Szeged

„The city of sunshine.”

Szeged is the fourth largest city of Hungary, the regional centre of South-Eastern Hungary and the capital of the county of Csongrád. Szeged is one of the centres of the food industry in Hungary, especially known for its pepper, gulas soup, Szegedi fishsoap and Pick salami.
Szeged is home to around 170 thousand people, which is a big city by Hungarian standards. Aside from local residence, the city also takes in about 10,000 students, who all attend the University of Szeged. The people of Szeged are mostly Catholic.
The climate is very favorable. Szeged is well known for its hot, sunny summers with temperatures ranging between 25-35 °C. Szeged gets an average of 2,000 hours of sunshine each year, no wonder the city is often called the City of Sunshine.
Local industry is reputed for food processing and production. Szeged is especially famous for its two most prominent agricultural products: the Pick brand salami, and one of the most distinctive Hungarian spices the paprika. The paprika gets it's red color and divine flavor from an extended exposure to sunlight, which makes Szeged the ideal place to grow this spice. Textiles, oil and natural gas processing, clothing production are also significant.
Several theories have surfaced in association with the origin of the name of the city. The most widely excepted version is that Szeged is a formative syllable of the word szeg, which means corner in Hungarian. This refers to the near right angle curve of the Tisza river at the center of the city. According to the second theory the name Szeged originated from the Hungarian word sziget (means island). Others believe that the word szeg means dark blonde, referring to the color of the water under the mouth of the Maros river.

History

The Tisza has lured human inhabitants to the Szeged region since the beginning of time. The oldest remnants of humans are from mammoth hunters, who settled in the area around 24000 BC. As the ice expanded southwards during the ice-age, the mammoth hunters drifted to warmer regions of the continent.

The first archeological findings of human inhabitants go back to the new stone-age (5000 BC). This is about the time humans gave up nomad life and settled down. 1500 years later the people living here slowly started plowing the land and growing agricultural products. During the start of the bronze-age (1900 BC) new southern and eastern ethnical groups appeared. Later kurgans settled in the area, who created thousands of earth pyramids called Kunpiles in the area. In the middle of the bronze-age, Balkan agricultural communities groups appeared who were able to produce surplus agricultural products. The use of carts was widespread among these people, moreover signs of cremation were found in their burial-grounds.

According to written sources, Agathursos and Signunna tribes settled in the region during the iron-age (700-600 BC). Most experts assume that the word Tisza derived from their language (tijah in their language means river). The use of iron was made common by arriving Celtic tribes around 300 BC, which helped the trade of weapons flourish.

As requested during your journey we can provide you an English-speaking interpreter, who can help in both organizing your dental treatments, as well as showing you around the city.

Theaters, cinemas, clubs, riverside swimming pools and sport grounds provide plenty of possibilities for recreation. There are several large parks, a zoo and a famous botanical garden to stroll through. Fine restaurants are scattered all over Szeged including various national cuisines: Greek, Chinese, Italian and Arabic. Szeged also has a Mall, where numerous shops await any shopper. A reasonably sized city with plenty in the way of shopping, Szeged is home to everything from modern supermarkets and hypermarkets, to traditional markets and speciality shops. For some of the most interesting souvenirs, take a shopping expedition to the flea market on the Mars Square.
Public transportation in the form of streetcars, trolleybuses and buses is so good that you can virtually reach every corner of Szeged.
Many of the most popular tourist attractions in Szeged are often dependent upon the season, while the main landmarks offer year-round sightseeing. Always popular in the summer months are the beaches and swimming pools across the River Tisza, within the New Szeged district, while other attractions close by include thermal baths and rowing boats.
Also at this time of the year it is often possible to check out a play at the city's Open-Air Theatre, or alternatively, the Szeged National Theatre is always to hand and will usually have something of interest. Those looking for landmarks should not miss the New Synagogue, the Town Hall and the many historical buildings and monuments around the Széchenyi Square and the Cathedral Square, although a day out at Szeged Zoo is hard to beat.
Those wishing to learn a little more about this part of Hungary, or view some extremely historic, religious works of art will find a number of good museums within the city of Szeged.

During the reign of the Roman Empire, first the area west of the Danube river was made a province (named Pannonia), later in the 2nd century BC most of Transylvania (Dacia) also came under the rule of the Romans. Szeged lying between these two provinces served an important purpose. The town at that time was named Partiscum and it served as an outpost to look after the salt and gold shipments floating down the Maros river. The couriers traveling between the two provinces also passed through the town. Szeged's region was inhabited by the Jazig tribes from 0-270 AD. Their role was to defend the frontiers of the Empire. The Jazig people were defeated by the Gepids (an eastern German ethnic group). They were subdued by the advancing Huns around 410. It is thought that after capturing the area, Attila the Hun made this region the capital of the Hun Empire. After the fall of the Huns (454), the Gepid tribes reclaimed their lost lands. In 568 the Gepids were defeated by the moors, who controlled the land till the arrival of the Hungarian tribes.
The settlement of the Hungarian tribes.

The nomad Hungarian tribes conquered the area in 896 and established a state three times as big as it is today. Some remnants of the early settlements established around this time remained. The first mention of Szeged in public documents was in 1138. Due to it's favorable geographic location it was probably an important riverside trading post before then. Beside the transport of salt, raising of livestock, farming and fishing was also an important source of income. By the time a castle was erected on the settlement, Szeged was given the rank of free royal town (1246).

Middle ages

As the threat of the advancing Turkish Empire became more and more apparent, the importance of Szeged as a defense center increased. Although the city was not a border town at that time, many men were recruited from the area to fight the advancing Turkish troops. In 1394 king Zsigmond visited the city and declared it the receptacle for defense campaigns. It was from Szeged that ships transported troops to southern castles to defend against the attacking Turkish army. Ulászló the first signed the peace treaty in the city with the Turks in 1444. Hungarian troops counter attacked from here, breaking their promise only four days after the signing of the treaty. By 1522 Szeged was one of the biggest cities in Hungary, with a population of 7000 (same as Buda's and Pest's). The city was the center of cattle export to Italy, which contributed to the wealth of the city.
Turkish occupation

With the country ravaged by internal conflict, with the western countries refusing help, the country faced a better prepared and a lot bigger Turkish army. No wonder that 2/3 of the country was conquered. The army of Ibrahim captured and plundered the castle of Szeged in September 28-29 of 1526. The area came under the rule of the Turks. Surprisingly the development of the city of Szeged did not halt for the next 25 years. It became the center for trade in the southern parts of the conquered country.

The real decline of the city began in 1552 of February when 1500 Hungarian soldiers tried to recapture the castle. Since they did not have proper artillery for the job, they were unable to seize the castle. The soldiers were so angered by their inability to carry out their plan, that they started to plunder the city. The raiders were later defeated by Turkish reinforcement coming from Buda. The real losers of the battle were the residence of Szeged. Most Hungarians living in the city fled, who were replaced by Turkish and Serb immigrants. The population of the city dwindled to 1500 in a short amount of time.

In October 23rd of 1686, with the help of the Austria forces, the city was recaptured. After the liberation of Szeged, it was from here that other attacks directed further south were coordinated. The country's situation did not really improve, since one occupant (the Turks) was replaced by another (Austrians).

The recovery

After the Turks were ousted from the country, there was continued unrest in Hungary. The Hungarian people wanted to be free of foreign rule. These nationalistic feelings lead to the outbreak of the Rákóczi War of Independence. Hungarian troops attempted to capture Szeged's castle from the Austrian in 1704, but the defending forces managed to impede the attack. Due to the lack of proper artillery, the Hungarians were forced to halt the attack. Shortly after, the Rákóczi War of Independence was defeated.

For a long time Szeged served as a military outpost. Due to the hardship of occupation and the 1712 flood, the population of Szeged waned. To boost the city's population many nationalities were invited to settle. The year 1719 saw the town regain its free royal rights and in 1721 a famous grammar school was established here. Witch litigations heightened in 1728 where the first 15 people were sentenced to death by burning on a parcel of land which bears the name of Island of the witches. Szeged had 21,519 inhabitants as of 1787. At the turn of the century, the foundation of the first Szeged press (Orbán Grünn) was a big occasion.
War of Independence - 1848-1849

In the Reform Period which began in 1825 and is associated with István Széchenyi and Lajos Kossuth, the development of the town accelerated. Industrial works and banks sprang up. At the same time, the ever improving highway and railway systems of the country reached Szeged.

In the War of Independence (1848-49), where the country tried to throw the ruling Habsburgs out again, Szeged played a prominent part. The famous recruiting speech of Lajos Kossuth was delivered on the Klauzál square in the fall of 1848. Szeged was the seat of the last revolutionary government in July 1849. The Hungarian revolutionary troops took a stand not too far away from the city, but were defeated by the opposition that more than surpassed their numbers.

In the second half of the century, citizens of the town and the surrounding areas put forth tremendous effort to populate the steppe-like region, to make agriculture thrive and to develop areas within the town itself. The building of the railways brought a burst of growth to the region. Several new large factories were built in and near Szeged.

The Great Flood

March 12th, 1879 brought Szeged's darkest hour- the Great Flood. Like most big cities Szeged was plagued by disease and fire but no one knew there was worse to come. It can be said that the coming catastrophe was also due to bad timing. Both the Tisza and the Maros river was bursting with extra water caused by the melting of snow up shore. Shortly after midnight (taking everybody by complete surprise) the dyke near the outskirts of Szeged gave way and literally washed the whole city away. Of the 70,000 people living in the city, 151 died that day. Only 265 houses remained standing, and 5458 were destroyed.

Downtown of Szeged under water Picture of the Dugonics square floaded with water
Searching through the rubble for remaining valuablesThe search for survivors
Pictures courtisy of the Szeged Somogyi Library

With the financial help of Vienna, London, Brussels, Paris, Rome and Berlin a new modern city was built with an exemplary layout of avenues and boulevards, with a strikingly homogenous architecture that preserves the Eclecticism and Art Nouveau of the turn of the century. Thus its present layout of wide streets, incorporating a network of three rings with avenues crossing them, gives the city its fairly modern and organized appearance. The major avenues were named after the contributing cities, and later a monument was erected in memory of the Great Flood. The economic and cultural importance of Szeged greatly increased after the flood in the developing period of Hungarian capitalism, which is associated with the period of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

In 1883 a bridge was built over the Tisza, which connected Szeged (the larger part of the town lying on the right bank) and Újszeged -New Szeged (a suburban district of residential housing and parks). New institutions and schools were also built. By the turn of the century Szeged became the cultural center of southern Hungary. During this time, when Szeged had a deep well dug, it was discovered that hot spring water flowed under the city. Even today the Spring of Anna supplies the local residents with rich mineral water.
World War One and the Depression

During World War I (when 18,000 men went to battle from Szeged) the city was first captured by the French and then the Serb forces. After Hungary lost WWI, two-thirds of the country's land was taken away. No other country lost land even close to the amount Hungary lost. Many Hungarians still very much resent the treaty of Trianon, which declared this change. In 1923 the building of the Votive Church was continued, which was finally finished in 1930. The first open air theater performance was held one year later. The Great Depression meant unequivocal hardship for the people of Szeged. The crisis was softened by taking up of big loans, which later put Szeged on the edge of a financial meltdown. In the 1930's a big project of building a local hospital complex was started.

World War Two

During the German occupation a ghetto was established for the Jewish community. Later many of them were transported to concentration camps. Szeged's war casualties numbered six thousand men, women and children. Szeged went through six English air raids - many buildings were blown up and many burned to the ground. When the news of the approaching Soviet troops were heard, Szeged's top officials fled with all the money and important documents they could carry. Some expensive machinery from local factories were loaded up on boats, but due to the shortage of time to get them safely away, they were sunk just so the important cargo would not get into the hands of the enemy. On the order of German troops, the bridge was also blown up on August of 1944 to make the job of the advancing Soviet troops a little bit more difficult.

Soviet occupation - communism

After World War II. ended Central and Eastern European countries came under the control of the USSR. These countries were ransacked for valuables and everything movable was shipped to Mother Russia to ease the incurred war losses. Communism was forced upon the people, collectivization was started...

In 1970 Szeged just nearly avoided another catastrophe. The Tisza came an inch close to the top of the city's dykes. Due to the extensive effort of the residence of Szeged the repeat of the Big Flood of 1879 was averted.

People Trucks

On the 100 year anniversary of the 1879 flood a second bridge was built across the Tisza. By the end of the 80's Russia's grip on the Eastern European countries weakened. The communist state's economy was in shambles. Hungary broke free of the Soviet block by 89-90. Since then a slow recovery has started.

Recent history

After the fall of soviet reign, most of the big factories (like the rubber factory, the clothing factory and the match factory) slowly started to go bankrupt. Today the most important elements of the industry are oil refining, natural gas production, the Pick and Medikemia factory. Szeged has many prominent High Schools and a well-know university. More than 10 thousand students study at the University of Szeged. The university has the following faculties and colleges: College of Agriculture, College Faculty of Food Engineering, Juhász Gyula Teacher Training College, Conservatory of Music, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Law , Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science.

Votive Church

Thermal Bath(s)

Town Hall

Dom Square

Domotor Tower

The Water Tower

Ferenc Mora Museum

National Theatre of Szeged

The memorial of Golden Team,
the legendary football team of Hungary.

Heroes' Gate

Downtown Bridge

Tisza riverbank

Klauzal Square

Dugonics Square

Square of the Martyrs of Arad