Heves County Sportsmuseum

The Heves County Sports Museum in Eger is located in the courtyard of the County House, in the former prison building.

Building

The former prison building was designed by Josef Ignaz Gerl (nephew of Matthias Franz Gerl), also in Baroque style, which was not at all typical for prisons. It was built between 1764–69; the Calvary statues on the façade were made by Mihály Singer. From 1769 until the early 20th century it served as the county prison, then the county archive offices were housed there. Openings were cut into the wall of the chapel in the middle of the prison building so that every prisoner could “participate” in the masses. The upper floor was built in 1838–39 onto the earlier building for the Lutheran prisoners — a separate chapel was created for them. In 1993 the building was converted into a museum.

In front of the building stands a statue of Ferenc Kemény — he was one of the leading figures of the international Olympic movement in Hungary; and on the Hungarian side he signed, together with Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the declaration of intent to hold the Summer Olympic Games. Behind the statue, on a marble plaque placed under the stairway, the names of Heves County athletes who participated in various Summer and Winter Olympics are listed — the list included 88 Olympians in 2008 with 157 Olympic participations.

The Sports Museum was founded in 1993 by Dr. Ferenc Székely, its visionary; he collected the objects himself and assembled them until his death.

Exhibition

Across three floors and 12 rooms, medals, Olympic outfits, trophies, sports‑historical memorabilia, and photographs allow a time travel through local, Hungarian, and universal sports history.