Székesfehérvár
Encyclopedia
Székesfehérvár (ˈseːkɛʃfɛˈheːrvaːr) is a city in central Hungary
and is the 9th largest in the country. Located around 65 km (40 mi) southwest of Budapest
. It is inhabited by 101,973 people (2010), with 136,995 in the Székesfehérvár Subregion
. The city is the centre of Fejér
county and the regional
centre of Central Transdanubia. In the Middle Ages the city was a royal residence and was one of the most important cities of Hungary. 37 kings and 39 queen consorts were crowned
, 15 rulers have been buried here, the diets were held and the crown jewels were kept here.
The word szék (meaning "seat" as "throne") is related to its important role in the 1st centuries of the Kingdom of Hungary
: székhely means a (royal) residence, center. In accordance of the obligation from the Doctrine of the Holy Crown, the first kings of Hungary were crowned and buried here.
times the settlements were called Gorsium and Herculia. In about the 5th century AD, Slavic tribes began moving into the region and this place was called Belehrad or Belegrad, being a center during the Great Moravia
n period.
In the Middle Ages
its Latin name was Alba Regalis/Alba Regia. The town was an important traffic junction between Lake Balaton
and Lake Velencei, several trade routes led from here to the Balkans and Italy, and to Buda
and Vienna
. (Today, the town is a junction of no less than seven railroad lines.)
The Hungarian town was founded in 972 by High Prince Géza
on four islands in the moors of the streams Gaja and Sárvíz. He also had a small stone castle built. Székesfehérvár was first mentioned in a document by the Bishopric of Veszprém, 1009, as Alba Civitas.
St. Stephen granted town rights to the settlement, surrounded the town with a plank wall, had a provosty and a school built and under his rule the construction of the basilica began (it was built between 1003 and 1038). The settlement had about 3500 inhabitants at this time and was the royal seat for hundreds of years. 43 kings were crowned in Székesfehérvár (the last one in 1526) and 15 kings were buried here (the last one in 1540).
In the 12th century the town prospered, churches, monasteries and houses were built. It was an important station on the pilgrim road to the Holy Land. Andrew II
issued the Golden Bull
here in 1222. The Bull included the rights of nobles and the duties of the king, and the Constitution of Hungary
was based on it until 1848. It is often compared to England's Magna Charta.
During the Mongol Invasion of Hungary
(1241–1242) the invaders could not get close to the castle: Kadan
ruled Mongol warriors could not get through the surrounding marsh
es because of flooding caused by melting snow. In the 13th–15th centuries the town prospered, several palaces were built. In the 14th century Székesfehérvár was surrounded by city walls.
occupied the city after a long siege in 1543 and only after a sally ended in most of the defenders including the commander, György Varkoch, being locked out by wealthy citizens fearing they might incur the wrath of the Ottomans by a lengthy siege. They discovered after surrendering, however, that the Ottomans were not without a sense for chivalry and those responsible for shutting the defenders out were put to death.
The city remained under Ottoman occupation
for 145 years, until 1688, except for a short period in 1601 when it was re-occupied by an army led by Lawrence of Brindisi
. The Ottomans destroyed most of the city, they demolished the cathedral and the royal palace, and they pillaged the graves of kings in the cathedral. They named the city Belgrade ("white city", from Serbian Beograd) and built mosque
s. In the 16th–17th centuries it looked like a Muslim
city. Most of the original population fled. It was a sanjak centre in Budin Province
as "İstolni Belgrad" during Ottoman rule.
In 1702 Albert of Austria was ordered to blow up the cathedral of Nagyboldogasszony
, therefore destroying the largest cathedral in Hungary at that time, and the coronation temple. According to the Doctrine of the Holy Crown, all kings of Hungary are obliged to be crowned in this cathedral, and to take part in coronation ceremony on the surroundings of the cathedral. The coronations after this time were done in Pozsony/Bratislava.
In 1703 Székesfehérvár regained the status of a free royal town. In the middle of the century several new buildings were erected (Franciscan church and monastery, Jesuit churches, public buildings, Baroque
palaces). Maria Theresa
made the city an episcopal seat in 1777.
By the early 19th century the German population was assimilated. On March 15, 1848 the citizens joined the revolution
. After the revolution and war for independence Székesfehérvár lost its importance and became a mainly agricultural city. New prosperity arrived between the two world wars, when several new factories were opened.
After World War II
the city was subject to the industrialization like many other cities and towns in the country. The most important factories were the Ikarus bus factory, the Videoton radio and TV factory and the Könnyűfémmű (colloquially Köfém) aluminium processing plant, since acquired by Alcoa
. By the 1970s Székesfehérvár had swelled to more than 100,000 inhabitants (in 1945 it had only about 35,000.) Several housing estates were built, but the city centre was able to preserve its Baroque atmosphere. The most important Baroque buildings are the cathedral, the episcopal palace and the city hall.
In the past few decades archaeologists excavated medieval ruins (that of the Romanesque basilica and the mausoleum of St. Stephen of Hungary) that can be visited now.
At the end of the Socialist regime, all important factories were on the verge on collapsing (some eventually folded) and thousands of people lost their jobs. However, the city profited from losing the old and inefficient companies as abundance of skilled labour coupled with excellent traffic connections and existing infrastructure attracted numerous foreign firms seeking to invest in Hungary and Székesfehérvár became one of the prime destinations for multinational companies setting up shop in Hungary (Ford
and IBM
are some of them), turning the city into a success story of Hungary's transition into market economy. Few years later Denso
, Alcoa
, Philips
, and Sanmina-SCI Corporation
also settled down in the city.
Religions (2001 census):
with:
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and is the 9th largest in the country. Located around 65 km (40 mi) southwest of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. It is inhabited by 101,973 people (2010), with 136,995 in the Székesfehérvár Subregion
Subregions of Hungary
Subregions of Hungary are subdivisions of the counties of Hungary, dividing the twenty counties into 175 administrative subregions. Budapest is both a county and a subregion.The subregions are listed below, by...
. The city is the centre of Fejér
Fejér
-Geography:Geographically Fejér county is very diverse, its southern part is similar to the Great Plain , other parts are hilly . Lake Velence, a popular resort can also be found here....
county and the regional
Regions of Hungary
There are seven statistical regions of Hungary created in 1999 by the Law 1999/XCII amending Law 1996/XXI. Regions are groupings of the 19 counties and the capital city....
centre of Central Transdanubia. In the Middle Ages the city was a royal residence and was one of the most important cities of Hungary. 37 kings and 39 queen consorts were crowned
Coronation of the Hungarian monarch
The Coronation of the Hungarian Monarch was a ceremony in which the King or Queen of the Kingdom of Hungary was formally crowned and invested with regalia...
, 15 rulers have been buried here, the diets were held and the crown jewels were kept here.
Names
The name Székesfehérvár means "seat of the white castle" and the city is known by translations of this in other languages . In Hungarian, the city is known colloquially as Fehérvár.The word szék (meaning "seat" as "throne") is related to its important role in the 1st centuries of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
: székhely means a (royal) residence, center. In accordance of the obligation from the Doctrine of the Holy Crown, the first kings of Hungary were crowned and buried here.
Pre-Magyar
The place has been inhabited since the 5th century BC. In RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
times the settlements were called Gorsium and Herculia. In about the 5th century AD, Slavic tribes began moving into the region and this place was called Belehrad or Belegrad, being a center during the Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
n period.
In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
its Latin name was Alba Regalis/Alba Regia. The town was an important traffic junction between Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of its foremost tourist destinations. As Hungary is landlocked , Lake Balaton is often affectionately called the "Hungarian Sea"...
and Lake Velencei, several trade routes led from here to the Balkans and Italy, and to Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. (Today, the town is a junction of no less than seven railroad lines.)
Early Magyar
Géza of Hungary
Géza , Grand Prince of the Hungarians .Géza was the son of Taksony of Hungary, Grand Prince of the Hungarians and his Pecheneg or Bulgar wife. Géza's marriage with Sarolt, the daughter of Gyula of Transylvania, was arranged by his father.After his father's death , Géza followed him as Grand Prince...
on four islands in the moors of the streams Gaja and Sárvíz. He also had a small stone castle built. Székesfehérvár was first mentioned in a document by the Bishopric of Veszprém, 1009, as Alba Civitas.
St. Stephen granted town rights to the settlement, surrounded the town with a plank wall, had a provosty and a school built and under his rule the construction of the basilica began (it was built between 1003 and 1038). The settlement had about 3500 inhabitants at this time and was the royal seat for hundreds of years. 43 kings were crowned in Székesfehérvár (the last one in 1526) and 15 kings were buried here (the last one in 1540).
In the 12th century the town prospered, churches, monasteries and houses were built. It was an important station on the pilgrim road to the Holy Land. Andrew II
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
issued the Golden Bull
Golden Bull of 1222
The Golden Bull of 1222 was a golden bull, or edict, issued by King Andrew II of Hungary. The law established the rights of the Hungarian nobility, including the right to disobey the King when he acted contrary to law . The nobles and the church were freed from all taxes and could not be forced to...
here in 1222. The Bull included the rights of nobles and the duties of the king, and the Constitution of Hungary
Constitution of Hungary
The Constitution of the Republic of Hungary , its fundamental law, was adopted on 20 August 1949, and heavily amended on 23 October 1989. It is Hungary's first and only permanent written constitution; the country is the only former Eastern Bloc nation that did not adopt an entirely new constitution...
was based on it until 1848. It is often compared to England's Magna Charta.
During the Mongol Invasion of Hungary
Mongol invasion of Europe
The resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked medieval Rus' principalities and the powers of Poland and Hungary, was marked by the Mongol invasion of Rus starting in 21 December 1237...
(1241–1242) the invaders could not get close to the castle: Kadan
Kadan
Kadaň , is a city in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.The city lies on the banks of the river Ohře. Although it is situated in an industrial part of the Czech Republic there is no major industry within the city and people usually work in offices or have to commute. There are two...
ruled Mongol warriors could not get through the surrounding marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es because of flooding caused by melting snow. In the 13th–15th centuries the town prospered, several palaces were built. In the 14th century Székesfehérvár was surrounded by city walls.
Ottoman period
The OttomansOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
occupied the city after a long siege in 1543 and only after a sally ended in most of the defenders including the commander, György Varkoch, being locked out by wealthy citizens fearing they might incur the wrath of the Ottomans by a lengthy siege. They discovered after surrendering, however, that the Ottomans were not without a sense for chivalry and those responsible for shutting the defenders out were put to death.
The city remained under Ottoman occupation
Ottoman wars in Europe
The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts.- Rise :...
for 145 years, until 1688, except for a short period in 1601 when it was re-occupied by an army led by Lawrence of Brindisi
Lawrence of Brindisi
Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, O.F.M. Cap., , born Giulio Cesare Russo, was a Catholic priest and a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin....
. The Ottomans destroyed most of the city, they demolished the cathedral and the royal palace, and they pillaged the graves of kings in the cathedral. They named the city Belgrade ("white city", from Serbian Beograd) and built mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s. In the 16th–17th centuries it looked like a Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
city. Most of the original population fled. It was a sanjak centre in Budin Province
Budin Province, Ottoman Empire
Budin Eyalet was an administrative unit of the Ottoman Empire in Central Europe and the Balkans...
as "İstolni Belgrad" during Ottoman rule.
Habsburg Empire
The city began to prosper again only in the 18th century. It had a mixed population, Hungarians, Serbs, Germans and Moravians.In 1702 Albert of Austria was ordered to blow up the cathedral of Nagyboldogasszony
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, therefore destroying the largest cathedral in Hungary at that time, and the coronation temple. According to the Doctrine of the Holy Crown, all kings of Hungary are obliged to be crowned in this cathedral, and to take part in coronation ceremony on the surroundings of the cathedral. The coronations after this time were done in Pozsony/Bratislava.
In 1703 Székesfehérvár regained the status of a free royal town. In the middle of the century several new buildings were erected (Franciscan church and monastery, Jesuit churches, public buildings, Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
palaces). Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
made the city an episcopal seat in 1777.
By the early 19th century the German population was assimilated. On March 15, 1848 the citizens joined the revolution
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
. After the revolution and war for independence Székesfehérvár lost its importance and became a mainly agricultural city. New prosperity arrived between the two world wars, when several new factories were opened.
After WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the city was subject to the industrialization like many other cities and towns in the country. The most important factories were the Ikarus bus factory, the Videoton radio and TV factory and the Könnyűfémmű (colloquially Köfém) aluminium processing plant, since acquired by Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
. By the 1970s Székesfehérvár had swelled to more than 100,000 inhabitants (in 1945 it had only about 35,000.) Several housing estates were built, but the city centre was able to preserve its Baroque atmosphere. The most important Baroque buildings are the cathedral, the episcopal palace and the city hall.
In the past few decades archaeologists excavated medieval ruins (that of the Romanesque basilica and the mausoleum of St. Stephen of Hungary) that can be visited now.
At the end of the Socialist regime, all important factories were on the verge on collapsing (some eventually folded) and thousands of people lost their jobs. However, the city profited from losing the old and inefficient companies as abundance of skilled labour coupled with excellent traffic connections and existing infrastructure attracted numerous foreign firms seeking to invest in Hungary and Székesfehérvár became one of the prime destinations for multinational companies setting up shop in Hungary (Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
are some of them), turning the city into a success story of Hungary's transition into market economy. Few years later Denso
DENSO
is a global automotive components manufacturer headquartered in the city of Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Established December 16, 1949 as , in 1996 the company became DENSO Corporation worldwide...
, Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
, Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, and Sanmina-SCI Corporation
Sanmina-SCI Corporation
Sanmina-SCI Corporation is a global electronics manufacturing services provider headquartered in San Jose, California that serves original equipment manufacturers in technology-related industries such as communications and computer hardware. Sanmina-SCI has nearly 80 manufacturing sites...
also settled down in the city.
Main sights
- Historical centre (Baroque, Classical) buildings
- St. Stephen Cathedral (burial place of several medieval kings incl. St. Stephen and Béla IIIBéla III of HungaryBéla III was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was educated in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I who was planning to ensure his succession in the Byzantine Empire till the birth of his own son...
) - St. Anna Chapel (Gothic, built around 1470)
- "Ruin Garden": Ruins of medieval church founded by St. Stephen
- Episcopal Palace (Zopf style)
- City Hall
- Zichy Palace (Zopf style manor house, 1781)
- King Stephen Museum
- Doll Museum
- Museum of Fekete Sas Pharmacy
- City Museum
- City Gallery
- Csitáry source (mineral water source)
- Serbian skanzen (12 thatched peasant houses and a Byzantine-style church, won a Europa NostraEuropa NostraEuropa Nostra, the pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage, is the representative platform of 250 heritage NGOs active in 45 countries across Europe...
award in 1990) - Golden Bull memorial (the Golden BullGolden BullA Golden Bull or chrysobull was a golden ornament representing a seal , attached to a decree issued by Byzantine Emperors and later by monarchs in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The term was originally coined for the golden seal itself but came to be applied to the entire decree...
was an important chartaChartaCharta is a town and municipality in the Santander Department in northeastern Colombia....
by King Andrew IIAndrew II of HungaryAndrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
, it was released here; the memorial is from 1972.) - Bory Castle (20th century; a fantastic castle-like structure built by the sculptor Jenő BoryJeno BoryJenő Bory was a Hungarian architect and sculptor.Bory received his degree in building engineering in Budapest in 1903. He enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts to study sculpture under Alajos Strobl...
and his wife with their own hands) - Globus cruciger (a stone image of the royal symbol of power of the same name)
- Statue of György Varkoch at the supposed site of his death at the gates (see above)
- Vörösmarty Theater, the oldest theater of the country
- Flower clock
Population
Ethnic groups (2001 census):- Hungarians - 95.7%
- GermansGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
- 0.8% - Roma - 0.5%
- Others - 0.5%
- No answer - 2.4%
Religions (2001 census):
- Roman Catholic - 53.8%
- Calvinist - 12.1%
- Lutheran - 1.9%
- Greek Catholic - 0.5%
- Other (ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
) - 1% - Other (non-Christian) - 0.2%
- Atheists - 19.7%
- No answer, unknown - 10.7%
Born in Székesfehérvár
- Jenő BoryJeno BoryJenő Bory was a Hungarian architect and sculptor.Bory received his degree in building engineering in Budapest in 1903. He enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts to study sculpture under Alajos Strobl...
, sculptor, architect - Nándor Fa, who sailed around the Earth in a small boat
- George FisherGeorge Fisher (settler)George Fisher was a customs officer and early leader of the Texas Revolution.Fisher was born to Serbian parents in Székesfehérvár, Hungary in April 1795...
, settler, a leader of the Texas Revolution - Ignác Goldziher, orientalist
- Katarina Ivanović, Serbian biedermeier painterSerbian artSerbian art refers to the art of the Serbs and Serbia.The territory of today's Serbia has been inhabited since pre-historical times. Indeed, Sirmium is one of the oldest settlements in Europe with archaeologists tracing some form of urban life as far back as 5000 BC.The Romans conquered Sirmium in...
- Péter KuczkaPéter KuczkaPéter Kuczka was a Hungarian writer, poet and science fiction editor.After finishing high school, Kuczka studied at the University of Economy in Hungary while working several jobs...
writer - Kornél Lánczos physicist
- Viktor OrbánViktor OrbánViktor Orbán is a Hungarian populist and conservative politician and current Prime Minister of Hungary...
Prime Minister of Hungary in 1998—2002 and 2010- - Katalin BogyayKatalin BogyayKatalin Bogyay is the President of the General Conference of UNESCO and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Delegate of Hungary to UNESCO.-Biography:Katalin Bogyay was born in Székesfehérvár, Hungary...
journalist, diplomat - Lajos Terkán astronomer
- Miklós YblMiklós YblMiklós Ybl was one of Europe's leading architects in the mid to late nineteenth century as well as Hungary's most influential architect during his career...
architect - George LangGeorge Lang (restaurateur)George Lang was a Hungarian born American restaurateur.Lang was the only child of Simon Deutsch, a tailor, and Ilona Lang. He grew up in this "modestly prosperous" Jewish family in Székesfehérvár, Hungary where he practiced violin...
restaurateur - Dávid Disztl Professional Football player
Fictional
- Albert Horn, character in Louis MalleLouis MalleLouis Malle was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. He worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. His films include Ascenseur pour l'échafaud , Atlantic City , and Au revoir, les enfants .- Early years in France :Malle was born into a wealthy industrialist family in Thumeries,...
's film Lacombe, Lucien.
Twin towns - Sister cities
Székesfehérvár is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
| Alba Iulia (Gyulafehérvár) Alba Iulia Alba Iulia is a city in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania with a population of 66,747, located on the Mureş River. Since the High Middle Ages, the city has been the seat of Transylvania's Roman Catholic diocese. Between 1541 and 1690 it was the capital of the Principality of Transylvania... in Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... Birmingham Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S... in United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... Blagoevgrad Blagoevgrad Blagoevgrad is а city in southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Province, with a population of about 74,302 . It lies on the banks of the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River.... in Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... , Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... Cento in Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Chorley Chorley Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry... in United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... (since 1991) Kemi Kemi Kemi is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour.... in Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... Luhansk Luhansk Luhansk also known as Lugansk is a city in southeastern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Luhansk Oblast . The city itself is also designated as its own separate municipality within the oblast... in Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... Opole Opole Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County... in Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... Sariwon Sariwon Sariwŏn is the capital of North Hwanghae Province, North Korea. The city's population is estimated to be 310,100 people.-Healthcare:Sariwon has the only pediatric hospital in the entire region; it serves 16 districts and 500,000 children and teens annually.... in North Korea North Korea The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea... |
Schwäbisch Gmünd Schwäbisch Gmünd Schwäbisch Gmünd is a town in the eastern part of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. With a population of around 62,000, the town is the second largest in the Ostalbkreis and the whole region of East Württemberg after Aalen... in Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... Zadar Zadar Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens... in Croatia Croatia Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... Kocaeli Izmit İzmit is a city in Turkey, administrative center of Kocaeli Province as well as the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about east of Istanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. The city center has a population of 294.875... in Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... Erdenet Erdenet Erdenet is the third-largest city in Mongolia and the capital of the aimag of Orkhon.Located in the northern part of the country, it lies in a valley between the Selenge and Orkhon rivers about 150 miles northwest of Ulan Bator, the capital... in Mongolia Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest... |