Gödöllő

Gödöllő
Descending from top: Main building of the Szent István University, Gödöllő Palace, Royal Pavilion, Hotel Queen Elisabeth, Basilica of Our Lady of Assumption (in Máriabesnyő), Old Town Hall, Royal Waiting Room, House of Arts
Nickname: 
City of Sissi
Gödöllő
Location of Gödöllő
Gödöllő
Gödöllő (Europe)
Coordinates: 47°36′0.00″N 19°22′0.12″E / 47.6000000°N 19.3667000°E / 47.6000000; 19.3667000
Country Hungary
RegionCentral Hungary
CountyPest
DistrictGödöllő
Settled1349
Incorporated1868
Government
 • MayorGyörgy Gémesi
Area
 • Town
61.92 km2 (23.91 sq mi)
 • Land58.36 km2 (22.53 sq mi)
 • Water3.56 km2 (1.37 sq mi)
 • Rank97th in Hungary
Elevation
207 m (679 ft)
Highest elevation
317 m (1,040 ft)
Lowest elevation
189 m (620 ft)
Population
 (2017)
 • Town
32,408
 • Rank29th
 • Density511.53/km2 (1,324.9/sq mi)
 • Urban
104,471
 • Demonym
gödöllői
Population by ethnicity
 • Hungarians94.4%
 • Gypsies1.1%
 • Germans0.6%
 • Slovaks0.4%
 • Ukrainians0.1%
 • Poles0.05%
 • Romanians0.04%
 • Others3.31%
Population by religion
 • Roman Catholic52.0%
 • Greek Catholic1.2%
 • Atheists15.3%
 • Calvinists14.8%
 • Lutherans3.1%
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
2100
Area code(+36) 28
MotorwaysM3, M31
Distance from Budapest30.7 km (19.1 mi) Southwest
Websitewww.godollo.hu

Gödöllő, officially the City of Gödöllő, is a city in Pest County, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, about 30 km (20 mi) northeast from the outskirts of Budapest. Its population is 34,396 according to the 2010 census and is growing rapidly. It can be easily reached from Budapest with the suburban railway (HÉV), and national railway (MÁV-START).

Gödöllő is home to the Szent István University, the main education institute of agriculture in Hungary. The palace at Gödöllő was originally built for the aristocratic Grassalkovich family; Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary and his wife Elisabeth ("Sisi") later had their summer residence here.

Communism saw much of the town's original one-storey housing levelled to make way for the blocks of flats which continue to dominate the town centre, as well as much of the Royal Forest and Elisabeth's Park levelled for industrial use.