Fabó Beáta - Gall, Anthony: I came from the East to a City of Great Palaces. Károly Kós, the early years 1907-1914 (Budapest, 2013)
Kós' First Steps as an Independent Architect
M The north-eastern corner of the main square (showing electric services) and public lighting, circa 1913, postcard, SZNM M The old town with the fortified church looking from the Bazár tower, and the State school (1905) to the left, 1910 SZNM SI A visit to the site of the museum, April 1911 (Ferenc Gödri Jr., Károly Kós, Vilmos Csutak, Andor Malmos, Dr. Ferenc László) SZNM SEPSISZENTGYÖRGY/SFÄNTU GHEORGHE 'It is most commendable that public buildings and philanthropic institutions should be erected and it is also right if it's the state that mainly performs this, as its duty. This is why the people of the country pay their heavy taxes, so that it, or at least some of it is spent on meeting the needs of the people. It is not objectionable if these public buildings are built ergonomically, but also, if affordable, in majestic style! These are the words of Balázs Orbán, the greatest Székely, written in 1868 in his famous ‘Description of the Székelyföld! He considered it an important duty of the state to build institutions that serve public interest. The development of Sepsiszentgyörgy/Sfäntu Gheorghe, centre of the then Háromszék county gained new impetus after 1900. New streets, new public buildings were opened, including schools, hospitals and factories. The private residential buildings erected in the same period testify to the increasing wealth of the town bourgeoisie. They would also find the means to support the cultural life of the town. Thus new buildings were inaugurated for the presentation and preservation of the relics of history. The town council made a promise to regularly support the functioning of the Székely National Museum, with no lesser celebrity appointed as one of its board members than the famous painter Jenő Gyárfás. Another achievement to boast about was the right for jurisprudence, which the town regained in this period after four decades - this fact gave more power into the hands of the town leadership. Also, much to the pleasure of the inhabitants, the horse breeding farm was moved from the new main square to the outskirts of the town. Besides, churchgoers were pleased to see a new bell tower added to the church in the Szemerja district. The Museum Building Trio Ferenc Gödri jr. (1862-1913) was Mayor of Sepsiszentgyörgy/Sfäntu Gheorghe for 18 years. His reign saw large-scale industrial development, public works and the construction of school, museum and theatre buildings. He had the coat of arms of the town designed. Dr Ferenc László (1873-1925) museum guard, as a student he excelled so much in mathematics that he earned the nickname Bolyai II. He came back to the town to take the position of Head of the Botanical Department. He became a folklorist of nationwide fame and an archeologist of international renown. He was one of the teachers of Károly Kós. Vilmos Csutak (1878-1936) museum guard and historian, later director of the museum and the student hostel. In the interwar period he became one of the leading figures of the Hungarian minority in educational, academic and church politics.
