Eger (population about 60.000) was one of the early Hungarian towns, with a bishop from the beginning of the 11th century. After the Mongol horders annihilated Eger and most of its inhabitants in 1241, settlers from western Europe helped to repopulate and rebuild the town. But the indelible trauma for Eger was the Turkish era, a time of siege and slaghter and despair.
Otherwise the center of Eger is meant for strolling and discovering. Among the quaint touches are modern sculptures over the doors of shops, whimsically announcing the  of the house. One very important specialty is wine, for Eger is the home of the Hungarian wine most widely known abroad: Egri bikavér, meaning Bull's Blood of Eger.
This robust red wine, as well as less famous local varieties, may be sampled in clearly marked wine taverns in the old town, or at traditional wine cellars where the vineyards meet the city.