Sárospatak (; ;
Serbian: Муд Стреам;
Slovakian: ''Šarišský Potok, Blatný Potok)''
History
The area has been inhabited since ancient times. Sárospatak was granted town status in 1201 by
King Emeric. In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
it was an important place due to its proximity to an important trade route leading to
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
.
Castle of Sárospatak
13th century
Its castle, built by
Andrew II, is traditionally identified as the birthplace of his daughter
Saint Elizabeth.
15th and 16th centuries
Sárospatak was elevated to the rank of
free royal town
A royal free city, or free royal city (Latin: ''libera regia civitas''), was the official term for the most important cities in the Kingdom of Hungary from the late 12th centuryBácskai Vera – Nagy Lajos: Piackörzetek, piacközpontok és város ...
by
King Sigismund. In 1460, during the reign of
King Matthias it received the right to hold a
market
Market is a term used to describe concepts such as:
*Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand
*Market economy
*Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market
*Marketing, the act of sat ...
. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it was owned by the Pálóczi (Pálóczy) family, until baron Antal Pálóczi was killed at the first
Battle of Mohács
The Battle of Mohács (; , ) took place on 29 August 1526 near Mohács, in the Kingdom of Hungary. It was fought between the forces of Hungary, led by King Louis II of Hungary, Louis II, and the invading Ottoman Empire, commanded by Suleima ...
in 1526, which precipitated a conflict between the family of his widow, born of the Perényi family, and the Pálóczi-related Dobó family. The Perényi family gained control of the castle, and it was in their possession until 1602, when it passed to the Dobó family.
17th and 18th centuries
Bálint Balassi
Baron Bálint Balassi de Kékkő et Gyarmat (, ; 20 October 1554 – 30 May 1594) was a Hungarian Renaissance lyric poet. He wrote mostly in Hungarian,István Nemeskürty, Tibor KlaniczayA history of Hungarian literature Corvina, 1982, p. 64 ...
, the most important Hungarian poet of the century, married Krisztina Dobó at the castle; the bride was the daughter of
István Dobó, who defended the castle of
Eger
Eger ( , ; ; also known by other #Names and etymology, alternative names) is the county seat of Heves County, and the second largest city in Northern Hungary (after Miskolc). A city with county rights, Eger is best known for Castle of Eger, its ...
against the
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks () were a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group in Anatolia. Originally from Central Asia, they migrated to Anatolia in the 13th century and founded the Ottoman Empire, in which they remained socio-politically dominant for the e ...
. Later the castle was owned by the
Rákóczi
The House of Rákóczi (older spelling Rákóczy) was a Hungarian nobility, Hungarian noble family in the Kingdom of Hungary between the 13th century and 18th century. Their name is also spelled ''Rákoci'' (in Slovakia), ''Rakoczi'' and ''Rako ...
family. The residents of the town took an active part in the
revolution and war of independence against
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
rule led by
Francis II Rákóczi
Francis II Rákóczi (, ; 27 March 1676 – 8 April 1735) was a Hungarian nobleman and leader of the Rákóczi's War of Independence against the Habsburgs in 1703–1711 as the prince () of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of ...
between 1703 and 1711.
College of Sárospatak
The
Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
began spreading into Hungary from this area. The first Protestant
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
, one of the most important colleges of Hungary at the time, was founded in Sárospatak in 1531. In 1650
Zsuzsanna Lorántffy, widow of
George I Rákóczi
George I Rákóczi (8 June 1593 – 11 October 1648) was Prince of Transylvania from 1630 until his death in 1648. Prior to that, he was a leader of the Protestant faction in Hungary and a faithful supporter of Gabriel Bethlen, his predecessor ...
prince of
Transylvania
Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
invited the famous
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus
*Czech (surnam ...
educator
John Amos Comenius
John Amos Comenius (; ; ; ; Latinized: ''Ioannes Amos Comenius''; 28 March 1592 – 15 November 1670) was a Czech philosopher, pedagogue and theologian who is considered the father of modern education. He served as the last bishop of the Unit ...
to Sárospatak. Comenius lived there until 1654, as a professor of the college, and he wrote some of his most important works there. Following organizational changes, the educational institution has operated under the name Tokaj-Hegyalja University since 2021, offering courses in viticulture and enology, teaching, tourism and catering, economics, and IT.
Hutterite community
In 1631
Hutterites
Hutterites (; ), also called Hutterian Brethren (German: ), are a communal ethnoreligious group, ethnoreligious branch of Anabaptism, Anabaptists, who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the early 16 ...
from Alvinc (today
Vințu de Jos
Vințu de Jos, also known as ''Vinț'' (; ; ; ), is a commune located in the centre of Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of eighteen villages: Câmpu Goblii (''Unter-Eisenberg''; ''Telekvinc''), Ciocașu (''Zoggesch''; ''Csókás' ...
,
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
) came to Sárospatak for construction work. In 1645
George I Rákóczi
George I Rákóczi (8 June 1593 – 11 October 1648) was Prince of Transylvania from 1630 until his death in 1648. Prior to that, he was a leader of the Protestant faction in Hungary and a faithful supporter of Gabriel Bethlen, his predecessor ...
gave land to
Hutterite
Hutterites (; ), also called Hutterian Brethren (German: ), are a communal ethnoreligious branch of Anabaptists, who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the early 16th century and have formed intent ...
families in the Héce area of Sárospatak. They came mostly from Csejte (today
Čachtice
Čachtice (, ) is a village in Nové Mesto nad Váhom District in western Slovakia with a population of 4,010 (as of 2014).
The village is situated between the Danubian Lowland and the Little Carpathians. It is best known for the ruins of the nea ...
,
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
). According to
Conrad Jacob Hildebrandt
Conrad may refer to:
People
* Conrad (name)
* Saint Conrad (disambiguation)
Places
United States
* Conrad, Illinois, an unincorporated community
* Conrad, Iowa, a city
* Conrad, Montana, a city
* Conrad Glacier, Washington
Elsewher ...
in 1656 there was a significant population of
Hutterites
Hutterites (; ), also called Hutterian Brethren (German: ), are a communal ethnoreligious group, ethnoreligious branch of Anabaptism, Anabaptists, who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the early 16 ...
numbering 200 people. They were predominantly craftsmen, but some also worked in the agricultural industry. The appearance of the
Jesuits
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
in the city in 1663 meant the end of the life of the community. The Jesuit,
Johannes Grueber
Johann Grueber or Grüber (28 October 1623 30 September 1680) was an Austrian Jesuit Jesuit China Mission, missionary who served as an explorer of China and Tibet. He worked as an Chinese astronomy, imperial astronomer in China.
Life
Grueber wa ...
forced them to recatholisation.
The Jewish community
Jews began to settle in the area in the first half of the 18th century. the Jewish community organized in the late 18th century. They had a rabbi and a
jewish school, a
yeshiva
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
, and a "Talmud Torah".
In 1930, 1,096 Jews lived there and in 1944 there were 910 Jews.
In 1939, four Jewish families who did not have Hungarian citizenship were deported across the border. After the outbreak of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, wealthy Jews and members of the community administration were arrested and imprisoned in a concentration camp. In 1940, Jews were forbidden to sell wine and tobacco and to own radios.
From 1941, Sárospatak served as a center for forced labour within the Hungarian army. The recruited young Jews were mostly sent to Ukraine and some were employed in the construction of a nearby airport.
On April 15, 1944, a few weeks after the German army entered Hungary, a temporary ghetto was established in the city's Jewish school building where the wealthy among the local Jews were tortured to extort confessions about burying property. A few days later, they were transferred by train to the
Sátoraljaújhely
Sátoraljaújhely (German language, German: ''Neustadt am Zeltberg''; Slovak language, Slovak: ''Nové Mesto pod Šiatrom;'' Yiddish: ''איהעל'') is a border town located in Borsod–Abaúj–Zemplén County, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hu ...
ghetto and from there sent to the
Auschwitz
Auschwitz, or Oświęcim, was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It consisted of Auschw ...
extermination camp.
Climate
Sights

* Castle of Sárospatak (with Renaissance tower)
* Art Gallery of Sárospatak
Notable people
13th to 16th C.
*
Elizabeth of Hungary
Elizabeth of Hungary (, , ; 7 July 120717 November 1231), also known as Elisabeth of Thuringia, was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary and the landgravine of Thuringia.
Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. After her hus ...
(1207 – 1231), a princess of the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
.
*
Ladislaus IV of Hungary
Ladislaus IV (, , ; 5 August 1262 – 10 July 1290), also known as Ladislaus the Cuman, was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1272 to 1290. His mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of a chieftain from the pagan Cumans who had settled in Hung ...
(1262 – 1290),
king of Hungary
The King of Hungary () was the Monarchy, ruling head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 (or 1001) to 1918. The style of title "Apostolic King of Hungary" (''Magyarország apostoli királya'') was endorsed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 ...
and Croatia from 1272 to 1290.
*
Bálint Balassi
Baron Bálint Balassi de Kékkő et Gyarmat (, ; 20 October 1554 – 30 May 1594) was a Hungarian Renaissance lyric poet. He wrote mostly in Hungarian,István Nemeskürty, Tibor KlaniczayA history of Hungarian literature Corvina, 1982, p. 64 ...
(1554 – 1594), a Hungarian Renaissance lyric poet.
*
János Petki (1572 in Sárospatak – 1612 in Brassó), a Hungarian noble and poet, Chancellor of Transylvania, 1607-1608.
*
John Amos Comenius
John Amos Comenius (; ; ; ; Latinized: ''Ioannes Amos Comenius''; 28 March 1592 – 15 November 1670) was a Czech philosopher, pedagogue and theologian who is considered the father of modern education. He served as the last bishop of the Unit ...
(1592 – 1670) a Czech philosopher, pedagogue and theologian.
17th C.
*
Zsuzsanna Lorántffy (1602 in Ónod, Hungary – 1660 in Sárospatak) a Princess consort of Transylvania
*
George II Rákóczi
George II Rákóczi (30 January 1621 – 7 June 1660), was a Hungarian nobleman, Prince of Transylvania (1648-1660), the eldest son of George I and Zsuzsanna Lorántffy.
Early life
He was elected Prince of Transylvania during his father' ...
(1621 – 1660) a Hungarian nobleman and Prince of Transylvania (1648-1660).
*
Johann Grueber
Johann Grueber or Grüber (28 October 1623 30 September 1680) was an Austrian Jesuit missionary who served as an explorer of China and Tibet. He worked as an imperial astronomer in China.
Life
Grueber was born in Linz on 28 October 1623. He jo ...
(1623, Linz – 1680, Sárospatak) an Austrian Jesuit missionary and astronomer in China
*
Ilona Zrínyi
Countess Ilona Zrínyi (Croatian language, Croatian: ''Jelena Zrinska'', Hungarian language, Hungarian: ''Zrínyi Ilona'') (1643, Ozalj – 18 February 1703, Izmit) was a noblewoman and heroine. She was one of the last surviving members of th ...
(1643, Ozalj – 1703, Izmit) a noblewoman and heroine.
*
Francis II Rákóczi
Francis II Rákóczi (, ; 27 March 1676 – 8 April 1735) was a Hungarian nobleman and leader of the Rákóczi's War of Independence against the Habsburgs in 1703–1711 as the prince () of the Estates Confederated for Liberty of the Kingdom of ...
(1676 – 1735) a Hungarian nobleman and leader of
Rákóczi's War of Independence
Rákóczi's War of Independence (1703–1711) was the first significant attempt to topple the rule of the Habsburgs over Royal Hungary, Hungary. The war was conducted by a group of noblemen, wealthy and high-ranking progressives and was led by F ...
(1703–11).
18th C.
*
András Fáy (1786 – 1864) a Hungarian author, lawyer, politician and businessman.
*
Ján Chalupka (1791-1871) a Slovak dramatist, playwright, publicist and Evangelical pastor.
19th C.
*
Lajos Kossuth
Lajos Kossuth de Udvard et Kossuthfalva (; ; ; ; 19 September 1802 – 20 March 1894) was a Hungarian nobleman, lawyer, journalist, politician, statesman and governor-president of the Kingdom of Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, r ...
(1802 – 1894) a Hungarian nobleman, lawyer, journalist, politician and statesman.
*
János Erdélyi
János Erdélyi (1 April 1814 – 23 January 1868) was a Hungarian poet, critic, author, philosopher and ethnographist.
He was born 1 April 1814 at Nagykapos, in the county of Ung, and educated at the Protestant college of Sárospatak. In 1833 ...
(1814 in Nagykapos – 1868 in Sárospatak) a Hungarian poet, critic, author, philosopher and ethnographist.
*
Frigyes Ákos Hazslinszky (1818 – Eperjes, 1896) a Hungarian mycologist and botanist.
*
Mihály Tompa (1819 – 1868), a Hungarian lyric poet, Calvinist minister and scientist.
*
Miklós Izsó (1831, Izsófalva, Hungary - 1875, Budapest) a Hungarian sculptor
20th C.
*
Ferenc Berényi (Dévaványa, 1927 – Budapest, 2004) a Hungarian painter.
*
Imre Makovecz (1935 in Budapest – 2011 in Budapest) a Hungarian architect
Trivia
* The ceiling of one of the small rooms of the castle is decorated by
fresco
Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...
es of roses. The participants of the
Wesselényi conspiracy
The Magnate conspiracy (also known as the Zrinski–Frankopan Conspiracy () in Croatia, and Wesselényi conspiracy () in Hungary was a plot among Croatian and Hungarian nobles to oust the Habsburg Monarchy from Croatia and Hungary, in response ...
held their secret meetings in this room. In
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
the term ''sub rosa'' means both "under the rose" and "in secret".
* Because of its cultural significance, Sárospatak is sometimes referred as "Athens of the Bodrog".
* One of its secondary schools (
Árpád vezér grammar school) was designed by
Imre Makovecz.
Twin towns – sister cities
Sárospatak is
twinned with:
*
Bardejov
Bardejov (; , , , , ) is a town in North-Eastern Slovakia. It is situated in the Šariš region on a floodplain terrace of the Topľa River, in the hills of the Beskids, Beskyd Mountains. It exhibits numerous cultural monuments in its completely i ...
, Slovakia
*
Collegno
Collegno (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about west of Turin.
It occupies an alluvial plain at the end of the Val di Susa, between Rivoli and Turin, at the foot of ...
, Italy
*
Eisenach
Eisenach () is a Town#Germany, town in Thuringia, Germany with 42,000 inhabitants, west of Erfurt, southeast of Kassel and northeast of Frankfurt. It is the main urban centre of western Thuringia, and bordering northeastern Hesse, Hessian re ...
, Germany
*
Izvoru Crișului, Romania
*
Jindřichův Hradec
Jindřichův Hradec (; ) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 21,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument reservations, urb ...
, Czech Republic
*
Krosno
Krosno (in full ''The Royal Free City of Krosno'', ) is a historical town and Krosno County, county in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in southeastern Poland. The estimated population of the town is 47,140 inhabitants as of 2014.
The functional ...
, Poland
*
Soest, Germany
*
Tekirdağ
Tekirdağ () is a city in northwestern Turkey. It is located on the north coast of the Sea of Marmara, in the region of East Thrace. The city forms the urban part of the Süleymanpaşa district, with a population of 186,421 in 2022.
Tekirdağ ...
, Turkey
*
Ogulin
Ogulin () is a town in central Croatia, in Karlovac County. It has a population of 7,389 (2021) (it was 8,216 in 2011), and a total municipal population of 12,251 (2021). Ogulin is known for its historic stone castle, known as Kula, and the nearby ...
, Croatia
*
Næstved
Næstved () is a town in Næstved Municipality, the municipality of the same name, located in the southern part of the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand in Denmark.
Næstved has several adult education centers, five Primary education, elemen ...
, Denmark
*
Jasło
Jasło is a county town in south-eastern Poland with 36,641 inhabitants, as of 31 December 2012. It is situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (since 1999), and it was previously part of Krosno Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is located in Lesser ...
, Poland
*
Trešnjevac, Serbia
*
Oberschützen
Oberschützen ( derived from ''"Felső"''=upper, ''"Lövő"''=shooter) is a town in the district of Oberwart in the Austrian state of Burgenland.
Subdivisions
* Aschau im Burgenland
* Oberschützen
* Schmiedrait
* Unterschützen
* Willersdorf
...
, Austria
References
External links
* in Hungarian
Accommodation in SárospatakThe jewish community in SárospatakOn
JewishGen
JewishGen is a non-profit organization founded in 1987 as an international electronic resource for Jewish genealogy. In 2003, JewishGen became an affiliate of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York ...
website.
Archaeological sites in Sárospatak
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarospatak
Populated places in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County