The town of Szerencs lays at the southern foothills of Zemplén Mountain 30 kilometres far from Miskolc. It is a part of the wine-growing region of Tokaj-Hegyalja. Having the castle built in 16th century this was the earliest fortification of the county. In 1558 captain Ferenc Némethy built a renaissance castle using the remaining of the former abbey as a supply for the construction. In 1580, the land changed hands to Zsigmond Rákóczi who undertook a large-scale construction lasting for 15 years which culminated in a fortified keep with an outer wall. At the beginning of the 17th century István Bocskai promoted the settlement and granted it city rights, in addition, it housed the national assembly in 1606 when Bocskai was elected to be the duke of Hungary and Transylvania.
Nowadays, we can visit the Zemlpén Museum with its permanent exhibition of the age of Zsigmond Rákóczi who was an outstanding character of the independence war in the 17th century. Moreover, he raised the family fortune, reputation and influence, respectively. The protestant Rákóczi supported the Gáspár Károli’s works on translating and publishing the so-called Bible of Vizsoly.
Zsigmond Rákóczi was buried at the reformate church, which is one of the highlights of the city, in Szerencs.

Further information: www.szerencs.hu