Sarospatak trip planner

----Sárospatak is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, northern Hungary. It lies 70km northeast from Miskolc, in the Bodrog river valley. The town, often called simply Patak, is an important cultural centre.HistoryThe area has been inhabited since ancient times. Sárospatak was granted town status in 1201 by King Emeric. In the Middle Ages it was an important place due to its proximity to an important trade route leading to Poland.Castle of SárospatakIts castle, built by Andrew II, is traditionally identified as the birthplace of his daughter Saint Elizabeth.Sárospatak was elevated to the rank of free royal town by King Sigismund. In 1460, during the reign of King Matthias it received the right to hold a market. In 1575 a plague killed many of the inhabitants.The owners of the castle of Sárospatak include many important individuals in Hungarian history. In the 16th century it was owned by the Dobó family. Bálint Balassi, the most important Hungarian poet of the century married Krisztina Dobó at the castle; the bride was the daughter of István Dobó, who defended the castle of Eger against the Ottoman Turks. Later the castle was owned by the Rákóczi family. The residents of the town took an active part in the revolution against Habsburg rule led by Francis II Rákóczi.