Székesfehérvár the Coronation City [antikvár]

p ack in 1912, when a scholarly I monograph by Gyula Lausch-mann appeared on the history of Székesfehérvár, Bishop Ottokár Prohászka remarked in his preface: 'Here in the shallow reed beds settled Hungarian life, poetry and art, piety and desire, joy and sorrow. Here they built basilicas and churches, strongholds and tombs, and though but a few stones survive, those who augment them into a church doorway or a tomb, erecting walls in their mind's eye from these carved white stones, extrapolating a whole from the broken beauty of bits and pieces, wUl see a wondrous sight, and can say with pride that this is no dream, this was the reality of Hungarian culture of old.' What a shame, it might be added, that an interval of over eight decades has ensued since Lauschmann's book and Bishop Prohászka's preface appeared. Székesfehérvár is still not famous for promoting itself. There are stiU all too few who appreciate the history of this former coronation city and its beauties, past and present. What a shame, for the city and its citizens and for everyone else. For the peerless historic buildings and uniform townscape of the Inner City (Belváros), the rich displays in its museums and galleries, and not least, in recent decades, the remarkable speed of its industrial and economic development may excite interest far and wide, from educated Hungarian visitors and foreign tourists alike. View of Székesfehérvár in about 1780. An engraving by P. Binder (Museum of St Stephen the King)