Vadász István: A Közép-Tiszavidék kisvárosai a XIX–XX. században – A Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Múzeumok közleményei 54. (1995)

form a closed space. On the other hand the attraction of some other centres situated out of Middle-Tisza Region (e.g. Jászárokszállás, Gyöngyös, Eger, Miskolc, Debrecen, Karcag, Kisújszállás, Törökszentmiklós, Szolnok) reached into the sphere of influence of these small towns. Over the past half century the central planning policies changed several times (see: administrative divisions of Middle-Tisza Region or Development Plan for the National Settlement Pattern in 1971), which had a contracted effect on hierarchical organization of settlements. The number of urban-like centres reached 9 by founding Tiszaújváros (former Leninváros) as a new industrial centre on the one hand, but on the other hand the rank of Mezőcsát and Polgár — situated not far from Tiszaújváros — became lower by losing their medium-level administrative functions in the past decades. Heves and Tiszafüred have become functionally small towns with greater catchment areas, moreover Kunhegyes has got a complex zone of attraction, although the influence of other neighbouring towns (e.g. Karcag, Kisújszállás, Törökszentmiklős) has reached it. The centres of Middle-Tisza Region can be devided into three groups nowadays. Heves, Tiszafüred and Tiszaújváros fulfill a „quasi" medium-level role in their surroundings having a greater number of establishments, central functions and functional units. These centres are almost real small towns or small towns with partial functions, but they are often called as „mezo-centres" in Hungarian geography. Their complex attraction-zones are constituted by 9—17 settlements with 18—22000 inhabitants but these areas have so-called „perforated" space. Although the attention of planning policy was focused upon development of „mezo-centres" in the Middle-Tisza Region during the 1970'

s and the 1980's, some other former urban-like centres (e.g. Mezőcsát, Kunhegyes and Polgár) has played an important role in their surroundings: they have got their own hinterlands. Their complex attraction-zones or spheres of influence cover 2—5 settlements with 2—12000 people, but these areas do not form closed spatial units. These towns constitute the second group of centres of Middle-Tisza Region. They are urban-like settlements with some central functions or with partial functions, so they aren't real small towns although they have got town-rank since 186