Ajka: Mining History, Glass and Bathing

Ajka between urban green spaces, culture and industrial history

Ajka offers several distinct points of interest for a trip: green spaces, Baroque churches, mining history, glass and water-based activities. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, it helps to first consider which aspects of Ajka interest you. This way, you can tailor your search to what you would like to do in the city.

Green spaces and paths

Csónakázó-tó is part of Városliget in Ajka. On an island in the lake stands a bronze bust of the writer Fekete István, surrounded by sculptures of characters from his animal stories. Here, a waterside location meets a specific literary connection. In Kaszinó Park, an urban-themed discovery trail winds between the trees. Ármin-völgyi Parkerdő is Ajka's excursion forest; its marked hiking trails are 17.5 kilometers long in total. This total gives an overview of the trail network, not of a single hike.

There are also cycling routes of different lengths. The Ajka–Csingervölgy urban cycle path is 1,460 meters long and has a rest stop. The cycle path project improves bicycle access to the Bányászati Múzeum and the world's first Kriptongyár; it also connects the urban cycle network with the cycle path at Kab-hegy. The cycle path around Kab-hegy is about 40 kilometers long. Along the route there are maps, signposts and rest areas, including two shelters for protection from the rain. These figures illustrate two different scales: a short urban cycle path and a considerably longer route around Kab-hegy. Check current conditions on the routes before setting out.

Mining, churches and urban history

The Bányászati Múzeum preserves a machine house, a shaft house, exhibition rooms in a blacksmith's workshop and underground storage rooms. These form part of Hungary's first open-air memorial site dedicated to the history of technology. From September 2010, the museum was renovated and developed into a European-level interactive presentation site for the history of technology. If you are planning a visit, it is advisable to check current access arrangements and exhibitions in advance.

Ajka's Reformed church was built in the Baroque style in 1783. Another Late Baroque church stands in Tósokberénd: the parish church on Szent István út was completed in 1808. The two dates mark distinct building histories and refer to different places within the city. The Városi Múzeum és Fotógaléria preserves memories of the years Borsos Miklós, Fekete István and Molnár Gábor spent in Ajka.

Glass and special collections

The Ajka Kristály glass factory began operating in Ajka in 1878, after the glassworks in Úrkút was relocated there. Ajka Kristály continues to use traditional mouth-blown production techniques and makes original as well as cut, colored glass objects. The history of glassmaking and the techniques described as being used today give this topic both a historical and a craft dimension.

Another collection is dedicated to minerals, rocks and fossils. The Mineral, Rock and Fossil Cabinet displays well-known minerals from around the world, including ajkaite, which is named after Ajka. This nature-related subject, directly connected to the city's name, sits alongside the industrial collections.

The former Kriptongyár in Csingervölgy is also part of Ajka's industrial history: the building of the world's first Kriptongyár opened as a Multicultural Experience Center in April 2023. The renovated building and its surroundings provide space for contemporary international visual arts events and community events. Check current access information before visiting such facilities.

Bathing options and seasonal planning

Kristályfürdő includes outdoor pools with leisure features, an indoor pool, a sauna and a steam room. The facilities also include children's pools, paddling pools and family-friendly services. The seasonal leisure pool has six heated pools, a water surface area of 1,700 square meters and a range of leisure features. The seasonal operation of this leisure pool is particularly relevant when planning your trip; check access arrangements for your travel dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Somlóvásárhely, Nagyalásony, Magyarpolány, Városlőd, Úrkút, Somlószőlős, Kislőd, Halimba.

For the broader travel overview: Ajkai.