Veszprém
Basic information
The town of Veszprém is situated in Western Hungary approximately 15 kilometres north from the Balaton Lake. The town is the administrative centre of the Veszprém County, and has a population of approximately 60.000 inhabitants. The County of Veszprém is home to over 370,000 people. The county has 14 towns, including Ajka and Veszprém. Veszprém is an old medieval town. The town’s development was significantly boosted after the Second World War. Veszprém’s university, the University of Pannonia, was established in 1949 and currently the university holds in excess of 9,500 students. The University has Engineering, Arts, Agriculture, Information trechnology and Economics Faculties. The university is a partner of the University of Lapland and the Rovaniemi Polytechnic.
Industry
Industry plays an important role in the economic life of Veszprém, with automotive parts, electrical goods, furniture and building materials are popular goods for export. Tourism is also significant in Veszprém, which boasts a castle, historic monuments and Lake Balaton.
Friendship town activities
Rovaniemi and Veszprém have signed a friendship town agreement in 1974. Activity has been focused on education, culture and youth exchange. Delegations of civil servants and elected officials have paid regular visits to both towns. Veszprém’s other friendship towns are Bottrop and Passau in Germany, Gladsaxe in Denmark, Sepsiszentgyöry in Romania, Tartu in Estonia, Tirat-Carmel in Israel and Ville d’Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve in Belgium.
Veszprém, the festival town
During the traditional touristic season, from spring to autumn, Veszprém is a real festival town. The Gizella Daus are related to the nameday of our first queen, Gizella: in summeryou will be amused by various events with a lot of music: open air concerts, organ concerts, music yards, international choir festival, the Veszprém Festival Days with famous Hungarian and foreign world famous artists are your entertainment. Three theatres, several museums and galleries await you in the town all year round, as a proof of Veszprém’s identity as not only the town of queens but also as a town of arts.
(homepage: www.veszpreminfo.hu (touristic information
Both Veszprém’s and Ajka’s friendship town activities have seen active participation by the Rovaniemi branch of the Finland – Hungary Society.
