Szolnok is a city with a long history and interesting museums. Its buildings are a mixture of buildings from different eras, with a predominance of those from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the Bagolyvar Zoo is a big attraction.
Although Szolnok already existed in the 11th century and was for centuries an important trade and craft center with a large concentration of Jewish people. A memento of it is the synagogue built at the beginning of the 20th century, which now serves as a gallery.
During World War I and II, Szolnok was severely damaged by fire and air raids. For this reason, there is no compact old town here, only single historic buildings dotted around the historic center. The Gothic castle church, the baroque Franciscan church, the eclectic town hall from the mid-nineteenth century built as the Royal Hotel and the artistic settlement Muvésztelep from the early twentieth century have survived.
The most important attractions of Szolnok are the local museums, including the Reptar Szolnok , the largest aviation museum in Hungary, where you can even use a flight simulator. The Janos Damjanich Museum has historical and ethnographic collections, and the Szolnok Gallery presents works by local artists. You can learn about the life of the inhabitants of the city's suburbs at the Taban Village House .
