Museums and exhibitions in Zala county
Visitors who want to explore the history of Zalavár and the region will get the most comprehensive understanding of it if they visit the museums and the historical exhibitions of Zala county.
The Göcseji Museum in Zalaegerszeg ( Zalaegerszeg, Batthyany u.2. , Tel.: 92/ 314-537) with its permanent exhibitions titled „ Centres along the River Zala „ opened in 2000 gives you a detailed history of the settlements playing the key role in the past 2000 years in the valley of the Zala feeding Lake Balaton, on the basis of the findings of the latest research. You can get aquainted with the memories of the Roman town Salla (today: Zalalövő) which gave its name both to the river and the region, and also with Zalavár which grew to be the centre of the region in the 9-13th centuries. Besides the findings and results of the excavations taken place on Vársziget ( ’Castle Island’ ), the materials excavated here before the region had been flooded again are exhibited. You can see the excavated objects, jewels and articles for everyday usage. Macquetts show the original location of the buildings in the two most significant eras of the history of the island you can see block-reconstructions, as well. The last section of the exhibition presents the memories of Zalaegerszeg which became the county seat of Zala county in the 17-18th century.
The new exhibition of the Balatoni Museum in Keszthely ( Keszthely, Múzeum út ., Tel.: 83/ 312-351) „ Golden Bridge- Chapters from the History of Lake Balaton. In the first room of the exhibition the formation of the largest lake of Hungary and the relationship between the man and the lake is presented. Then, large dioramas show the flora and fauna of the lake and the region. Continuing your visit you can get a lot of information about the most significant castles of the region of Balaton from the prehistoric age to the end of the Turkish times. You can also learn a lot about the history of fishing on Lake Balaton , of the bathing life from the beginning till these days, and of the shipping of the lake. Even, a room equipped with computres is available to get detailed information about the history of Lake Balaton and its region. Last but not least, in a large aquarium visitors can have a look at the fish of the lake.
If you are interested in the history of Southern Zala , you should not miss the exhibition of the Thúry György Museum in Nagykanizsa ( Nagykanizsa, Fő út 5., Tel.: 93/314-596) titled „People, roads, relations.” Upstairs of the Baroque building visitors can see the interesting archaelogical findings excavated during the construction of the M7 highway crossing Southern Zala , among them the first (6-7 thousand –year old) human descriptions found in this area. There is a room where the history of the castle of Kanizsa (important in the Turkish wars) is presented. There are several rooms to show Kanizsa, the most significant merchant town of South-western Transdanubia in the 18-19th century.
In the enteriors the civil world of the turn of 19-20th centuries is revived. To finish your visit you are invited to the last room with the original furniture of the former Fekete Sas ( „Black Eagle”) the one of the most beautiful pharmacies of Hungary.
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