Szikszó

Infobox Settlement

settlement_type =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = HUN

latd= |latm= |lats= |latNS=N
longd= |longm= |longs= |longEW=E

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timezone=CET
utc_offset=+1
timezone_DST=CEST
utc_offset_DST=+2|official_name=Szikszó
subdivision_type1=County
subdivision_name1=Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén
area_total_km2=36.2
population_as_of=2001
population_total=6062
population_density_km2=167
postal_code_type=Postal code
postal_code=3800
area_code=46

Szikszó is a small town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary, 15 kilometers from county capital Miskolc.

History

Szikszó was first mentioned in documents in 1280. It belonged to the estate of the Aba clan. When the family became extinct, it became the property of King Sigismund, then of Queen Mary. At this time Szikszó was already a royal town. The Gothic church of the town was built around this time.

In the 16th century Szikszó and its landowners converted to the Protestant faith and its church became a Protestant one.

During the Turkish occupation of Hungary the town was ransacked and burnt down several times. The citizens fortified the strongest building of the town: the church. In 1588 there was a battle near the town, the Hungarian army defeated the Turks. In 1679 the town witnessed another battle, this time against the imperial army of the Habsburgs; this battle too brought Hungarian victory but the imperials burnt down the town as a revenge.

During the freedom fight against Habsburg rule in 1848 a third battle was fought near Szikszó. Again the Hungarians won.

In 1852, a house caught fire and the whole town burnt down. Rebuilding the town was very expensive and the citizens couldn't afford the expenses of their town being classified as a town, so in 1866, they asked the government to re-classify Szikszó as a village.

In 1920, after the Treaty of Trianon, Košice (Kassa in Hungarian) became part of Czechoslovakia, Szikszó became the capital of Abaúj-Torna county and held this rank until the unification of the three counties creating Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county.

In 1989 Szikszó was granted town status again.

Tourist sights

* Bethania manor
* Gothic Protestant Church
* Wine cellars

Gallery

Twin towns

Szikszó is twinned with:

External links

* [http://www.szikszo.hu The official site of the town]