Esztergom is a city in Hungary, on its northern border with Slovakia. The area has been inhabited at least since the end of the Ice Age 20,000 years ago, and Esztergom is one of Hungary's oldest towns. It has been inhabited by Celts, Romans, Magyars (Hungary's founding tribe) and Ottomans, who destroyed the old town. Today's Esztergom lies atop the foundations of the medieval city, which can be accessed via archeological excavation.
The town's most impressive attraction is the Esztergom Basilica. The tallest building in Hungary and the world's 18th-biggest church, it is dedicated to Saint Mary the Assumption and Saint Adalbert, a bishop of Prague. It features a soaring dome and a large pipe organ once played by Franz Liszt; one of its most interesting features is its Dark Gate, a neoclassical vaulted tunnel providing access to the town. The Dark Gate is no longer dark, having now been retrofitted with architectural lighting.
As you sail into Esztergom, you will see one of its newest sights: the Mária Valéria bridge across the Danube connecting Esztergom with Štúrovo in Slovakia. The original bridge in this location was opened in 1895, destroyed in World War I, reconstructed in 1926 and destroyed in World War II. The reopening of this graceful bridge symbolizes a new era of peace within the European Union in the new millennium.