Vértesszőlős: Archaeology and Local Culture

Vértesszőlős combines an archaeological site with insights into local folk culture. For planning your trip, you can focus on two distinct themes: the open-air exhibition with archaeological, anthropological and palaeontological finds, and the restored farmhouse with local folk furniture and objects. The wider Komorn-Gran destination offers additional landscape and cultural themes.

Archaeological Finds in Vértesszőlős

The open-air exhibition at the MNM Vértesszőlős Archaeological Site displays remarkable archaeological, anthropological and palaeontological remains, as well as the formation environment of a site dating back around 400,000 years. The two excavated and exhibited sites reveal millions of stone tools, hearths fuelled by fat-rich bones, bones of hunted animals, human milk teeth and an occipital bone. The exhibition therefore focuses not only on individual finds but also on the environment in which they were formed.

Local Culture and a Historical Detail

The Tájház in Vértesszőlős is a restored farmhouse with local folk furniture and objects; six of its seven rooms are furnished. Unlike the archaeological exhibition, its focus is on the farmhouse and its local furnishings. This means there are two different themes to suit your interests: archaeological finds and rural folk culture.

The cemetery chapel in Vértesszőlős also houses a 38-kilogram Saint Joseph Bell, cast in 1903 at the Csepeli Szivattyú- és Gépgyár. Arrangements must be made in advance to view the bell. Take this requirement into account when planning your visit.

More to Explore in the Wider Komorn-Gran Destination

The wider Komorn-Gran destination includes the Gerecsei Tájvédelmi Körzet, a nationally significant, individually designated landscape protection area in Komárom-Esztergom covering 8,676 hectares. Triassic limestone predominates in the Gerecse; Jurassic limestone, which is particularly rich in fossils, is also found there. The wider destination therefore offers its own focus on landscape and geology.

The Majki Kamalduli Remeteség is a Baroque monument complex comprising seventeen hermit houses, a church tower and a monastery. An exhibition there explores the general and Hungarian history of the Camaldolese order. The Remeteség is open Tuesday to Sunday: from 10:00 to 18:00 from April 1 to October 31, and from 09:00 to 17:00 from November 1 to March 31. Check the opening hours before your visit, as the seasonal periods have different hours. Another historical highlight in the wider Komorn-Gran destination is the Monostori Erőd: this military monument in the Komárom fortress system illustrates the eras of the Monarchy, the world wars and the Soviet occupation through exhibitions and staged scenes.

For regional sightseeing, Tata, Vértesszőlős and Tatabánya can be easily and safely connected by bicycle along the Által-ér. The Duna-Gerecse tourism area also offers 19 virtual walks for download in Hungarian, German, English and Slovak; they work offline. Check availability before using them.

Discover more destinations: Tarján, Várgesztes, Gyermely, Környe, Vértessomló, Tatabánya

Go to the wider travel overview: Tatabányai.