Editing Eger (section)

==History==
Eger has been inhabited since the Stone Age.

===Reign of Saint Stephen===
[[File:Eger castle - ruins of the romanesque basilica.JPG|thumb|left|250px|The ruins of the [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] basilica in the [[Eger Castle]]]]

Today's Eger was formed in the 10th century by St. [[Stephen of Hungary|Stephen]] (997–1038), the first [[Christians|Christian]] king of Hungary, who founded an [[episcopal see]] in Eger. The first [[cathedral]] of Eger was built on Castle Hill, within the present site of Eger Castle. Eger grew around this cathedral, and remains an important religious centre in Hungary.

This settlement took up an important place among the Hungarian towns even in the early Middle Ages. The natural fundamentals of the surroundings (meeting of plains and hills) made it possible to establish economic and cultural relations between the different parts of the country.

During the 11th and 12th centuries, [[Wallonia|Walloon]] settlers came from the areas beyond the [[Rhine]]. They settled with the kings' permission, bringing [[western culture]] to this region and acclimating the [[viticulture]]. The development of the town accelerated with their presence.

===Mongol invasion===

[[File:Eger castle (by Pudelek) 01.JPG|thumb|left|200px|The stone fortress was built at that time]]
This development was blocked for a short time by the [[First Mongol invasion of Hungary|Mongol invasion in 1241]], when the town was ransacked and burned down during the episcopacy of [[Cletus Bél]].

After the withdrawal of the [[Mongols]], Eger began to flourish all over again. [[Lampert Hont-Pázmány (bishop)|Lampert]], the bishop of Eger, received a permit from [[Béla IV]] for building a stone fortress. So the nearly destroyed town revived and reached the peak of its medieval development in the 14th and 15th centuries. During this period the forests which spread to the limits of the town were cleared for the most part, and vines were planted in their place. More and more town-houses were built in the settlement. Roads were constructed among which the ones in the inner town were narrow and twisting but those leading to the northern mining towns were wider. The various surrounding settlements such as [[Almagyar]] and [[Czigléd]] were built up along with Eger.

===Reign of King Matthias===
[[File:Eger Gergely Hippolyt.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Hippolyt Gate]], one of the main entrances of the [[Eger Castle]]]]
[[File:Eger, gothic episcopla palace.JPG|thumb|left|200px|The gothic episcopal palace of the castle]]
During the reign of [[King Matthias]] (1458–1490), Eger began to develop again. The gothic-styled [[Bishops Palace of Eger]] which can be seen at the present time was reconstructed by the order of bishop [[János Bekensloer]]. Building operations continued during the bishoprics of [[Orbán Dóczy]] and [[Tamás Bakócz]]. The beginning of the reconstruction (in late gothic style) of the cathedral fort can also be linked to their names. After the death of [[King Matthias]], during the bishopric of [[Hyppolit]] the so-called [[Hyppolit Gate]] was built, this has recently been removed.

===The siege of Eger===

{{main|Siege of Eger (1552)|Siege of Eger (1596)}}

[[File:Wolf-Dietrich-Klebeband Städtebilder G 168 III.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Eger in [[Wolf-Dietrich-Klebeband Städtebilder]] (1568)]]
[[File:Székely, Bertalan - The Women of Eger - Google Art Project.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Bertalan Székely]]'s "Women of Eger" depicts the siege of 1552]]
After the [[Battle of Mohács]] (1526) a sorrowful period began in the history of Eger. During the dual kingship the town changed hands almost every year and the [[Ottoman army]] came closer as well. This circumstance provided the reason for reinforcing the fortress. In the autumn of 1552, Captain [[István Dobó]] and his handful of soldiers were successful in defending the fortress and northern [[Hungary]] from the expanding [[Turkish Empire]]. The first writer of note to draw on the story was the Hungarian renaissance poet and musician [[Sebestyén Tinódi Lantos]] ({{Circa|1510}}–1556), whose account may have come partly from eyewitnesses. [[Géza Gárdonyi]] wrote his novel, "[[Eclipse of the Crescent Moon]]" in remembrance of this battle, and his work has been translated into numerous languages.

Despite the fact that [[István Dobó]] and his soldiers successfully defended the fortress, it was destroyed during the siege, so it was essential to wholly rebuild it. The reconstruction process of the fortress took place between 1553 and 1596 and Italian artificer officers planned the renovations. The famous Hungarian poet, [[Bálint Balassi]] also served here for a few years beginning in April 1578.

===Ottoman rule===
[[File:Central europe 1683.png|thumb|left|200px|The [[Eğri Eyalet]] in the [[Ottoman Empire]] (1683)]]
[[File:Minaret - Eger, 2013.JPG|thumb|right|150px|[[Eger minaret|Eger Minaret]], remaining northernmost [[Ottoman architecture|Ottoman]] [[minaret]] in Europe.]]
While [[István Dobó]] and his soldiers managed to defend the fortress in 1552, in 1596 the captain at that time and the foreign mercenaries under his rule handed it over. This was the beginning of the 91-year-long [[Ottoman Empire|Turkish]] rule in Eger. The [[Eger minaret]], which was built at the end of the 17th century, preserves the memory of this period. Among all the buildings of this type, the [[Eger minaret|minaret of Eger]] is found in the northernmost point of the former [[Ottoman Empire]]. During the Turkish occupation Eger became the seat of a [[vilayet]] which is a Turkish domain including several [[sanjaks]]. Churches were converted into [[mosques]],{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} the castle rebuilt, and other structures erected, including public baths and [[minaret]]s.

The rule of the Turks in [[Central Hungary]] began to collapse after a failed [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] attempt to capture [[Vienna]]. The [[Vienna]]-based [[Habsburgs]], who controlled the rest of [[Hungary]], apart from [[Transylvania]], steadily expelled the Turks from the country. The [[castle of Eger]] was starved into surrender by the [[Holy League (Great Turkish war)|Crusader army]] led by [[Charles V, Duke of Lorraine|Charles of Lorraine]] in 1687, after the castle of [[Buda]] had been retaken in 1686. Eger was relieved from Turkish rule in December, 1687. Although the reoccupation was effected by a siege (which starved out the defenders) and not by a bombardment, the town fell into a very poor state. According to the ... records there were only 413 houses in the area within the town walls which were habitable and most of these were occupied by left over [[Turkish people|Turkish]] families.

===Habsburg rule===
[[File:Eger, Downtown.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Eger is famous for the narrow alleys in the old part of the inner town]]
[[File:Végess-Rózsa-ház (5586. számú műemlék).jpg|thumb|right|A house in the town centre]]
[[File:Eger Archiepiscopal Palace 02.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Archiepiscopal Palace of Eger]]]]
[[File:Eger – Cistercian Church 01.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The [[Cistercian Church of Eger]]]]

After the expelling of the Turks, the town was considered by the imperial regiment as a demesne of the Crown. [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Leopold I]] re-established Eger as a free royal borough in 1688, which meant that it was relieved from the ecclesiastic manorial burdens. This state lasted until 1695, when {{ill|Fenessy György|hu}}, the returning bishop, had the former legal status of a bishopric town restored by the monarch.

Eger soon began to prosper again. The town was reclaimed by its bishops, which caused many local [[Protestants]] to leave. Although the town supported the Hungarian leader Prince [[Francis II Rákóczi]] in the 1703–1711 war of independence against the [[Habsburgs]], the [[Hungarians]] were eventually defeated by the Imperial army. In 1709, [[Francis II Rákóczi]] and [[Ukranciev]], the legate of [[Peter the Great]], met here. It must be added that the legate died in Eger and was buried near the [[Serbian Church of Eger]]. Soon after that, the town was ravaged by plague. However, immigration into Eger was strong, and the population rose from 6000 to 10,000 between 1725 and 1750. [[Muslims]] were assimilated into the [[Christians|Christian]] population.

In the history of Eger, the 18th century was the period of development and prosperity. Many new buildings were built in [[Baroque]] and later in [[Rococo]] and [[Neoclassicism|Neoclassical]] style, including the cathedral, the [[Archiepiscopal Palace of Eger]], the [[County Hall of Eger]], the [[Eger Lyceum]] (now housing the [[Eszterházy College]] of Education) and several churches, while others were reclaimed from being mosques.

The building processes attracted many craftsman, merchants, and artists, including [[Kracker János Lukács]], [[Anton Maulberts]], {{ill|Franz Sigrist|de}}, {{ill|Josef Ignaz Gerl|hu}}, [[Jakab Fellner]], and [[Henrik Fasola]]. The town population grew suddenly. While in 1688 it was only 1200, in 1787 more than 17,000 people lived here. At this time, Eger was the 6th largest town of [[Hungary]] (based on the number of its inhabitants). Viticulture also reached its brightest period in these days. The wine-growing area was twelve times larger than it had been earlier.

The 18th century was also important because bishop [[Barkóczy]] and [[Eszterházy]] decided to found a university in Eger patterned after the ones in [[Nagyszombat]] and in [[Vienna]]. There were already precedents for this type of education because in 1700 [[Bishop István Telekessy]], who took sides with [[Ferenc Rákóczy the Second]], established a seminary in Eger. Then in 1740, [[Canon György Foglár]] founded a [[Faculty of Law]] and in 1754 [[bishop Barkóczy]] set up a school of philosophy. In 1769 the first medical school of [[Hungary]] was opened by the direction of [[Ferenc Markhot]], but it was closed in 1755. Unfortunately the university of Eger could not begin its work because of appoint ... the monarch'. In the building which was marked out for the university we can find the [[Archdiocese's Library]] (the most beautiful baroque library in Hungary), and an astronomical museum with original equipment, which was the second museum of this type in [[Europe]]. Between 1946 and 1948 there were several more efforts to found a university in Eger all of which also ended in failure.

The 19th century began with disasters: a fire that destroyed half the town in 1800, and a collapse of the south wall of the Castle in 1801, which ruined several houses. Eger became the seat of an [[archbishopric]] in 1804, and the church remained in firm control of the town, despite efforts by its citizens to obtain greater freedom. In 1827, much of the town centre was damaged by fire again, and four years later over 200 were killed in an outbreak of cholera.

In 1804, a significant change occurred in the organisation of Eger's bishopric. The monarch made this town a centre of archbisphoric, but the bishoprics of Szatmár and Kassa separated from it.

===The Period of Reforms===
The [[History of Hungary#Period of Reforms (1825–1848)|Period of Reforms]] (1825–1848) left several lasting marks on the life of Eger, especially on its culture. [[Pyrker László János]], the archbishop of that time, founded a gallery which he donated to the [[Hungarian National Museum]] because the town did not guarantee an appropriate place for it. It was [[Pyrker]]'s present which served as a base for the collection of the [[Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest)|Museum of Fine Arts]] that was opened in 1900. In 1828 [[Pyrker]] established the first Hungarian teachers training college in Eger and he was the one who ordered the construction of the basilica which was built in neo-classical style, in accordance with the plans of [[József Hild]]. On the basis of its size, this basilica is the second among the churches of [[Hungary]]. In 1837, [[János Joó]], an art teacher, began to edit [[Hungary]]'s first technical journal with the title "Héti Lapok".
[[File:Medve Imre Az ivó.jpg|thumb|Traditional clothing of the citizens of Eger, 1846]]

===Revolution and War of Independence===
The inhabitants of Eger took an active part in the [[revolution in 1848]]. Even though the revolution was suppressed, the age of landowners and serfs had gone forever, and the municipality gained freedom from the rule of the archbishop in 1854.

===Age of the monarchy===
The main railway line between [[Miskolc]] and [[Pest, Hungary|Pest]] bypassed the town, which was only reached later by a branch line from [[Füzesabony]]. Unfortunately (unlike other towns) Eger's civil development did not become faster, as distinguished from other towns, after 1849 and the Compromise of 1867. Industrial development was represented only by the mill, the tobacco factory and the sheet-iron works that were founded in the Reform Age.

During the decades after the turn of the century, the character of a school-town was dominant in Eger. Because of its schools and other cultural institutions, it became known as the Hungarian [[Athens]].

At the beginning of the century, in 1904, the first independent theatre of stone was opened and the canalisation and the provision of public utilities began as well.

===20th century===
[[File:Szenátor-ház (5483. számú műemlék).jpg|thumb|right|250px|A restaurant in Eger]]
Economic recovery was slow after [[World War I]], although the 1899 publication of Gárdonyi's "Eclipse of the Crescent Moon" made Eger popular as a tourist attraction and archaeological excavation of the castle resumed.

In 1933, Eger was one of those towns that first got the permission for opening a spa.

In 1910, 2,674 Jews lived in the village but in 1944 the Jewish community was murdered by Hungarians and Germans during the [[Holocaust]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/Eger/|title=Eger (Erlau), Hungary KehilaLink|first=Agnes (SZEGO) ORBAN|last=Ph.D.|website=kehilalinks.jewishgen.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://heves.zsidomult.hu/index.php/elveszett-koezoessegek/varosok-es-vm-oesszesen/eger |title=Eger  |access-date=2016-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203180010/http://heves.zsidomult.hu/index.php/elveszett-koezoessegek/varosok-es-vm-oesszesen/eger |archive-date=2016-02-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/he/research/ghettos_encyclopedia/ghetto_details.asp?cid=12 |title=Book listing |website=www.yadvashem.org |format=PDF}}</ref>

In [[World War II]], the city suffered under the retreating [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] and the arriving [[Soviet army]], but it managed to escape major bombardment.

In the decades after 1945, industrialization of the town commenced because of the change of regime. As a consequence, Eger's former character of a cultural centre began to fade, which diminished the patina of the settlement.

It was of great fortune that in 1968 the baroque inner city was preserved. It was saved from the deterioration (and from the construction of unsuitable, modern buildings).

[[File:Eger – Sándor Bródy Birthplace 01.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The birthplace of [[Sándor Bródy (writer)|Sándor Bródy]] in Eger]]

Eger is famous for its wines, most notably the "Egri Bikavér" (Bull's Blood of Eger). It is also well known for "Egri Víz", a type of brandy which originated in the 18th century, the "bujavászon" (a special Turkish tissue), as well as its thermal baths. 
Today, Eger is a prosperous town and popular tourist destination with a charming Baroque town centre.