Győr-Moson-Sopron County is one of the 19 countries of Hungary. It is located on the country's western border as part of the Western Transdanubia region. The area of Győr-Moson-Sopron belongs to the three central areas: the Kisalföld, Western Hungary, and the Transdanubia Mountains. The landscape is mostly plain. The most prominent rivers of the region are the Danube, Rába-Rábca, Répce, and Ikva. In the west and south-eastern parts of the territory are situated hills and lower mountains, Sopron Mountains, Fertőmelléki Hills, Pannonhalma Hills, and Bakonyalja. The highest peak is the point of Blue Hill in the Bakony mountains, at an altitude of 661 m above sea level. The deepest is the bank of the Danube in Gönyű at an altitude of 108 m above sea level. The county forms eastern and northern state borders with Austria to the west and Slovakia to the north. Vas and Veszprém counties neighbor the Győr-Moson-Sopron County to the south. To the east, the county borders Komárom-Esztergom County. Besides the capital is the Győr-Moson-Sopron County, the most economically developed county in terms of infrastructure and business. The position the county plays is due in part to the relatively critical role of development in the area. The proximity to the Austrian borders and its capital, Vienna, as well as Slovakia's Bratislava, is said to cause advantage to the area. Győr-Moson-Sopron County is also situated at the passing of routes connecting Hungary (as well as Eastern Europe and the Balkans) with Central and Western Europe. [1] The city of Győr, situated in close proximity to Slovakian borders, is the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron County. The county consists of seven districts with a total area of 4,208.05 kilometers squared. The population is 463,201 people, which makes the Győr-Moson-Sopron County sixth most populated county in Hungary. [2]
The territory of the Győr-Moson-Sopron County bears a number of cultural, historical, and natural sights, some of them being inscribed on the UNESCO heritage list. One such example is the Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment, which has been legally protected since 1964. Benedictine monks first settled the area of the Pannonhalma in 996. The building is over 1,000 years old, and ever since its founding, the monastic community has promoted culture and education throughout central Europe. Pannonhalma houses the school and monastic community to this day. The community and Pannonhalma host cultural and religious events. It also features a fragrance museum in the Herb Garden. [6]
Another UNESCO-protected area located in the Győr-Moson-Sopron County is Fertö/Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape. The lake area has been the meeting point of various nations and cultures for approximately eight millennia. The Neusiedlersee (Fertö) Lake is the westernmost steppe lake in Eurasia. The great value of this territory resides in the high number of different ecosystems located in a relatively small area. The lake is situated in a cross-section of diverse geographical flora and fauna zones. The lake's territory can be characterized by sub-Alpine mountains, sub-Mediterranean hills, alkaline lakes that dry out from time to time, saline soils, reeds, and shoreline plains.[7]
Esterházy-kastély, or Esterházy Castle, is an 18th-century Rococo castle built in close proximity to the Neusiedlersee Lake. Not only the high-ranking families of that time visited Eszterházy, but Empress Maria Theresia was also a guest there, in addition to the composer Joseph Haydn who also lived and worked there. During the rule of Maria Theresia, a school was established in the castle as well. Nowadays, Eszterházy is open for visitors, and the tour features the castle and gardens exhibitions. Various cultural events are held on the castle grounds annually. [8]
Győr-Moson-Sopron territory is part of the three large regions: the Kisalföld, the outskirts of Western Hungary, and the northern outskirts of the Transdanubia Mountains. The landscape in the northern parts of the region is mainly plain, constituting the alluvium of the Danube and the rivers Rába-Rábca, Répce, and Ikva. The western and southeastern parts of the county are hilly and of low mountainous character. The most dominant formations are the Sopron Mountains, Fertőmelléki Hills, Pannonhalma Hills, and Bakonyalja. The county is rich in surface waters. The biggest river flowing through the territory is the Danube, forming a northern border with Slovakia. Other significant rivers are the Rába, Rábca, Lajta and Marcal. The most notable stagnant water in this territory is Lake Neusiedl. About 5.5% of all of Hungary's protected areas are of national importance, such as Fertő-Hanság National Park, the Sopron and Sokoró Nature Parks, and the Szigetközi and Pannonhalma Landscape Protection Areas, all of which are located in the Győr-Moson-Sopron County. These national parks lie across the region's borders, which requires international cooperation. [1]
Concerning the county's climatic conditions, the Győr-Moson-Sopron territory is situated in the continental climate area, characterized by an alteration of four seasons throughout the year. The Alpokalja region located in the westernmost areas of the county, is one of the wettest parts of Hungary.[1] On average, the warmest month of the year is August at 25.0°C. January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of 1.0°C. The wettest month on average is June, with 68.0mm of precipitation. The driest month of the year is February, with 34.0mm of rainfall.[4]
The city of Győr has been inhabited since ancient times, dating back to the year 500, when Celtic tribes in this area established the first settlements. The town was initially called Arrabona. The abbreviated form, Raab, is used to this day as the German and Slovak names of the city. In the first century, Roman merchants moved to the city, and later Roman army occupied the Transdanubia region and established Pannonia. In the fourth century, the town survived the attacks by Germanic and Hun tribes. Later, Slavs, Avars, and Franks inhabited the city as well. As the county system was established, Győr became the county's capital with a castle estate at its head due to its convenient location crossing point for trade along the Danube. The development stopped during the Tatar invasion. The town castle was rebuilt after the county was freed from Tatars. In 1440, Győr became the royal seat. Queen Elizabeth obtained the Hungarian crown for her infant child and declared Győr the capital city. Turks invaded Hungary again after the defeat at Mohács. When the Turkish thread grew in 1529, Kristóf Lamberg, a castle commander, set the city on fire. The town of Győr, except for the fortress, was burnt down in order to disable the Turkish invasion and protect Vienna. In 1537, the reconstruction of the city started and lasted until 1561. Italian architects designed the city in Renaissance style. After the liberation from the Turks, the town began to flourish, and in 1743 it received the rank of a free royal city from Maria Theresa. In this period, schools, churches, a hospital, and monasteries were built. In the 1830s, Győr became the most important domestic station for intermediary trade in the area and became even more critical when the steamboat traffic on the Danube started. Győr stayed the county's capital city throughout the government changes during and after the First and Second World Wars. Since 1990 is Győr the capital city of Győr-Moson-Sopron County.[3]
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