Paks

Paks
Town
The Heart of Jesus Church

Coat of arms
Paks
Location of Paks
Coordinates: 46°37′19″N 18°51′21″E / 46.622047°N 18.855918°E / 46.622047; 18.855918Coordinates: 46°37′19″N 18°51′21″E / 46.622047°N 18.855918°E / 46.622047; 18.855918
Country Hungary
County Tolna
District Paks
Area
 • Total 154.08 km2 (59.49 sq mi)
Population (2009)
 • Total 19,833
 • Density 137/km2 (350/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code 7030
Area code (+36) 75
Website paks.hu
Grand Hotel Erzsébet in Paks, built in 1844
Paks Nuclear Power Plant
Újváros ("New City") for nuclear power plant workers under construction, 1970s
The gold jewellery from the hoard found near Paks (1600-1200 BC)

Paks is a little town in Tolna county, central Hungary, on the right bank of the Danube River, 100 km south of Budapest. Paks as a former agricultural settlement now is the home of the only Hungarian nuclear power plant, which provides about 40% of the consumption in the country's electricity.

Story

The settlement was already inhabited in ancient times. He also played a role in Ottoman Empire times and then in the Rákóczi's War of Independence. In the Second World War, Soviet troops occupied at the cost of great battles, followed by four decades of communist rule. Meanwhile, he was famous for his cannery, wine and fish soup. The country's only nuclear power plant has been built in the last decade of communism.

Description

In the 19th century several mansions were built in the centre of the old town, such as those in Szent István tér, the main square of the town. The Roman Catholic three-isled, basilica style Heart of Jesus church was consecrated in 1901. There is a tablet in the wall of the baroque Szeniczey mansion to commemorate Ferenc Deák, 'the Sage of the Country'. The Town Museum is housed in the former Cseh-Vigyázó mansion. The Calvinist and the Lutheran churches were built in 1775 and 1884 respectively.

The Catholic Holy Spirit church, built according to the design of Imre Makovecz, is an outstanding work of 20th-century architecture. There is a hundred-year-old chestnut alley lining the walkway on the Danube River bank. The town hosts the Spring Festival at Whitsuntide and the International Festival of Blues, Jazz, Rock and Gastronomy.

Sport

Paksi FC is a Hungarian football club based in Paks.

Atomerőmű SE is a Hungarian sport club (known as basketball club) based in Paks.

Bronze age hoard

A bronze age gold hoard of jewellery was found between Paks and Dunaföldvár on the right bank of the Danube in the nineteenth century. The treasure is now in the collections of the British Museum.[1]

See also

  • Forró for another bronze age hoard from Hungary
  • Zsujta for a bronze age hoard from northern Hungary

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Paks is twinned with:

References

  1. ↑ British Museum Collection
  2. ↑ Нововоронеж и венгерский Пакш стали городами-побратимами


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