Székesfehérvár Explained

Székesfehérvár
Settlement Type:City with county rights
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Pushpin Map:Hungary Fejér#Hungary
Pushpin Relief:1
Nickname:Fehérvár
Hungarian Crowning City
City of Kings
City of Churches
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Central Transdanubia
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Fejér
Subdivision Type3:District
Subdivision Name3:Székesfehérvár
Established Title1:Established
Established Date1:972
Established Title2:City status
Established Date2:972
Area Total Km2:170.89
Demographics Type1:Population by ethnicity
Demographics1 Footnotes:[1]
Demographics1 Title1:Hungarians
Demographics1 Info1:85.0%
Demographics1 Title2:Germans
Demographics1 Info2:1.3%
Demographics1 Title3:Roma
Demographics1 Info3:0.8%
Demographics1 Title4:Romanians
Demographics1 Info4:0.1%
Demographics1 Title5:Serbs
Demographics1 Info5:0.1%
Demographics1 Title6:Slovaks
Demographics1 Info6:0.1%
Demographics1 Title8:Croats
Demographics1 Info8:0.1%
Demographics1 Title9:Polish
Demographics1 Info9:0.1%
Demographics1 Title10:Ukrainians
Demographics1 Info10:0.1%
Demographics1 Title11:Others
Demographics1 Info11:1.2%
Demographics Type2:Population by religion
Demographics2 Footnotes:[2]
Demographics2 Title1:Roman Catholic
Demographics2 Info1:35.0%
Demographics2 Title2:Greek Catholic
Demographics2 Info2:0.3%
Demographics2 Title3:Calvinists
Demographics2 Info3:8.2%
Demographics2 Title4:Lutherans
Demographics2 Info4:1.4%
Demographics2 Title5:Other
Demographics2 Info5:1.6%
Demographics2 Title6:Non-religious
Demographics2 Info6:21.9%
Demographics2 Title7:Unknown
Demographics2 Info7:31.7%
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:András Cser-Palkovics (Fidesz-KDNP)
Leader Title1:Deputy Mayor
Leader Name1:Éva Brájer (Fidesz-KDNP)
Tamás Égi (Fidesz-KDNP)
Péter Róth (Fidesz-KDNP)
Attila Mészáros (Fidesz-KDNP)
Leader Title2:Town Notary
Leader Name2:Dr Viktor Bóka
Elevation M:118
Population Total:97,617[3]
Population Rank:9th
Population As Of:2014
Population Density Km2:571.23
Population Urban:272,474 (9th)[4]
Population Demonym:székesfehérvári, fehérvári
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:8000 to 8019
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:(+36) 22
Coordinates:47.1888°N 18.4138°W
Blank Name:Motorways
Blank Info:M7
Blank6 Name Sec1:International airports
Blank6 Info Sec1:Székesfehérvár
Blank2 Name:Distance from Budapest
Blank2 Info:64.2km (39.9miles) Southwest
Blank1 Name Sec1:NUTS 3 code
Blank1 Info Sec1:HU211
Blank3 Name Sec2:MP
Blank3 Info Sec2:Tamás Vargha (Fidesz-KDNP)
Gábor Törő (Fidesz-KDNP)

Székesfehérvár (in Hungarian ˈseːkɛʃfɛheːrvaːr/; German: Stuhlweißenburg pronounced as /de/; Latin: Alba Regia; ; Serbian: Стони Београд;), known colloquially as Fehérvár, is a city in central Hungary, and the country's ninth-largest city. It is the regional capital of Central Transdanubia, and the centre of Fejér County and Székesfehérvár District. The area is an important rail and road junction between Lake Balaton and Lake Velence.

Székesfehérvár, a royal residence,[5] as capital of the Kingdom of Hungary, held a central role in the Middle Ages. As required by the Doctrine of the Holy Crown, the first kings of Hungary were crowned and buried here.[6] Significant trade routes led to the Balkans and Italy, and to Buda and Vienna. Historically the city has come under Ottoman and Habsburg control, and was known in many languages by translations of "white castle" – Croatian: Biograd, Slovak: Belehrad, etc.

History

Pre-Hungarian

The place has been inhabited since the 5th century BC. In Roman times the settlements were called Gorsium and Herculia. After the Migration Period Fejér County was the part of the Avar Khaganate,[7] while the Slavic and Great Moravian presence is disputed. (There is no source for the name of the place before the late 10th century.) In the Middle Ages its Latin name was Alba Regalis/Alba Regia. The town was an important traffic junction between Lake Balaton and Lake Velence, several trade routes led from here to the Balkans and Italy, and to Buda and Vienna. (Today, the town is a junction of seven railroad lines.)

Early Hungarian

Grand Prince Géza of the Árpád dynasty was the nominal overlord of all seven Magyar tribes but in reality ruled only part of the united territory. He aimed to integrate Hungary into Christian Western Europe by rebuilding the state according to the Western political and social models. Géza founded the Hungarian town in 972 on four moorland islands between the Gaja stream and its tributary, the Sárvíz, one of the most important Hungarian tributaries of the Danube. He also had a small stone castle built. Székesfehérvár was first mentioned in a document by the Bishopric of Veszprém, 1009, as Alba Civitas.

Stephen I of Hungary granted town rights to the settlement, surrounded the town with a plank wall, and founded a school and a monastery.[8] Under his rule the construction of the Romanesque Székesfehérvár Basilica began (it was built between 1003 and 1038). The settlement had about 3,500 inhabitants at this time and was the royal seat for hundreds of years. 43 kings were crowned in Székesfehérvár (the last one in 1526) and 15 kings were buried here (the last one in 1540).

In the 12th century, the town prospered, churches, monasteries, and houses were built. It was an important station on the pilgrim route to the Holy Land. András II issued the Golden Bull here in 1222. The Bull included the rights of nobles and the duties of the king, and the Constitution of Hungary was based on it until 1848. It is often compared to England's Magna Carta.

During the Mongol Invasion of Hungary (1241–1242), the invaders could not get close to the castle: Kadan ruled Mongol warriors could not get through the surrounding marshes because of flooding caused by melting snow. In the 13th–15th centuries, the town prospered, and several palaces were built. In the 14th century, Székesfehérvár was surrounded by city walls.

After the death of King Mátyás (1490), the German army of 20,000 men of Maximilian invaded Hungary. They advanced into the heart of Hungary and captured the city of Székesfehérvár, which he sacked, as well as the tomb of King Mátyás, which was kept there. His Landsknechts were still unsatisfied with the plunder and refused to go for taking Buda. He returned to the Empire in late December and the Hungarian troops liberated Székesfehérvár in the next year.[9]

Ottoman period

The Ottomans conquered the city after a long siege in 1543 and only after a sally ended in most of the defenders including the commander, György Varkoch, being locked out by wealthy citizens fearing they might incur the wrath of the Ottomans by a lengthy siege.

Except for a short period in 1601 when Székesfehérvár was reconquered by an army led by Lawrence of Brindisi, the city remained under Ottoman administration for 145 years, until 1688,[10] with the Ottomans being preoccupied with the Morean War. They named the city Belgrade ("white city", from Serbian Beograd) and built mosques. In the 16th - 17th centuries it looked like a Muslim city. Most of the original population fled. It was a sanjak centre in Budin Province as "İstolni Belgrad" during Ottoman rule.

Habsburg Monarchy

The city began to prosper again only in the 18th century. It had a mixed population: Hungarians, Germans, Serbs, and Moravians.

By 1702, the cathedral of Nagyboldogasszony was blown up,[11] thus destroying the largest cathedral in Hungary at that time, and the coronation temple. By the Doctrine of the Holy Crown, all kings of Hungary were obliged to be crowned in this cathedral, and to take part in coronation ceremony in the surroundings of the cathedral. The coronations after that time were held in Pozsony (now Bratislava).

In 1703, Székesfehérvár regained the status of a free royal town. In the middle of the century, several new buildings were erected (Franciscan church and monastery, Jesuit churches, public buildings, Baroque palaces). Maria Theresa made the city an episcopal seat in 1777.

By the early 19th century, the German population was assimilated. On 15 March 1848, the citizens joined the revolution. After the revolution and war for independence, Székesfehérvár lost its importance and became a mainly agricultural city. In 1909 The Times Engineering Contract List noted a bridge construction contract valued at £12,000 to be overseen by the Chief Magistrate.[12]

Interwar period

New prosperity arrived between the two world wars, when several new factories were opened. In 1922 a radio station was established. It used two masts insulated against ground, each with a height of 152 metres. The last mast of the station was demolished in 2009.

World War II

In 1944, after the occupation of Hungary by Nazi Germany, the city's Jewish population was confined to a ghetto and was eventually deported to the Auschwitz death camp, together with further 3,000 Jews from the area.[13] [14] The pre-war Jewish population consisted of Neolog (Reform) and Orthodox communities with their respective synagogues, and some of its members were active Zionists.[13] [14]

In December 1944, Fehérvár came under Russian artillery fire, and stiff fighting broke out as the Red Army advanced on the city.[15] The Germans had chosen to concentrate their forces to protect the 15-mile gap between Fehérvár and Lake Balaton. Whereas most of the gap consisted of marsh and difficult ground, Fehérvár was the node for eight highways and six railways.[16] Despite the heavy German defences, a Soviet flying column broke through and occupied the city on 23 December;[17] the Germans were able to push them out on 22 January 1945.[18] In March 1945, the area was the battleground for the last major German offensive of World War II; but following its failure Marshal Tolbukhin broke through the German lines once more and recaptured the city on 22 March.[19] A Soviet airfield was established at nearby Szabadbattyán.[20]

After WWII

In August 1951, over 150 people were killed when two trains collided in Fehérvár.[21]

After World War II, the city was subject to industrialization, like many other cities and towns in the country. The most important factories were the Ikarus bus factory, the Videoton radio and TV factory, and the Könnyűfémmű (colloquially Köfém) aluminium processing plant, since acquired by Alcoa. By the 1970s, Székesfehérvár had swelled to more than 100,000 inhabitants (in 1945 it had only about 35,000). Several housing estates were built, but the city centre preserved its Baroque atmosphere. The most important Baroque buildings are the cathedral, the episcopal palace and the city hall.

In the past few decades, archaeologists have excavated medieval ruins (that of the Romanesque basilica and the mausoleum of St. Stephen of Hungary); they can now be visited.

At the end of the Socialist regime, all the important factories were on the verge of collapse (some eventually folded) and thousands of people lost their jobs. However, the city profited from losing the old and inefficient companies, as an abundance of skilled labour coupled with excellent traffic connections and existing infrastructure attracted numerous foreign firms seeking to invest in Hungary. Székesfehérvár became one of the prime destinations for multinational companies setting up shop in Hungary (Ford and IBM are some of them), turning the city into a success story of Hungary's transition to a market economy. A few years later Denso, Alcoa, Philips, and Sanmina-SCI Corporation also settled in the city.

Culture

See also: List of cultural heritage monuments in Székesfehérvár.

Architecture

Statues and memorials

Museums and galleries

Population

Ethnic groups (2001 census):

Religions (2001 census):

Politics

The current mayor of Székesfehérvár is András Cser-Palkovics (Fidesz).

The local Municipal Assembly, elected at the 2019 local government elections, is made up of 21 members (1 Mayor, 14 Individual constituencies MEPs and 6 Compensation List MEPs) divided into this political parties and alliances:[22]

PartySeatsCurrent Municipal Assembly
 Fidesz14M             
 Opposition coalition4              
 Independent2              
 Válasz, Independent Civils1              

List of mayors

List of City Mayors from 1990:

MemberPartyTerm of office
István BalsayIndependent1990–1994
István NagyFidesz1994–1998
Tihamér WarvasovszkyMSZP-SZDSZ1998–2010
Tibor ViniczaiMDF2010
András Cser-PalkovicsFidesz2010–

Economy

Transport

Székesfehérvár is an important hub for the Hungarian railway system (MÁV). Trains depart to the northern and southern coasts of Lake Balaton and towards the capital. The city is also reachable by regional buses from other major national destinations. There are numerous local buslines operating 7 days a week, operated by the company that also operates the regional buses in the region, KNYKK Zrt. (Közép-Nyugat Magyarországi Közlekedési Központ).

Sport

Alba Regia Sportcsarnok is an indoor stadium in the city. It hosts a number of sport clubs from amateur to professional level, with 2017 Hungarian basketball championship winner Alba Fehérvár being its most notable tenant.

Other city sports clubs include:

Notable people

Born in Székesfehérvár

Buried royalty

Fictional

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Hungary. Székesfehérvár is twinned with:[23] [24]

See also

References

Notes

External links

47.1956°N 18.4089°W

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ksh.hu/apps/hntr.telepules?p_lang=EN&p_id=14827 KSH - Székesfehérvár, 2011
  2. http://www.ksh.hu/apps/hntr.telepules?p_lang=EN&p_id=14827 KSH - Székesfehérvár, 2011
  3. http://www.ksh.hu/apps/hntr.telepules?p_lang=EN&p_id=14827 KSH - Székesfehérvár, 2011
  4. http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=urb_lpop1&lang=en Eurostat, 2016
  5. szék meaning "seat", i.e. "throne")
  6. Székesfehérvar. 26.
  7. See: Bóna István: Avar lovassír Iváncsáról [Grave of an [[Pannonian Avars|Avar]] horseman at Iváncsa]. In: ArchÉrt 97. (1970). 243–264.
  8. Previously rendered as "provosty"; there is no such word in English but there is in German, see https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propstei_(Kirche)
  9. Book: József Bánlaky . A magyar nemzet hadtörténelme . Military history of the Hungarian nation . 16 June 2011 . Grill Károly Könyvkiadó vállalata . Budapest, Hungary . 1929 . hu . 963-86118-7-1 . Ulászló küzdelmei János Albert lengyel herceggel és Miksa római királlyal. Az 1492. évi budai országgyűlés főbb határozatai. . Struggle of Vladislas against prince John Albert and Holy Roman Emperor Maxinmilan. The assembly of Buda in 1492 and its sanctions..
  10. Book: Butler's Lives of the Saints . Alban Butler, Paul Burns . 2000 . 159 . A&C Black . 0-86012-256-5.
  11. Ferenc Glatz: Magyar történeti kronológia
  12. [The Times (London, England)]
  13. https://dbs.bh.org.il/place/szekesfehervar_A city in central Hungary
  14. https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Szekesfehervar/Szekesfehervar.html The Jews of Szekesfehervar & Its Environs
  15. Red Army Eight Miles From Budapest.” The Times 11 December 1944; pg. 4
  16. “Drive Towards The Danube.” The Times (London, England), 27 December 1944; pg. 4
  17. Outflanking Budapest. The Times (London, England), 9 December 1944; pg. 4
  18. East Prussia Or Silesia?. The Times, 23 January 1945
  19. Progress Towards Györ, The Times (London, England), Monday, Mar 26, 1945; pg. 4
  20. Forced Labour Units In Hungary. The Times, 2 January 1952
  21. Strain On Railways In Hungary. The Times, 16 November 1951
  22. Web site: Városi közgyűlés tagjai 2019-2024 - Székesfehérvár (Fejér megye). valasztas.hu. 2019-10-29.
  23. Web site: Településfejlesztési koncepciójának és integrált településfejlesztési stratégiájának megalapozó vizsgálata. szekesfehervar.hu. Székesfehérvár. 93. hu. 2018-11-16. 2020-11-10.
  24. Web site: 2023-08-20 . Testvérváros lett Esztergom és Székesfehérvár . 2023-12-26 . 24.hu . hu.