Budapest Régiségei 24/1. (1976)

KUTATÁSTÖRTÉNET = HISTORICAL SURVAY OF THE RESEARCHES = ISTORIÂ ISSLEDOVANIÂ - Bertalan Vilmosné: A középkori ásatások – kutatások története Óbudán, 1850-1975 31-42

HERTA BERTALAN THE HISTORY OF THE INVESTIGATION AND EXCAVATION WORKS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE MEDIEVAL ÓBUDA (1850-1975) The construction works of the Óbuda residential settlement are near completion. The housing estate has been built on the ruins of the medieval town and on those of the Roman castrum. In the demolished country-like 18-19th century settlement one or two relics of the medieval town were known. The volume Budapest Műemlékei II (Monuments of Budapest, II) issued in 1962 reported on a medieval monastery and church in the neighbourhood of No. 160, Bécsi Road; on the king' s, later the queen' s castle dating from the 13th century at No. 2-4, Kálvin Street (Fig. 4/4); on the 14th century Obuda provostship church at Korvin Ottó Square (Fig. 4/2) and on the dwelling house under No. 158, Lajos Street, as part of the convent of the Clarissa nuns (Fig. 4/5). From the fifties on a systematic research has been in course for clearing up the medieval topography of Obuda. First the 17-19th century maps and/or engravings were collated with today* s situation and the cellars of medieval origin were explored. By means of minor excavations of informative character the conditions of the medieval levels and strata were determined. The works of digging were regularly controlled and rescue excavations were conducted. These works of preparatory character brought on numerous new provenences and Roman as well as medieval finds. In 1973, in Volume XXIII of Budapest Régiségei, subtitled: Data to the Medieval Topography of Óbuda, already 32 new places of discovery could be elaborated. In the course of the reconstruction of the area the chances of methodical and purposeful excavations at simultaneous collation with the data of the preliminary research and written records were better. These excavations though were often greatly encumbered by the constructions and other earthworks. In planning the excavations the construction schedule had to be taken into consideration. Between 1973 and 1975 two significant ecclesiastic edifices knownfrom medieval sources could be determined namely the Franciscan monastery and the Clarissa convent (Fig. 4/1 and 5). On the southern side of today* s Parish Church a medieval chapel (Fig. 4/8), to the north of the latter probably the street leading to the Danube mentioned in the perambulation of 1355 could be opened up. Surrounding No. 158, Lajos Street a medieval square could be distinguished, the eastern side of which shows and indented development with a street leading on to the Danube. On the square there is a wall dating from the Middle JVges. The square round No. 158, Lajos Street can be identified as part of the market-place of the queen* s town. In several places the author could state that the wall of the Roman fort had been used in the Middle Ages. As the works of the excavation are still in course, only an outline of the complete medieval towns cape and/or of the use and continued existence of the Roman antecedents in the medieval town can be given (Fig. 5). By means of subsequent researches the author intends to determine further important buildings significant in topographic respect. One of these tasks of central interest is to determine the first provostry church of Óbuda. The finds turned up during the excavations are scanty enough, since the upward walls of the most important buildings, adorned with carved stones and artistic decoration were pulled down when the ground level was lowered in the 17th century. Several 11-12th century Romanesque carvings were found in layers of filling, thus essentially they are not suitable for 39