Szolnok

 

(sôl'nôk) , city (1991 est. pop. 78,700), E central Hungary, at the confluence of the Tisza and Zagyva rivers. It is a river port and a road and rail junction. Manufactures include furniture, textiles, chemicals, and paper. An old settlement, Szolnok was a flourishing salt-trading center from the onset of Arpad rule (late 9th cent.) until the 19th cent. The city also gained historical importance as a fortress disputed between the Magyars and the Turks. Szolnok has a large Franciscan convent, a college of engineering, and an artists' colony, founded in the 19th cent. Nearby are medicinal baths.

Szolnok

Country:	Hungary
County:	Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok
Area:	km² ( sq mi)
Population (2005): - Density:	76,331 /km² (/sq mi)
Postal code:	5000
Area code:	56
Coordinates:	47°′″N 20°′″E / 47.17471, 20.17626Coordinates: 47°′″N 20°′″E / 47.17471, 20.17626

Szolnok, (approximate pronunciation, Solnok), (Romanian: Solnoca) is the capital of the county of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok in central Hungary.

History

The area has been inhabited since ancient times. Before the Conquest of Hungary, it was inhabited by Scythians, Celts, and Avars. The Hungarians settled in the area in the 10th century.

The town, named after the steward of its castle, was first mentioned in 1075. At that time, it was the capital of the comitatus Szolnok. During the Mongol invasion, the town became deserted; King Béla IV moved new settlers there, but it remained a small village for a long time.

In 1550–51, when the Ottoman Empire threatened to invade the country, the castle was fortified and a town wall was built. The Ottomans besieged the castle, which was surrendered to them on September 4, 1552. The Ottomans built a mosque, a public bath, and a minaret in the town, most of which have since been destroyed. The only Turkish codex made in Hungary was copied in Szolnok.

The town was freed from Ottoman rule in 1685, but it was completely destroyed during the revolution led by Prince Rákóczi in the early 18th century. The comitatus of Outer Szolnok was temporarily annexed to Comitatus Heves.

Szolnok started to prosper again in the 18th century. Control of the river Tisza and steamship traffic increased the town's importance. From 1847 Szolnok was connected to Pest by railway.

Its citizens took part in the revolution against Habsburg rule in 1848-49. In the Battle of Szolnok, the Austrians were defeated by the armies of General János Damjanich.

After the Ausgleich, the population and importance of Szolnok grew. In 1876, Szolnok became capital of the comitatus again. By 1879, it already had 16,000 residents.

The town suffered a lot during World War I and World War II. It experienced heavy bombing in 1944, and the liberating Soviet army found only a few people left in the town.

During the Socialist era, Szolnok began to prosper again. Factories were built, and touristic importance grew when a thermal bath was opened.

Szolnok was granted the rank of city with county rights on November 13, 1990.

Tourist sights

• Bath
• Museum of Hungarian Aviation
• Damjanich János Museum

Famous people

Born in Szolnok

• Arpád Račko (1930) Czech sculptor
• Zoltán Jeney (1943) composer
• Csaba Horváth (1930-2004) chemical engineer and inventor of HPLC
• Szabó Gábor - Architect

Lived in Szolnok

• Gábor Szegő mathematician
• Bertalan Farkas (1949) cosmonaut
• Martin Nedić (1810–1895) Croatian poet
• Viktor Orbán (1963) prime minister

Twin towns

• - Baia Mare, Romania
• - Riihimäki, Finland
• - Reutlingen, Germany
• - Bielsko-Biala, Poland
• - Forlì (Italy)
• - Shoham (Israel)
• - Portsmouth, NH (United States)

External links

• Official site (Hungarian, English and German)
• Link collection
• Aerial photography: Szolnok
• Museum of Hungarian Aviation

Counties of Hungary
Counties	Bács-Kiskun · Baranya · Békés · Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén · Csongrád · Fejér · Győr-Moson-Sopron · Hajdú-Bihar · Heves · Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok · Komárom-Esztergom · Nógrád · Pest · Somogy · Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg · Tolna · Vas · Veszprém · Zala
Urban counties	Békéscsaba · Budapest (capital) · Debrecen · Dunaújváros · Eger · Érd · Győr · Hódmezővásárhely · Kaposvár · Kecskemét · Miskolc · Nagykanizsa · Nyíregyháza · Pécs · Salgótarján · Sopron · Szeged · Szekszárd · Székesfehérvár · Szolnok · Szombathely · Tatabánya · Veszprém · Zalaegerszeg

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