Kecskemét facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kecskemét
City with county rights
Kecskemét Megyei Jogú Város
Flag Coat of arms
Kecskemét Location in Bács-Kiskun County Show map of Bács-Kiskun County Kecskemét Location in Hungary Show map of Hungary Kecskemét Location in Europe Show map of Europe
Country	Hungary
Region	Southern Great Plain
County	Bács-Kiskun
District	Kecskemét
Established	9th century AD
Market town	14th century AD
Area
• City with county rights	321.36 km2 (124.08 sq mi)
Elevation	105 m (344 ft)
Population  (1 January 2016)
• City with county rights	110,813
• Rank	8th in Hungary
• Urban	187,835 (8th)
Demonym(s)	kecskeméti
Population by ethnicity
• Hungarians	84.8%
• Germans	1.3%
• Gypsies	1.1%
• Romanians	0.3%
• Serbs	0.1%
• Slovaks	0.1%
• Croats	0.1%
• Bulgarians	0.1%
• Ukrainians	0.1%
• Others	1.1%
Population by religion
• Roman Catholic	39.7%
• Greek Catholic	0.3%
• Calvinists	10.2%
• Lutherans	1.2%
• Jews	0.1%
• Other	1.6%
• Non-religious	17.3%
• Unknown	29.6%
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	6000 to 6008, 6044
Area code	(+36) 76
Motorways	M5, M8 (planned), M44 (planned)
NUTS 3 code	HU331
Distance from Budapest	91.5 km (56.9 mi) Northeast
International airports	Kecskemét
MP	László Salacz (Fidesz) Gábor Zombor (Fidesz)

Kecskemét is a lively city in central Hungary. It's the eighth-largest city in the country and the main city of Bács-Kiskun.

This city is located right in the middle of Hungary, about 86 kilometers (53 miles) from both the capital city, Budapest, and the third-largest city, Szeged. It's also almost equally far from Hungary's two big rivers, the Danube and the Tisza. Kecskemét is a key city in the northern part of the Southern Great Plain region of Hungary.

What's in a Name?

The name Kecskemét comes from two Hungarian words. Kecske means "goat" and -mét means "pass". So, it might mean "Goat Pass"!

Exploring Kecskemét's Geography

Kecskemét was built where a large sandy area meets sandy yellow soil. The city is about 120 meters (394 feet) above sea level. West of the city, you'll find lots of sand dunes shaped by the wind.

A long time ago, the pastures here were overused by animals, which damaged the land. To fix this, people planted many trees, fruit plants, and grapevines to help the soil stay in place.

Kecskemét is in the heart of Kiskunság, a famous region in Hungary. The Kiskunság National Park was created in 1975 to protect the many different plants and animals that live there. It's like a "mosaic" park, made up of several separate areas.

Kecskemét's Climate

The weather in Kecskemét is generally warm and dry, sometimes with extreme temperatures. There's a lot of sunshine, which is great for growing crops like wheat, apricots, red peppers, and tomatoes.

The warmest month is July, with an average temperature of 22.2°C (72°F). The coldest month is January, with an average of -0.3°C (31.5°F). Frosts can happen in early spring and late autumn.

Kecskemét's Rich History

József Katona Theatre

Hungarian Art Nouveau: Cifrapalota

People have lived in the Kecskemét area for about five thousand years! Different groups have called this place home over time. In the 14th century, King Louis I of Hungary officially recognized Kecskemét as a town. Its busy markets and growing population attracted many people, including traders and craftspeople.

During the Turkish invasion, people from nearby villages came to Kecskemét for safety. The town had defensive walls and even made a special deal to pay taxes directly to the Turkish leader in Buda. This helped keep the town safer.

For a long time, raising animals was very important here. But by the late 1700s, the land was overgrazed. It took almost 100 years for the region to find its next big thing: wine! When a plant disease destroyed vineyards in other parts of Hungary, Kecskemét's sandy soil protected its grapevines. This led to a boom in wine and food industries. The city is still famous for its barackpálinka, a delicious apricot brandy.

As the city grew richer, many beautiful buildings were constructed, especially around the main square. These buildings, like the Town Hall and the Ornamented Palace, are famous for their Art Nouveau style. Today, some of these old buildings have new uses, like the Hungarian Museum of Photography.

The city faced tough times during the Great Depression and World War II. Sadly, during the war, many Jewish people who were an important part of Kecskemét's community were taken away and killed. After 1945, a new government came to power, and Kecskemét became the main city of Bács-Kiskun, which helped it continue to grow.

In 2008, the German car company Daimler (which makes Mercedes-Benz cars) decided to build a huge factory in Kecskemét. This factory has created thousands of jobs and is a very important part of the city's economy today.

Kecskemét's Economy

Mercedes-Benz Conecto on Line 12 at Kecskemét operated by DAKK

Kecskemét Railway Station

The Mercedes-Benz factory is a huge part of Kecskemét's economy. It opened in 2012 and makes popular car models like the B-Class and A-Class. This factory created about 3,000 jobs and produces over 100,000 cars each year!

Other big companies in Kecskemét include:

• Mercedes-Benz – cars (5,000 employees)
• Duvenbeck IMMO – logistics (1,100 employees)
• ACPS Automotive – towbars (1,000 employees)
• Knorr-Bremse – brakes (950 employees)
• Phoenix Mecano – enclosures and mechanical parts (850 employees)
• CabTec – cables (800 employees)
• Fornetti – baked goods (800 employees)
• Univer Product – canned goods (800 employees)

Kecskemét has a very low unemployment rate, meaning most people who want jobs can find them.

Getting Around Kecskemét

M5 motorway near Kecskemét

Aerial view with the air base

A long time ago, in the 1900s, Kecskemét had trams for public transport. After World War II, buses became the main way to get around. Today, buses are the only public transportation option for many places in the city. In 2011, the city center was even rebuilt to be a special area for trolleybuses and people walking.

Who Lives in Kecskemét?

Kecskemét has about 107,267 residents. Most people are Hungarian. There are also smaller groups like the Romani minority and Germans. Before World War II, there was a thriving Jewish population in the city, but most were tragically killed during the war.

Kecskemét's Districts

Kecskemét is divided into 21 main sections, plus one extra. Many of these sections are named after important Hungarian historical figures or places.

• Belváros (Downtown)
• I. Árpádváros (Árpádtown)
• II. Máriaváros (Marytown)
• III. Széchenyiváros (Széchenyitown)
• IV. Bethlenváros (Bethlentown)
• V. Rákócziváros (Rákóczitown)
• VI. Erzsébetváros (Elisabethtown)
• VII. Kossuthváros (Kossuthtown)
• VIII. Hunyadiváros (Hunyaditown)
• IX. Szent István-város (Műkertváros, Szolnoki-hegy) (Saint Stephen town)
• X. Szent László-város (Rendőrfalu) (Saint Ladislaus town)
• XI. Alsószéktó (Szeleifalu)
• XII. Felsőszéktó (Petőfiváros, Sutusfalu)
• XIII. Talfája
• XIV. Katonatelep
• XV. Repülőtér (Reptéri-lakótelep)
• XVI. Matkó
• XVII. Kadafalva
• XVIII. Szarkás
• XIX. Hetényegyháza
• XX. Méntelek
• XXI. Borbáspuszta

Main Sights to See

Kecskemét has many interesting places to visit:

• City Hall
• "Cifra Palota" (Ornamented Palace)
• Co-Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord, Kecskemét
• Old Church
• Synagogue
• József Katona Theatre
• Hungarian Museum of Photography
• Museum of Hungarian Naive Artists
• MiG-21 Monument

Fun Activities in Kecskemét

If you're looking for things to do, check out these places:

• Adventure Spa & Waterslide Park www.csuszdapark.hu
• Kecskemét Baths http://www.kecskemetifurdo.hu/
• Kecskemét Wild Park http://www.zookecskemet.hu/
• Katona József Theatre of Kecskemét http://kecskemetikatona.hu/hu/english.
• Kecskemét Arboretum http://www.kecskemetiarboretum.hu/

Exciting Events

Kecskemét hosts some cool events:

• Csiperó- Future of Europe International childrend and youth meeting
• Kecskemét Animation Film Festival
• Kecskemét Air Show

Famous People from Kecskemét

Many notable people were born or lived in Kecskemét:

• András Gáspár (1804–1884), a Hungarian General
• Adrienne Nagy (born 1988), a Hungarian pop singer
• József Katona (1791–1830), a famous author
• Antal Szabó (1875–1926), a painter
• Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967), a world-famous Hungarian composer, music educator, and philosopher. A music school is named after him!
• Kálmán Latabár (1902–1970), an actor and comedian
• Nicolas Abraham (1919–1975), a French psychoanalyst
• Tamás Adamik (born 1937), a Hungarian linguist and professor
• Ákos Kónya (born 1974), an ultramarathoner

Kecskemét's Sister Cities

Kecskemét has many sister cities around the world, which means they have special friendly relationships:

Friendly Cities

Kecskemét also works closely with these cities:

• Großenhain, Germany
• Novi Sad, Serbia
• Tábor, Czech Republic

Military Presence

The MH 59th "Dezső Szentgyörgyi" Tactical Wing, which is Hungary's only jet fighter unit, is based at the Kecskemét air force base. Every two years, the exciting Kecskemét Air Show is held here.

Sports Teams

Kecskemét has its own sports teams:

• Kecskeméti TE, an association football club
• Kecskeméti LC, another association football club

Images for kids

• 

  Evangelical Church

• 

  Orthodox Church

• 

  Crucifix in the centre of Kecskemét—51.4% of the city's population are Christians

See also

In Spanish: Kecskemét para niños