Sopron, the windy town of loyalty

Sopron is a city of Hungary, near to the Austrian border, at the foot of the Alps, where the weather is colder than the other parts of the country, and it’s always windy. It is one of the oldest jewelboxes of Hungary. The town merges past and present in itself. It creates a bridge between the country and its western neighbours. The locals are famous for their hospitality and loyalty to their hometown, that is why Sopron is called, the town of loyalty.

Firewatch Tower

The symbol of Sopron is the Firewatch Tower which was made in memory of the referendum of 1921. The tower is situated at the northern side of the Main Square. It is round shaped, the lower part was built on the remains of the Roman age town wall, and it served as an important role of watching the area. The tower got its balcony and roof after the great fire in 1676. The double-headed eagle on the tower was a gift from King Ferdinand II and Queen Eleonora on the occasion of the queen's coronation. The Firewatch Tower is the symbol of allegiance. In a referendum held on 14 December 1921, Sopron and eight neighbouring villages expressed their wish to remain part of Hungary. You can discover the tower from the inside for free, it is a 1 hour trip, but it is a must, if you visit Sopron.

The vineyards of Sopron

The visitors usually go to Sopron just to enjoy the excellent Hungarian dishes offered by all the local restaurants, and also the wines of Sopron, generally regarded as among the bests in Hungary. Sopron’s vineyards cover about 1500 hectares: the best grapes are on Lajta hills, around Lake Fertő. Some two thirds of Sopron wines are made from Kékfrankos. As the legend says, in 1809 Napoleon’s soldiers could only buy wine from the locals for the more valuable blue Franc notes, which is why the best Sopron wine was given the name “Blue Franc” – Kékfrankos. The climate around Sopron also allows grapes to be plucked in the late autumn, offering sweet dessert wines.

Sopron’s Town Hall and Storno House

After the Firewatch Tower, the Town hall is the second most visited place in Sopron. The 19th century town hall was built in the late historicist style, in the year of the Hungarian Millenium. Opposite to it, the Storno House is one of the most well-known buildings of the city, thanks to its highly interesting collection. Even King Matthias stayed overnight between this walls.

To sum up, Sopron is one the most amazing towns in Hungary, and due to its location, it is a very important business point of the country. It also means that Sopron is a rich town, that is one of the many reasons why the locals are loyal to their town. You may have heard the name ,,windy town" before, but don’t be afraid, you’ll enjoy every moment in this jewelbox.