Szeged is the lively economic and cultural center of the southern lowland plain, capital of the Csongrád region and with around 180,000 inhabitants the fourth largest town in the country. Important food and textile industries have been established here. Both the Biological Research Institute in
Újszeged and the university enjoy international recognition. The biochemist and Nobel prize winner Albert von Szent-Györgyi who succeeded in isolating ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in 1928 taught here for a while.
History
Settlement in the Szeged region dates back to the Stone Age. Since the time of the Romans a trading center has existed here for the salt deliveries from Transylvania. First officially documented in 1138 when it was already an important trading center it was fortified with a castle in 1241 by King Béla IV after the devastating Mongol attack. Following the conquest by the Turks (1543) Szeged enjoyed the status of a Khas town, directly under the command of the sultan. On the extensive grazing land around the town, cattle rearing became another important branch of the economy. Owing to its involvement in the Rákóczi uprising the town was plundered and destroyed at the beginning of the 18th C by the Habsburg troops. By 1787 the number of citizens in Szeged had reached 21,519. The economic upturn brought about by industrialization did not take off until the beginning of the next century. Large parts of the town were destroyed by devastating floods in 1879, about 5500 houses collapsed and 60,000 people were made homeless. When the waters of the Tisza retreated, only 256 houses were left standing. Reconstruction of the city, which was planned and carried out within a few years, was made possible by the generous financial support of various European countries; Szeged's middle ring road is named after the capitals of these countries in recognition of their help - Bécs (Vienna), London, Párisz (Paris), Brüsszel (Brussels), Moszkvai (Moscow) and Róma (Rome). Trade and transport no longer play a key role in Szeged; in the 20th C it has developed into an important industrial center for food production (Szeged salami) and into an administrative center and university town.
Following the flood damage of 1879 the center of Szeged was rebuilt on the model of large European cities: extensive green areas, wide arterial roads together with an inner and outer ring road make up the structure of the inner city. The provincial development gave way to high elegant houses or whole complexes built in the historicist style or the latest art nouveau, of which numerous fine examples have been preserved.
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