About Göd

Historical Review

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Because of the Danube’s deflector effect, the high overland, the valleys that run down till the river, the eastern-western hills made the area of today’s Göd populous before the written time of history. In the border-line of the town several –mainly article for personal use- were found from the Neolithic, the Copper-age, the Iron-age and the Bronze-age.

The Várdomb in Felsőgöd is the ruin of a soil fortress from the 12th century. The name of the settlement (Gud, Gewd) –that most likely comes from a German proper name- was mentioned in a charter that was dated in 1317.

First seigniors of the settlement were the members of the Gyula-Zsombor genus who had built a soil fortress here. According to archeological findings in the 12th-13th centuries Göd was an ecclesiastical place. Since then in consequence of the deep ploughing from the depth of the plough’s work the stones that came to light were carried away.

-Report: József Bátorfi, historian

The name-giving Göd genus settled down here, one of them –wife of György Anarcsi, Judit Göd- was still mentioned in a donation charter that was dated in 1640. The name of Göd was first mentioned in an official charter that was dated in 1255.

In the first tierce of the Turkish occupation the flourishing village with its round-based church was destroyed, only János Paksi’s windmill and the still existing wayside inn remained from the 18th century.

József Mayerffy made the first Hungarian inscripted bell under the Habsburg oppression in 1805 for „the wide lowland of Göd”. This bell can also be found on the blazon of the town.

In 1846 the area was cut in two by Hungary’s first railway line. In 1999, Göd commemorated to the 150th anniversary of the railway’s start up and to Ferenc Pesti, the engine-driver of the first train on the wall of the station.

The railway line helped Göd get a significant role. For then the more and more fashionable racehorse-breeding that was helped by English trainers was located here.

The wayside inn and stable got the “Kincsem telep” name, from the unbeatable mare, Kincsem, who won all of her 54 races in Hungary and all over Europe.

The town of Göd is full of reminiscent, monumental buildings. One of the most imposing is the classicist Nemeskéri-Kiss Mansion that was built in the 17th century. Originally it was the property of the Madách family. It was bought in 1736 by Antal Grassalkovich with the surrounding Göd-lowland tenures. The wines that arrived on ship were carried to the Grassalkovich-castle in Gödöllő by dogcart.

Nowadays it functions as a building that represents hunting relics, the attendance of the tradition and culture of hunting, as well as that this land in Göd was governed by Pál Nemeskéri-Kiss, who had an unlimited range on the hunting department as the agricultural under-secretary. He was the vice-president of the National Hunting Agency for a long time. As an excellent hunter he shot several bears, lynxes, stags, and more than a thousand wild boars, but his passions was breeding and naturalization of wild species.

Events of the sylvi- and wild culture, nature protection also takes place in the Mansion. Works of fine arts are exhibited in the building’s Gallery where periodically applied art exhibitions are organized.

Miklós Nemeskéri-Kiss –colonel of the Hungarian War of Independence in 1848-49- has returned after the Compromise and developed intensive agriculture, livestock raising, creamery and distillery. He has divided the land into plots and hereby he sketched the border-line of the present town.

More and more beautiful villas, cottages were built one after the other that give the magical ambience of Göd nowadays, and they mainly work for educational or cultural purposes. The eclectic Wigner-villa is now a Piarist school, the late Schäffer-castle is a children’s home, the Walch-Mansion is a primary school, and the Cyclist Wayside Inn is the Community Center. The Buchwald-villa functions as the town hall since the ‘30s.

Bankers, civil servants, merchants, craftsmen, industrial and commercial workers, domestics of Göd’s population had established several civil organizations that provided frame for the local social and cultural life and undertook the development of the two settlements. In this period several restaurants, traffics and shops were opened, then until 1912-14 hydrophatic establishment was worked, in 1917 the first pharmacy, in 1918 the first movie theatre was opened.

But in Göd, not only the street-side reserves attractions. Hidden in a private house’s garden, there’s a tomb of Elemér Szudy journalist by Zsigmond Kisfaludy Stróbl.

In 1919 the Roman Catholic parish has been formed in Felsőgöd, in 1924 the neoroman Catholic Church at the Bozóki square that was made of ragged-stone with a vaulted entrance and with a belfry on its right side were finished.

In 1939 the neoroman, Greek cross ground-planned Reformed Church was consecrated, and the synagogue was finished.

In 1996 instead of the Catholic Church that was burnt down in 1933 a new, imposing church was built with niche-wall and new parsonage by plans of Zoltán Horváth. Orsolya Fecske’s secco portrays the patron of the church, St. István King, the Holy Virgin Mary, the Hungarian saints, those who were beatified and honored, but the artist also perpetuated the burned church.

From 1870 to 1999 the population of the town has increased from 177 to more than 15000. In 1970 Göd had become from the higher classes’ illustrious resort and the settlements that were set up when the public employees settled down on lands that were separated after the World War I.

The modern electric network was materialized in the ’60s, the drinking-water system in the ’70s and the gas supply in the ‘80s. In 1999 the dynamically developing township has received the city title. In these days the sewage disposal and the whole telephone network has been built and a modern industrial area has been developed next to the main road number 2/A.

From 1890 the wealthiest citizens from Budapest have built wonderful villas on their arboretums: László Arany, Ottó Deiwitz, Tivadar Huzella, Antal Wigner, father of the Nobel-prize winner Jenő Wigner, Elemér Szudy and others.

The nature-lover explorer, Elek Huzella has bought the 8 acres park from László Arany, son of the famous poet, János Arany. The Huzella family has found an eternal and tranquil rest here.

Now the 28 acres botanical garden of ELTE (Lóránd Eötvös University) and the MTA (Hungarian Academy of Sciences) Research Institute with its herbarium of more than 15.000 species is the biggest collection of plants in Hungary.

It’s precious because of the denizen exotic plant rarities, and animals who found their hiding-places here –mainly birds.

The white cypress –whose roots come up from the water-like bulbs-; the water gourd that looks like a water lily; the still living lakes nourished by 16 springs; alders fell down in the lake on the paths like newer and newer romantic landscapes.

Göd is rich in natural resources and protected natural values.

The blue grassed marshland on Felsőgöd and the Gödi-Sziget (Göd-island) are under natural protection. It’s precious because of the floodplain’s forest and its flora. In the summer it is beloved place for swimming and sunbathing young people, families and campers.

The untouched bank of the Danube and the thermal bath which is open all year round makes Göd a significant part of the Danube Bend. It’s hotels of high standards, tennis courts and horse stables make Göd very attractive for those who like excursions and recreation. Lovers of aquatic sports can find great opportunities in the town. The three Danubian beaches are refreshing in the summer season. The bike path that links Budapest with the Danube Bend passes through the city. The ambient, nice and lovely restaurants wait for the residents and the tourists to enjoy their specialities.

More nursery and kindergarten can be found in Göd. In the local primary school almost 1450 students study, but there’s also secondary school in the town. The town’s sanitary network is modern and give safety for those who living here.

Göd cultural life is allocated by the Attila József Community Center and the library next to it.

The Olajfa artist house that was established by private proposal for help and joins the artists living in the town was opened in 2001.

A permanent exhibition of Anikó M. Győrffy icon painters can be found here that is outstanding in the country.

In the upstairs gallery monthly changing exhibitions as well as literary and music nights, performances are organized.

The amazing landscape and the wonderful bank of the Danube have attracted several artists. Viktor Benkő painter has moved to Göd as an adult but he would never leave it in his life.

-Report: Viktor Benkő

The closeness of Budapest is merely 24 kilemeters from the Chain Bridge. The developed infrastructure, and mainly the almost 6 kilometers long bank of the Danube still attracts settlers, excursionists, vacationers, and those who wants to relax.

Its natural resources, lovely streets make Göd unforgettable for visitors.