Szentendre is an old borough dotted with historical Baroque buildings, featuring to all visitors plenty of art galleries and museums, as well as family run restaurants and open-air cafes. On top of that, the hidden gardens, the narrow cobbled streets, along with the houses built in a traditional architectural style are worth exploring. Furthermore, one can always climb the heights which surround the town in order to admire the view of the local vineyards. The Museum of Ethnography Skanzen, which is an open air venue, is home to the largest collection of rural architectural exhibits in Hungary.
The locality was founded once the Greek and Serbian refugees settled in the region. They would abandon their homelands trying to find shelter against the Ottoman armies that advanced to north Europe, during the 14th century. Despite the fact Szentendre was eventually occupied by the Ottomans (a dominion which lasted until 1686), the community of this small town managed to keep its religious Orthodox Christian identity, joining together in prayer in the churches previously built of wood.
Under the rule of the Habsburg dynasty, the Serbians fully regained their rights to pray without restraint. The places of worship made of wood were gradually replaced by Baroque churches built of stone. The Serbians left, however, Hungary after a decree which forced the Serbian community to completely submit to the Hungarian King. As a result, the small town of Szendre lost its importance, being massively abandoned by the very people who had founded it hundreds of years before.
Further information on Szentendre and its tourist attractions can be learned by visiting www.szentendre.hu.