Tapolca is a city ​​in Veszprém County , the seat of the Tapolca district . Until the 1950 county settlement , the settlement belonged to Zala County .

Sights

Caves 

Experts have proved that several excavated caves in Tapolca form a common system, making it the fourth longest cave system in Hungary. 

The total length of the Tapolca Spring Cave is 3280 meters – although according to the leader of the local cave research group, Rezső Szilaj, the length of the excavated cave system is 8700 meters – and its depth is 16 meters from the entrance. It was formed by water entering the cracks in the limestone . The cave was discovered in 1903 during excavation, on the plot of baker Pál Tóth (masons Ferenc Németh and Gyula Biró [granddaughter of Gyula Biró, poet and literary historian István Péter Németh ) from Tapolca). In 1912 , the electric lighting was completed and the cave was opened to visitors. The Cave of the Nyirád bauxite miningit was anhydrous for a long time due to its lowering and was sealed. After the mining was completed, the karst water level was restored and a 250 m section (of which 180 m was to be done by boat ) was reopened. The depth of the water on the boat tour is 0.4–3 m. Three people can sit in one boat, the vehicle can be loaded up to 220 kg. The boating section has a throughput of 130 visitors per hour. Most of the spring cave is under water and cannot be visited. The visitable area can be reached by 73 steps. Inside the temperature is 20 ° C, the relative humidity is more than 90%.

On January 20, 2015, the 770-square-meter, ten-room visitor center of the Spring Cave opened. 

The total length of the Hospital Cave is 2850 meters, the depth from the entrance is 14 meters dry and 36 meters under water. The cave was discovered in 1925 during the construction of the lung pavilion on the hospital grounds . The cave was not cared for at the time, its flights were largely filled with rubble. Only more than a decade later, in 1937, Kessler Hubert surveyed flights, and at his suggestion the rubble was excavated, and pillars were built in the necessary places to strengthen the foundations of the hospital. During the Cold War, they wanted to build it into an underground hospital, fortunately the work (due to lack of money) was interrupted from the beginning. Attention was again focused on the cave when the beneficial effects of being down were shown. Since 1972, it has been used for people with respiratory diseases and therapeutic treatments.

On November 26, 2010, two more cave lakes were discovered in the Károly Berger Cave in Tapolca , with a diameter of 23 and 30 meters, respectively, so currently they are the largest cave lakes in Hungary. The Tapolca Plecotus Cave Research Group, which has been researching the spring cave since 1986, began in 2002 to explore a cave formed in limestone deposited in the former shallow sea. The two cavities can be descended through a twelve meter deep well. 

Museums 

• City Museum. A local history exhibition and school museum have been set up in one of the oldest folk high schools in Central Europe. According to old documents, the Cantor House, built on the ruins of the castle of the former border castle, stood as early as 1726. János Batsányi (1763-1845), the great poet of the Enlightenment , studied lettering within his walls . The museum was originally a collection of pedagogical history, then it was supplemented with archeological, historical, ethnographic, industrial history and fine arts material presenting the city. Finds from local excavations can be seen here, and a stone storehouse awaits visitors. Open May 31 Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m .; in summer except Mondays from 10:00 to 17:00 (Trip Planner).
• Marton Gallery is a permanent exhibition of the works of László Marton

Churches 

• Catholic Church. The original building was even erected by Ispán Turul in the first half of the 13th century , which is now largely indicated by a Romanesque-style window on the south side . At the beginning of the 15th century, the Carthusians added a shrine with a Gothic , ribbed ceiling. On the south outer wall of the sanctuary is a fragment of a fresco by St. Christopher – in the form of this St. Joseph , the artist immortalized King Sigismund . The church, damaged during Turkish times, was restored by Bishop Márton Padányi Biró of Veszprém in 1756 –In 1757 , and at the same time he added a baroque nave to it. 
• Protestant church. The church reminiscent of the Kalotaszeg churches was completed in 1936 .

Sculptures

• Holy Trinity Statue – Main Square. The group of baroque limestone sculptures standing on a hexagonal stepped pedestal was erected by Bishop Márton Padányi Biró of Veszprém in 1757 . It was restored in 1998.
• Trianon Monument
• Many public works by László Marton :

• Little Princess , 1990. Main Square

The original (50 cm) sculpture of the sculpture was modeled in 1972 by the artist from his eldest daughter, Évik, then 5 years old. The original small sculpture is the property of the Hungarian National Gallery . Its larger version has been sitting on the Danube Promenade since 1990, in front of the Vigadó , the duplicate was sent to Tapolca. An additional copy of Tokyo , the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space Cultural Center hall before seen concert hall.

• Szent Borbála , 2000. Kisfaludi utca 2–6.

The bronze statue stands on a pedestal made of basalt stones. He has a crown on his head, a candle in one hand and a palm branch in the other, next to a castle tower. The inscription on the base of the copper plate: St. Barbara is the patron saint of miners.

• Our Past , 1988. Church Hill 6

Bronze male figures squatting on a marble pedestal, with a fragment of a Roman earthenware in his hand.

• Our Sad History , 1990. Heroes’ Square

A hooded bronze figure standing in front of a ruined stone wall.

• Shepherd Boy , 1943. Republic Square

Bronze figure standing on a low stone pedestal. One of the very first works of the artist.

• Four Seasons , 1992. Mill Park

Allegorical figures standing on low stone columns.

• Miners – space sculpture, 1972. Kossuth utca 2.

450 cm x 25 cm x 175 cm figural limestone composition in socialist style.

• Wass Albert – bust, 2008. Batsányi J. u. 1.

The sculptor’s last work. The bronze statue of the poet-writer stands in front of the library and museum bearing its name (Veszprém).

• János Batsányi – György Segesdi , 1960.

The bronze figure of the poet stands on a limestone pedestal.

• Gabriella Baatsg Batsányiné – András Kocsis , 1964 (Public map), 1966 (Excursion planner). Arany János utca

The bronze bust of the Austrian poetess Gabriella Baumberg, the wife of Batsányi, can be seen on a limestone pedestal near Lake Malom. The inscription on the pedestal: BATSÁNYINÉ BAUMBERG GABRIELLA 1766-1839 .

• Girl picking grapes – the work of Mária R. Törley (sculptor) and Tamás Zoltán Papp (architect), 2010. Batsányi Square

The barefoot bronze girl with feminine hips is approx. 120 cm high. The architect’s work is the pedestal and the environment made of stone blocks.

• Sitting soldier – the work of Lajos Ungvári , 1970. Dobó István tér

The posture of the seated figure is artificial, unreal.

• Geometric figures – Gyula Nyírő , 1969. Ady Endre utca 12.

Modest flat decoration with stylized figures.

• World War I Memorial – Gyula Maugsch , 1930. Heroes’ Square

On a large, stepped pedestal stands a bronze soldier; holding flag and rifle. On the pedestal on a bronze plaque are the names of the fallen, the inscription 1914-1918 and a crowned Hungarian coat of arms.

• Kosvedes drinking fountain – Béla Raffay , 1995. Mill Park (É: 46.882890, K: 17.441358).
• Relief by Ferenc Batsányi Tapolca High School, work by Tibor Túri Török

Other architectural and other sights 

• Main square
• Mill Lake : Surrounded by ancient buildings, high stone walls and restaurants, the lake is the most important tourist destination in the town. This is where the naming springs of the settlement originate, which were perhaps already swollen back by the Romans to run a mill with it (Excursion Planner). The Malomtó promenade starts from the lake. It is the venue for the annual trout festival .
• Romkert. You can see the preserved ruins of the 13th-century estate center, as well as the Carthusian fortress built on it and the gate and wolf pile of the castle, which was enlarged in the 17th century .
• City Museum
• Watermill
• Y-houses : Designed by Tamás Kiss . The first building was started in 1972 by the Zala County State Construction Company (ZÁÉV). By 1986, the Bauxit housing estate was built in several stages. A total of nine Y-houses were made with all-comfort apartments.
• The National Blue Tour passes through the settlement .