We Took a Walk around Veszprém and Lake Balaton and Found Street Art Treasures

Location: Veszprém, Halle utca 5.

Created by: Gergely Ozsváth (Mentha) and Ákos Moravetz (IKE)

Since when? Summer 2021

You may also want to know: Gergely Ozsváth, nicknamed ‘Mentha’, is a rapper and a member of the band Hősök (Heroes). In addition to his career in music, he often paints graffiti. He recorded his first rap song in the house whose wall this painting decorates. The people of Veszprém voted the subject of the image – handball – as the symbol of solidarity and tradition of the city.

Location: Veszprém, Haszkovó housing estate, Munkácsy Mihály utca 3.

Created by: Gergely Ozsváth (Mentha) and his cousin Tamás Ozsváth

Since when? Summer 2022

You may also want to know: The 300-square metre mural was painted on the building’s firewall in only ten days. In it, the viewer will recognise iconic Veszprém buildings, including the Castle, the Haszkovó housing estate, and the only twenty-story building in the city.

Location: Veszprém, Stadion utca 1. 

Created by: Gergely Ozsváth (Mentha) and his cousin Tamás Ozsváth

Since when? Summer 2022

You may also want to know: Somewhat smaller than the two works described above, this mural, fin-ished in seven days, conjures up visions of the Zoo, one of the most popular attractions of Veszprém.

Location: Veszprém Viaduct tunnel

Created by: nature painter and illustrator Márton Zsoldos

Since when? Autumn 2021

You may also want to know: It is also known as the Tethys Tunnel because it resembles an aquarium. The painting is 6 metres tall and nearly 9 metres long and evokes the marine life of the ancient Tethys Ocean, which once covered the ground around Veszprém and the region.

On 10 March, Veszprém's newest attraction was unveiled: a painting of eagle owls, several storeys high, looking back at us from the walls of Hotel Veszprém. The artwork was created in cooperation between the Veszprém-Balaton 2023 EKF and MOME and depicts the bird of the year 2020, designed by Annabella Perecz.

The long-eared owl is the only bird species that does not migrate and is at home in cities. In Veszprém, too, they appear in increasing numbers every year, so you can even see them face to face if you are lucky enough. Although the painting seems complete, it will soon be further developed: the owls' eyes will be given a special paint so that they will glow at night.

Location: Sümeg, stairs

Created by: Judit Varjas

Since when? November 2022

You may also want to know: The reconstruction of the stairs that were in a bad state of repair was the private initiative of Szabolcs Németh. One of the main aspects of creating the painted stairs was to include other distinctive motifs of Sümeg in addition to the Castle.

Location: Balatonlelle-Felső, railway underpass

Created by: TCH Tárnoki Művészeti Egyesület (TCH Tárnok Art Association)

Since when? 2021

You may also want to know: The association was formed seven years ago by a group of childhood friends who intended to show the beauty of graffiti and street art. The creative team also created the decorations on the noise barrier at Tárnok and the railway underpass at Balatonboglár in collaboration with the Hungarian State Railways, MÁV.

Location: Tapolca, The Fish Stairs, Arany János utca

Created by: Judit Varjas

Created in: 2016

You may also want to know: Artist Judit Varjas painted the staircase leading to the shores of Malom (Mill) Lake in 2016 at the request of the city administration. She worked from dawn until night for 16 days and used 30 kilograms of paint to decorate the 27 steps. This work of art was refreshed in the autumn of 2022. The repair work took twenty-two 10-12-hour days, made difficult by bad weather. The result, however, speaks for itself.

Location: Tapolca, Arany János utca

Created by: Judit Varjas 

Since when? Autumn 2022

You may also want to know: The water lilies and goldfish now decorating the formerly grey wall of the building took eight days to paint.

Location: Balatonfenyves Narrow-gauge Railway stop at Somogyszentpál

Created by: Színes Város és a Társadalomklinika civil szervezet (Colourful City and the Social Clinic civic association)

Since when? September 2022

You may also want to know: The title of the mural depicting a stylized waterfowl is ‘Long Neck’. The creators have taken special care to ensure the specimen remains unidentifiable so each viewer can decide precisely what they want to see in the artwork. Three artists completed the painting in two sec-tions over five days.

Location: Siófok, underpass

Created by: TCH Tárnoki Művészeti Egyesület (TCH Tárnok Art Association)

Since when? September 2022

You may also want to know: Eight people worked for a week on prettying the underpass. They first needed to sand the walls, cover them with two coats of primer, and finally use three shades of blue to create the unique underwater fairy tale world in the underpass, complete with colourful fish, bubbles – even a ladybird wearing diving goggles.

Location: Fenékpuszta Bird Rescue and Ringing Station

Created by: Csongor Gergő Horváth and Kristóf Őri

Since when? September 2018

You may also want to know: Beyond its aesthetic value, the painting calls attention to the need to protect birds, the environment, and the importance of preserving the Balaton ecosystem.