart of the city. It was once used as a market square and is now a permanent venue for the most popular festivals. The Art Nouveau buildings on Óváros tér form the backdrop for the 10-day thematic music and gastronomy festival 'Rosé, Riesling and Jazz Days', among others. Today the square functions as a market square again, where markets and numerous other city events are regularly held. The square also features the Millennium Monument, a work by the sculptor Mária Lugossy. The basic idea behind the stalactite motif refers to the process of crystallization and symbolizes the passing of time, i.e. the end of the millennium. Óváros tér is extended southwards by Rákóczi Ferenc utca, the remaining part of the former Főutca. The houses on Óváros tér have a more or less historicized overall appearance, but some of them still retain their baroque roots. In the courtyard of the house at number 5 there is a beautiful two-storey vaulted porch from the 18th century. This building - the so-called Matulka House - was the first town hall of Veszprém, which was in use until 1885. The house at number 8 is the former Golden Eagle Pharmacy, which still serves as a pharmacy today. Its beautiful wooden portal and some of the etched shop windows have been preserved in their original form. The baroque house at number 4 is also famous for its residents: in the mid-19th century, Károly Francsics, a diary-writing barber, and the world-famous violinist and music teacher Lipót Auer lived here. Source: veszpreminfo.hu/de/ort/altstadtplatz-rakoczi-strae