A Historical and Archival Guide to Székesfehérvár (Székesfehérvár, 2003)

A SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF SZÉKESFEHÉRVÁR

area. They had several settlements, burial places in Székesfehérvár; however, Pákozd and Gorsium bore greater significance at the time. The latter, after the Roman invasion it developed into a major centre, and became a military camp that protected the crossing-place of Sárvíz. Through the establishment of the Roman administration Gorsium became a religious centre. After the Roman period Hun and Germanic tribes occupied the territory, later it became part of the Avar empire. Rich burial findings survived from this period around the town. ALBA CIVITAS "Székesfehérvár, royal free borough (Alba Regia), that is surrounded by the ranges of Vértes, which slope towards the woods of Bakony, on the northern side, by the plains on the southern side and is enclosed by wooded hills on the western side existed in the first centuries of Hungarian history, and served as residence built by Chief Árpád. Later King Saint Stephen created a huge city from the yet small-scale town in the memory of the settling and residing of Árpád the Great. He enriched the town with a royal palace, a rich church, a chapter, several provostships and cloisters; besides all these he founded a school in the heart of Székesfejérvár" - it can be read in the introduction of one of the oldest manuscripts of the town, written in the middle of the 19

th century. Székesfehérvár is one of the oldest Hungarian towns. According to the historians of the 19

th century the place was inhabited as early as the Roman times. This view was still held in the first decades of the 20

th centuiy. It was identified as Herculia and Floriana by some historians and as Curta by others. Recent researches have proved this view wrong and ascribe the foundation of the town to the time of Taksony, or Géza Grand Duke. It is also assumed that the town was founded by the Csák clan. Anonymus the chronicler mentioned the Noah hill in the vicinity of the town, where Chief Árpád had made quarters. The area of scattered islands surrounded by the swamp served as a suitable natural fortress for the later emerging princely centre. Székesfehérvár is one of