Village with 6,810 inhabitants between the Cserhát Mountains and the river Ipoly.

Fortress existed already in 1461. The only remains are some wall sections and two bastions. Using the walls of the Gothic castle the Forgács mansion was built on the site of the one-time fortress in the second half of the 17th century. The 8 ha park of the mansion is under protection. The baroque Fire tower built in 1700, has inclined by 30 degrees since the bombing in 1944.

The town celebrated the 300th anniversary of the national assembly held at Szécsény in 2005.

The former mansion of painter Gyula Benczúr is at Benczúrfalva, now part of Szécsény. The painter is buried in the cemetery here.