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Pápa

Pápa
City
Skyline of Pápa
Flag of Pápa
Flag
Coat of arms of Pápa
Coat of arms
Pápa is located in Hungary
Pápa
Pápa
Location of Pápa
Coordinates: 47°19′25″N 17°28′05″E / 47.32373°N 17.46802°E / 47.32373; 17.46802Coordinates: 47°19′25″N 17°28′05″E / 47.32373°N 17.46802°E / 47.32373; 17.46802
Country  Hungary
County Veszprém
Area
 • Total 91.47 km2 (35.32 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Total 32,473
 • Density 355/km2 (920/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 8500
Area code(s) +36 89

Pápa [ˈpaːpɒ] is a historical town in Veszprém county, Hungary, located close to the northern edge of the Bakony Hills, and noted for its baroque architecture. With its 32,473 inhabitants (2011), it is the cultural, economic and tourism centre of the region.

Pápa is one of the centres of the Reformed faith in Transdanubia, as the existence of numerous ecclesiastical heritage sites and museums suggest. Due to the multitude of heritage buildings the centre of the town is now protected.

Pápa has a large historical centre, with renovated old burgher's houses, cafes, and museums, including the Blue-Dyeing Museum (Kékfestő Múzeum), set up in a former factory which produced clothes and other textiles dyed with indigo blue under a unique method.

The town is also noted for its thermal baths, particularly a newly constructed swimming complex, the Esterházy family's palace, its grand Roman Catholic church, and Calvinist secondary school; the town is an important religious centre. It also boasts a large park near the centre of town.

The town has been the main center of trade in the wines of the Somló wine region. Pápa was an administrative regional capital from 1945 to 1983.

Pápa is a historic town first mentioned in records in 1061. It is possible that the town (originally a royal manor) was named after the kindred Pápa. Its importance and development is proved by the fact that in the 14th century the town was given civic privileges and at the beginning of the next century it became a market-town.

The town evolved from the 11 villages that occupied the current territory of the town during the Middle Ages. Large landowning families and various religious orders played an important role in the development of Pápa as a city: the Franciscans settled here in 1475 and the Paulines in 1638.


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