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Szekszard (Hungary)

Szekszárd megyei jogú város

Last modified: 2023-06-03 by zachary harden
Keywords: szekszard | tolna | tower | bell |
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image by Zoltan Horvath, 4 March 2010



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Overview

Based on the Resolution No.12/1991.(VII.11) of the Community of Szekszárd City about the symbols of the town at <www.szekszard.hu>.
Information about the name, history and the symbols of the city:
"Lots of people show great concern about the desiration of the word Szekszárd, the dispute about it has not ended yet.
The citation to Turoczy Cronicles lasted for a long time saying the name refers to King Béla I. [1060-1063], who was brown (szög) and bald (szár). It's gentle explanation: the name refers to the fact that the town lies at the meeting point of hills and rivers. The name Szekszárd appeared in 1015 (in old style) in the deed of foundation of Pécsvárad, which was sent to Szent István [King Saint Stephen 1000-1038] . But we know just a little about that time. The history is much more related to the Benedictine monastery founded in 1061 by King Béla I. Szekszárd is the burial place of him. The monastery was ecclesiastical body entrusted with notarial functions. During the centuries several rulers came here including Szent László [King Saint Ladislaus 1077-1095] who is the son of founder of the monastery and he is the patron saint of the town. After the huge destruction of Tatar invasion [in 1241-42] the flourishing monastery raised Szekszárd from the surrounding settlements. The fortified castle of János Vitéz [1408-1472] (abbot of Szekszárd) was destroyed because of the conspiracy against King Mátyás [King Mathias Corvinus 1458-1490]. Szekszárd was given the rank of market town around 1485, so it could held 5 famous markets each year, where several cattle merchants arrived from Bratislava- Subotica [Pozsony/Preßburg - Szabadka].
Szekszárd had been recorded as market town for 200 years when a seal with different motifs was made. It was necessary for the documents of the local authority. The drawings of the first one was without full value from heraldic point of view as the seal had not got scutcheon shape and legend. The central motif refers to architectural relics. After forcing out the Turks, Mihály Mérey (abbot 1693-1719) started to rebuilt the Benedictine monastery after its stormy past. The tower was built at that time and it later appeared on the seal. The church burnt down in 1794, its memory still lives on the seal and it became the symbol of the town. After some smaller modification (for instance originally there were not ornaments next to the tower and there was etching about viticulture but later it was left etc) its well-known form was made. It needed no columns as it was used as seal. The legend is: SIGULLUM OPPIDI SZEXARDIENSIS - the seal of market town of Szekszárd.
This decorated seal was valid 100 years later when it got its Hungarian legend. This version was made in 1846 when Mary was represented with the Little. The new motif is a part of a painting from the Downtown Roman-Catholic church. On the painting Szent László, who is the son of King Béla I. as the patron saint of the town, offers the town under Mary's patronage. This seal was used as colourful coat of arms in other places for instance in the emblem of Szekszárd Savings-bank. It appeared on the frontage of "Szegzárd Szálló" in Garay square in 1893 and it can be seen again. The relief was made by György Fusz- artisan.
Meanwhile Szekszárd became a large town and later corporate town. 1 year later the board of representatives was permitted to use the former version leaving the heraldically not proper motifs. Description was given to the coat of arms and the 500 year old colours were intensified. The prime colour is blue on the field of coat of arms there is an open bell-tower on the red castle wall made of 4 lines of ragged-stones. On the divided parts of the bell-tower on the top there is a bunch of grapes and a bell hang at the bottom. From heraldic point of view on the right (which is in reverse bacause you always have to compart to the coat of arms on the hand) vine-stocks with 2 bunches of grapes and on the left 3 ears of wheat can be found. The new decorative motif was a golden crown on the scutcheon.
This coat of arms was valid until 1949, a decree banned the use of arms and flags for the counties and settlements. The tradition started to reborn in the 1970s. The local council went back to the oldest seal by a municipal law in 1974. They had left the crown from the sutcheon and accepted a less archaic, stylized option by the plans of Mátyás Sinka. On 11 July 1991 the board of representatives chose the version used from 1906-1949. The description of our 3 hundred-year-old arms confirmed the form and ornaments of 1906 and the scutcheon was also decorated with a crown. It is the work of Péter Schubert- graphic artist, this will decorate the flag of the town as well."
Source: <www.szekszard.hu>.
István Molnár, 12 January 2006

Szekszárd is county seat of Tolna county. Homepage at <www.szekszard.hu>.
Regulations of Coat of Arms and flag (in Hungarian) are here.
Description of Coat of Arms and historical background (in English) at <www.nemzetijelkepek.hu>.
Zoltan Horvath, 4 March 2010


Vertical Flag


image by Zoltan Horvath, 4 March 2010


Historical Flag


image by António Martins, 28 Febuary 2001

This flag appears at Dr. Széll Sándor: Városaink neve, címere és lobogója (1941) as "Szekszárd, Tolna Co.".
István Molnár, 20 October 2000

Blue with yellow border (1/4th wide border).
António Martins, 28 Febuary 2001


1974 - 1989 Flag


image by István Molnár

Source: A magyar városok címerei (Coat of Arms of the Hungarian cities and towns); 1975.
István Molnár


Coat of Arms


image from <www.szekszard.hu>