Hansági Museum

The Hansági Museum of Mosonmagyaróvár with its 125 years of history belongs to one of the oldest museums of Hungary. The parent association of the museum was established in 1882. The Museum of the Historical and Archaeological Association of the county Moson operated as the institution of the association up to 1950. After the Nationalization it was given the name Hansági Museum. The archaeological excavations in the county began under the leadership of Ágost Sőtér, one of the founders of the association. Thanks to his work we got acquainted with the Bronze Age finding unknown up to now, which is called Culture of Gáta after its first place of occurence. Also the exploration of the line called ?limes? was of great importance since the historical county contained three bigger Roman settlements: Oroszvár (Gerulata), Mosonmagyaróvár (Ad Flexum), Lébény (Quadrata). The German pair of fibulas with runic script found in the longobard cemetery of Bezenye made the museum worldwide known. Spectacular artefacts from the late Avar cemetery excavations were found that enrich our collections as well. In the early Middle Ages the overseer Castle of Moson played a significant economic and military role as Gate (porta Regni) of the Hungarian Kingdom. King Salomon stayed in the castle several times, but also other rulers turned up here. In the 13th century, after the Invasion of the Tatars (1241), following the attacks of the Bohemian King Ottokar II, the Castle of Moson lost its military importance. The Castle of Óvár, built by magister Konrad of the Győr clan, met much rather the requirements of the era and so it became centre of the settlement. In 1354 Óvár was granted the Free Royal Town title from the queen consort Elisabeth. Its military importance grew again in the 16th and 17th century, when it belonged to the border castles of the country torn in 3 pieces. Mosonmagyaróvár was famous for its grain and animal trade and also the guild industry was of great importance. The earliest guild was probably that of the butchers, who used a beautiful renaissance seal. Mosonmagyaróvár?s more important municipal posts (magistrats) were filled by the members of this association in the late Middle Ages. In the county that incorporates the Hanság, the Szigetköz and the plain of Moson, a gentle combination of folk culture has come into being. The lifestyle of these three dominant nations the Hungarians, Germans and Croatians weren?t separated sharply from one another. The most specific profession of the Szigetköz was gold-washing. Although it weighed just 1-2 grams of gold a day, it was for many people a job for living. The first printing house in Magyaróvár was established by Sándor Czéh. The foundation of the first bookseller?s shop and the lending library is linked with his name. The original cliches made of wood and metal of the printing house are real curiosities of applied arts. In the decades following the Conciliation the civil mentality gained strength. Social associations were established by the dozen. The most significants were the Széchenyi Circle and the Casino Club of Moson county that included the leading upper-class, but also the Historical and Archeological Association was founded at this time and the plans for the museum building were drawn up as well as built at this time, too. At the beginning of the 20th century started Antal Kumpf the well-known photographer his working in our town. His glass negatives are precious treasures of the museum?s collection. At the beginning of the last century public transport started up in town. In the 1920s the town had already operated its own bus service. The most tragic event of modern history in the life of the town is the fusillade related to the civil revolution of 1956. The massacre of 26 October in Mosonmagyaróvár overtook many civil local victims. A great number of relatives and citizens could hardly get over it to this day. The town?s oldest building of the Middle Ages, the Cselley Mansion houses the arts and crafts exhibition of the Hansági Museum since 1982 together with the Gyurkovich collection that contains Hungarian paintings from the 19th and 20th century.