G. Merva Mária: Írók és múzsák Gödöllőn (Gödöllő, 2013)

WRITERS AND MUSES IN GÖDÖLLŐ (Summary in English)

During his long life Grassalkovich had 33 churches built, one of them being the shrine in Máriabesnyő. Later on it became a famous place of pilgrimage. For the care and maintenance of the shrine he had some Capuchin monks brought from abroad, who still manage the building complex. He had several statues erected, among others the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, column of Maria and the creation of the Calvary. The count wrote aphorisms with title of „The unhealthy and boring thoughts of Antal Grassalkovich." There was a good and rich library in the capuchin cloister where Ignác Fessler the famous historian lived for a short time, too. The monks taught the children and spread the culture in the village. Antal Grassalkovich died in 1771 and was buried in a grave next to the crypt in Máriabesnyő. His son and grandson used up and squandered the great wealth accumulated by Antal I. The estate was sequestered, and later a banker family of Greek descent bought it and soon afterwards resold it to a Belgian bank. In 1867, after the compromise with the Habsburg dynasty, the Hungarian state repurchased the palace of Gödöllő and gave it as a coronation present to Franz Joseph I and Queen Elisabeth. The royal era brought thriving to Gödöllő, similar to that of the baroque age. The palace was converted following the needs of the royal family, who usually spent the spring and autumn there. Accordingly, Gödöllő was a centre of an estate which was worth several millions. As well as conducting his official duties, Franz Joseph I went hunting regularly. Queen Elisabeth, who went walking and riding on her own in the great palace park, won the affection of the townspeople. There are several legends about her and her cult is still alive in Gödöllő. Queen Elisabeth was interested in literature, Heinrich Heine was her favourite poet. She also wrote poems, herself, some pieces of her poetry were born in Gödöllő. She liked to read the works of Hungarian writers, for example, Mór Jókai's, whose novels she read in Hungarian. The settlement owns the rapid development of its infrastructure to the royal family. At the end of the 19th century the railway was built, and in 1911 a suburban train service was launched between Gödöllő and Budapest. Based on the plans of Miklós Ybl a royal waiting room was erected in the town. Growing tourism revived the catering trade and also handicrafts. The population of Gödöllő doubled. Well-known artists, authors and men of public bought or rented cottages here: Vilmos Győry, Zoltán Ambrus, Jenő Heltai, Antal Hidas, Sándor Sík, Géza Ottlik, Adél Brüll, the muse of Endre Ady, a great poet of 20th century literature. The only example of the Hungarian Art Nouveau, the colony of artists in Gödöllő, was formed during this period, too (from 1901 to 1920). The mystical and devout atmosphere that had characterized the company from its inception evolved there around the artists in search of new principles of living and of new sources of art. They were equally influenced by Nazarene religiousness and Gnosticism, by Tolstoyanism and fin-de-siecle philosophies, as well as the artistic teachings of John Ruskin, William Morris and the pre-Raphaelite artists imbued with a commitment to the betterment of society. Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch and Sándor Nagy, the founders of the colony based their activities 332