Dobrossy István: Miskolc írásban és képekben 2. Második, átdolgozott kiadás (Miskolc, 2006)
Angol nyelvű összegzés
culture was a base for living through centuries. Three special buildings, look-out towers were built in the 20th century on the peak of the Avas hill. The last one of them has been there for four decades as a symbol of the hill. Beside enjoying the scenery of the city and the hills, one can get acquainted with the past too, since the coffee bar in the tower is. an information point and a place for exhibitions as well. We can also find coats of arms, seals, the red and yellow flag of Miskolc and other symbols in the first chapter, as well as the first maps and drawings (veduta) of the old town, which show us the extention of the area and the development of the built environment. In 1909 Miskolc was given the same rights as a county (region) had, and the day, when the document of it was signed, 11th May, became the Day of the City from 1993. The second chapter of the book presents our old public buildings. The earliest of them is the 16th century school building, at the foot of the Avas hill. Exhibitions of the Herman Ottó Museum can be seen there today. Prince Ferenc Rákóczi II. stayed a couple of times in the Dőri- mansion, which was built in the 17th century. The protected downtown of Miskolc has some 18th century buildings, like the Almássy-mansion, where the European Information Centre (Europe House) can be found now. The County Hall and City Hall represent our 19th century architecture. The theatre in the main street is the most modem institution of art in the Middle-European region. Miskolc was an important city of the Greek merchants in the 18th, and of the Jewish merchants in the 19th and in the beginning of the 20th century. The banks and insurance company buildings of the financial world on the main street belong to the protected architectural values as well. The railway traffic, (stations, railway directories) is another topic of this chapter, just as well as the history of the post service, telecommimication, public health service (bathes), or the buildings of the administration of justice. Most of these buildings are from the beginning of the 20th century. A separate chapter tells us about our squares, parks, statues and outstanding individualities. The middle age squares of the old Miskolc has been built over. They had become markets first, and later buildings have filled in and streets have grown on the empty areas. The City Gallery and Museum of Arts and the newest culture centre (that has replaced an old cinema) was built on a medieval square as well. Amongst our few squares the Erzsébet square is one of the most beautiful one in Europe. Our old squares are being renewed, (Hősök square, Petőfi square, Bartók square) and new ones are being formed (the new main square between the City Hall, and the foot of the Avas hill). Plants, water and modem street furniture decorate our public places (Szinva terrace, Dériné street, and pedestrian precincts), and statues of famous figures of the history of Hungary can be found in the squares. Miskolc was the first city that erected statues of Lajos Kossuth (1802-1894), Queen Elizabeth (1837-1898) and Arthur Görgey (1818-1916), a general of the Hungarian War of Independence in 1848-49. Statues of .great individualities of Hungarian political life were made in the beginning of the 20th century (Bertalan Szemere, József Lévay), and the poet, Lőrinc Szabó (1900-1957), who was bom in Miskolc has a statue too, in front of Avas High School.) Many scientists, artists and politicians began their carriers in Miskolc. This book can only speak about some of the most famous ones. László Palóczy was bom and died in Miskolc, like Lajos Horváth, who was a candidate of the 616
