Tatabánya Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Tatabánya

City with county rights

Tatabánya in June 2008

Flag	Coat of arms

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Country

Hungary

Region

Central Transdanubia

County

Komárom-Esztergom

District

Tatabánya

Area

• Total

91.42 km² (35.30 sq mi)

Elevation

167 m (548 ft)

Population

(2022)

• Total

64,305

• Rank

12th

Area code(s)

Motorways

Distance from Budapest

60.1 km (37.3 mi) East

Tatabánya is a city in northwestern Hungary. It has about 64,305 people living there (as of 2022). It is the main city of Komárom-Esztergom County. Tatabánya is known as a "city with county rights." This means it has special powers, similar to a county itself.

Location and Transport
History of Tatabánya
Infrastructure and Services
Education in Tatabánya
Culture and Sports
City Sights
City Districts
Nearby Villages
Notable People
Sister Cities
- Town Partnerships
Gallery
See also

Location and Transport

Tatabánya is found in a valley between the Gerecse and Vértes Mountains. It is about 55 kilometers (34 miles) from Budapest, the capital city. Because of where it is located, Tatabánya is an important place for both trains and roads. The M1 highway, which connects Vienna to Budapest, goes past the city. The main railway line between Vienna and Budapest also runs through Tatabánya.

History of Tatabánya

People have lived in the area around Tatabánya for a very long time. Archaeologists have found proof that humans were here even in the Stone Age. The city we know today was formed from three older villages: Alsógalla, Felsőgalla, and Bánhida. Bánhida is the oldest of these, first mentioned way back in 1288.

In the 1500s, the Ottoman Turks took control of this region. During this time, many local people became Protestants. Later, the powerful Esterházy family, who owned the land, brought in new settlers. These new residents were Roman Catholic Germans and Slovaks.

A count from 1787 showed that Alsógalla had 580 people and Felsőgalla had 842. Around this time, people discovered that there was a lot of coal in the area. This discovery led to more people moving there. A new mining community grew, which later became the village of Tatabánya.

After World War II, Hungary went through a big change called industrialization. Many towns grew into large industrial cities. On October 1, 1947, the four villages (Alsógalla, Felsőgalla, Bánhida, and Tatabánya) were joined together. They were all given the name Tatabánya and became a town. In 1950, Tatabánya became the capital of Komárom-Esztergom county. By the 1980s, the city had more than 80,000 residents.

Tatabánya was a very industrial city until the government changed in 1989. After that, the importance of heavy industry and mining went down. The city's economy then started to change a lot.

Infrastructure and Services

Communist-era housing developments in Tatabánya

A Credo Econell bus at Tatabánya bus station

In 2001, a survey showed that Tatabánya had 28,912 homes. Most of these homes (92%) had central heating and phones. Almost all homes also had access to cable TV. About 98% of the city's roads are paved. Public transport is well organized. T-Busz runs local bus services, and KNYKK handles regional bus services.

Education in Tatabánya

In the middle of the 20th century, education in Tatabánya was about average. However, it got worse in the second half of the century. This was mainly because the local mines did not need workers with a high level of education. By the end of the 20th century, this trend changed. Education standards improved again. Today, Tatabánya has two colleges and ten high schools. It also has 16 primary schools, 18 kindergartens, and five nurseries for very young children.

Culture and Sports

The most important cultural place in Tatabánya is the Mari Jászai Theatre. The city also has other cultural spots, like museums and libraries.

Tatabánya has a football (soccer) team called FC Tatabánya, which started in 1910. The city also has a very good handball team, Tatabánya KC.

One of the most famous people from Tatabánya is József Kiprich. He was known as "the Wizard from Tatabánya." In 1985, he became the top goal scorer in the Hungarian League. He scored 18 goals in 26 games that year. He played for Tatabánya for nine seasons. After that, he moved to the Netherlands to play for Feyenoord in Rotterdam. Kiprich is also one of Hungary's best goal scorers for the national team. He scored 28 goals in 70 games over eleven seasons.

City Sights

The Turul monument is a huge statue located above the city. It sits on top of Gerecse Mountain. This statue is the largest bird statue in Central Europe.

The Szelim cave is another popular spot. The forest park of Gerecse Mountain is also a great place for tourists to visit.