The last right-bank station of the Danube Bend is Esztergom, the Western gate of the region.

‘Here is the Hungarian Rome!' wrote Mihály Babits, one of the greatest poets of the last  century, about Esztergom in one of his works. Indeed, this city has been the capital of Hungarian catholicism for a thousand years, it has been the residence of archbishops. When approaching the borders of Esztergom the first thing that catches the eyes even from the distance is the huge Cathedral, the Esztergom Basilica, built in Classicist style, which crowns the Castle-hill. Here, in the city which was the capital of Hungary for more than 250 years was born the first Hunganan king Saint Stephen in the second half of the 10^th century and he was also crowned here at Christmas of the year 1000. This is the date of the foundation of the Hungarian state.

The cathedral which crowns the Castle-hill is visited by ten of thousands of people not only because of its fascinating size but also because of the Renaissance 'gem', the Bakócz chapel located in a 19^th century building and because of the world-famous ecclesiastical collection of the Cathedral's Treasury. The Hungarian archbishops, aamong them the martyr Hungarian pontiff Cardinal Mindszenty, are buried in the crypt of the cathedral.

Only a few meters away from the Basilica we can see the royal (later archiespiscopal) palace, the ancien nest of the Árpád dynasty, which looks grandiose even in its ruins. The originally Romasque palace group which was rebuilt several times in different ages used to be one of Europe’s most beautiful castle whose beauty was noted by the French king, Louis VII who visited the place and by the chronicles of Frederick Barbarossa, the Holy Roman Emperor.  

Looking down into the nearly 80 m abyss from the terrace of the royal palace we can see the view of the ancient city and the river which flows with dignity in its bed. We can see far from here both in time and space! Centuries before the foundation of the state there used to be a Romun fortress of Solva Mansio in the place of the palace; the emperor Marcus Aurelius could watch his legions crossing the river from here. The Hunganan kings also delighted in the sight of the almost completely circular panorama for centuries. From this point 5 ranges of mountains can be seen, and when the weather is clear even the peaks of the Low Tatras can be made out!

Below the most beautiful building of the Víziváros (Water Town the Neorenaissance Pri- mate’s Palace rises, which is, at the same time, the home of Hungarys biggest provincial gallery called the Christian Museum. The gallery is extremly rich in Hungarian, Austro-German and Italian Medieval paintings and sculptures but its goldsmith's work and tapestry collection is also known all over the world. From the terrace of the palace we can see not only Esztergom's sky-high towers and other relevant monuments but also the thermal bath with its cool water inviting for a longer stay, the hundred year old alleys of the Primate’s Island.