Szentes: Art Nouveau, the Kurca and thermal baths

• Below the confluence of the Körös and the Tisza, the Kurca branches off and winds for 15 kilometres through Szentes and its outlying districts.
• Széchenyi Grove was designated a local nature reserve in 1953.
• Five medicinal pools of different temperatures lie beneath the dome of the thermal bath.
• Petőfi Hotel and Vigadó on the main square was built between 1897 and 1899 in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style.
• The permanent exhibition on the history of firefighting displays equipment from the early 20th century.

The Kurca flows through Szentes and its outlying districts along a 15-kilometre course. The river is popular with dog owners, nature photographers, people seeking relaxation and those who enjoy active leisure. Széchenyi Grove adds to this focus on nature and recreation: its facilities include leisure pools, slides, playgrounds and tennis courts. Check their current availability before visiting. If you use the boundaries of the nature reserve designated in 1953 to help find your way around, check their current course.

The wider destination of Csongrád offers another regional landscape: Csongrád-Csanád is shaped by the Tisza and its oxbow lakes, the Maros and Körös rivers, and numerous lakes and canals. The region is also rich in thermal and medicinal waters.

Petőfi Hotel and Vigadó, a Hungarian Art Nouveau building dating from 1897 to 1899, stands on the main square. The Reformed Church in the Felsőpárt district is another example of turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau architecture. In the sanctuary of St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church, an Art Nouveau mural by Béla Endre depicts the Annunciation.

An Art Nouveau tour takes you on foot or by bicycle to well-known Art Nouveau buildings in the city centre; a guide can be arranged if needed. Confirm current tour arrangements with the local tourist office. This lets you make architecture a focus of your trip without tying your visit to a particular building.

The József Koszta Museum provides an overview of the Middle Ages, Ottoman rule, the Rákóczi War of Independence and Szentes’s development as a town. A separate room displays works by the museum’s namesake. The specific interpretation of a collection may change over time.

The permanent exhibition on the history of firefighting covers the development of fire protection in Szentes and the surrounding area. It displays three Köhler steam fire engines and a water-cart pump from the early 20th century. The 24-metre-high fire tower offers panoramic views over Szentes. Visits to the exhibition and tower must be arranged in advance; confirm access to the tower as well.

Handmade Miracles invites anyone interested in Hungarian folk art to visit a private ethnographic collection. It includes a traditional kitchen corner, a traditional farmhouse room and painted furniture. Visits are available by prior arrangement.

Five medicinal pools of different temperatures lie beneath the thermal bath’s dome. The courtyard pool is available for relaxation and healing in both summer and winter. Check current operating conditions before your visit.

Before searching for a hotel, consider whether Art Nouveau and local history, the Kurca and Széchenyi Grove, or the thermal bath will be the focus of your trip. Compare the listed hotel locations with your own plans. You can also discover other destinations, such as Nagymágocs.

How does the Kurca flow through Szentes?

It branches off from the Tisza below the confluence with the Körös and winds for 15 kilometres through Szentes and its outlying districts.

How can you explore the Art Nouveau architecture?

An Art Nouveau tour takes you on foot or by bicycle to well-known buildings in the city centre. A guide can be arranged if needed; the local tourist office can confirm current arrangements.

Is the fire tower freely accessible?

Visits to the tower must be arranged in advance. Confirm access beforehand; the 24-metre-high tower offers panoramic views over Szentes.

How many medicinal pools does the thermal bath have?

There are five medicinal pools of different temperatures beneath the dome. Check current operating conditions before your visit.

For the overview of the wider destination: Szentesi.