Demeter Zsófia – Gelencsér Ferenc: Székesfehérvár Anno… Pillanatképek egy város életéből. – A Fejér Megyei Múzeumegyesület kiadványai 6. – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: B sorozat 38 (1990)

д highways. Those who arrived in the latter way were received at the town limits by the custom-houses (Fig. 3—4. ), while the railway passengers left the train at the station, in those times rather far away of the town (Fig. 5-12.). The photos 13—24 made from airplanes or high towers present a view from above. Fig. 25 is actually our oldest, authentically dated photo made in 1862. Figs. 27-40 represent the Main Street (Fő utca, today: Március 15. u.) ending at the former market place (today Szabadság Square) at the intersection of the streets leading to the former towngates. The market place is illustrated by Figs. 40-54. Let us highlight thereby the photos representing the different periods of the reconstruction of the City Hall (Fig. 47-^59.). This work required in those times an extensive exploration of ancient buildings and evidently touched also upon the groups of buildings sited behind the City Hall (Fig. 62-66.). Aimed at improving the view of the town, the systematic activities were started in the 1930's and included not only the reconstruction of squares and buildings, but also the unification of trade signs or the idea of integrating the shop windows with architecture. The great program was directed by Emil G. Csitáry, Mayor of Székesfehérvár, as well as by the architects Iván Kotsis and Ferenc Schmiedel. The municipality ensured an amount of 6,5 million Pengő, and additional funds were made available by the State. It was a most correct decision to maintain the homogeneous atmosphere of St. Stephen Square and Vörösmarty Square (Fig. 11^-118., 130—135.). New squares were shaped by pulling down old houses (Fig. 42., 63-67., 81., 109-112.). The already mentioned reconstruction of the Main Square was substantially furthered by the exploration of the ruins of the former Coronation Basilica and by establishing there a Park of Ruins in its actual form (Fig. 67— 71.). At the same time, the houses with spoiled or wrong frontispieces were reshaped (Fig. 113.), while the Franciscan Church, the Episcopal Cathedral and St. Anne's Chapel were restored (Fig. 123-124.). The renovated inner town was decorated with monuments chosen and sited in an exemplary way (Fig. 76— 77., 124.); the look of visitors is still being guided by these statues. The events of the festive year 1938 have been recorded by a large number of photographers as well as by newsreel and broadcast accounts. The main purpose of our photos is to present the different sites of the festivities (Fig. 57-61., 66., 69-74., 76—78. ). On August 18 the session of Parliament was held on the court of the reconstructed City Hall (Fig. 58— 61.). In Székesfehérvár the last session took place in 1527. The festivities had a publicity never seen before: the session of Parliament was attended by 25—30 000 spectators, while the celebration of the Holy Right Hand of St. Stephen attracted as many as 50 000 persons (Fig. 72-73.). Besides the festivals, we evidently wished to present everyday life as well. The weekly markets on Wednesday and Saturday were always most frequented (Fig. 91—96.), but the four (later five) annual fairs were actually regarded as real feasts (Fig. 97.): the streets, pubs, inns and shops next to the market place were crammed on those days (Fig. 90., 101-102., 107., 128., 131., 159., 164—166. ). The famous fairs of Szé-