The settlement lies on the gentle slopes east of the Alps, with a climate somewhat cooler than the average. In this town rich in parks, the two most beautiful seasons are the spring and the colourful autumn. The general view of Szombathely has been thoroughly defined by the two springs crossing the town, namely Gyöngyös and Perint, the former being originally directed as a canal across the town by the ancient Romans.

Imprints of Past Centuries

The Amber road has been a connection between the Baltic sea and the Adriatic for milennia, thus the town and its environs had been an inhabited region in the ancient times too. A town had been founded around 50 A.D. by the Romans, in those times expanding their dominance to the North, under the name Colonia Claudia Savaria, which then had become the leading settlement of Pannonia Province as the administrative center. Saint Quirin died martyrdom here (in 303) during the Roman dominance, and Saint Martin was born here (in 317 or 336). During the time of migration the majority of the Roman inhabitants had left Savaria (in the 5th century), but the town was still inhabited. Following Avar and Frankish dominance, after 907, the Hungarians took over Pannonia, including the town itself too. The Hungarian name refers to the fairs held here on Saturdays. Its fortress was mentioned first in 1291 in charters. In this region considered a border-zone there had been several battles fought. Szombathely got the title of „township” in 1407, later assuming a greater role during the Turkish invasion. From 1578 onwards it is the administrative center of county Vas, and her history will be woven mostly around battles for the next 150 years, since they had been involved in both the Turkish wars, and the anti-Hapsburg revolutions. Development of the settlement started in the late 1700s, when on the decision of Empress Maria Theresa the town was appointed the episcopal center of the newly founded religious county see.
Flourishing proper was brought about by the Compromise in the second half of the 19th century: due to the railway constructions of the times, Szombathely became the center of commerce and transportation , the population had quadrupled in four decades, and there was a real civic town in the making. WWI brought to a halt this upwardly change: a great part of county Vas was transferred to Austria, thus losing her central status within the region. WWII had caused severe damages to the town, and the Iron Courtain was established, separating the area from the West. Despite of all this, Szombathely started her development anew: new industrial plants, housing estates were constructed, and with a population of 80 thousand, the town re-assumed her position as an economic and cultural center of the region. By Hungary's accession to the EU, the borders are no longer constituting limitations, thus there are realistic hopes that the town, with her 2000-year-old history, will re-establish her leading status in the broader region.

Szombathely – today.

Although traditions are still powerful,the visitor can encounter a real modern town. In the Main Square (Fő tér) shops, restaurants, and cafés are awaiting the visitor, and the nice parks and alleys, just outside the city center and on the banks of the two streams crossing the city, are pleasant places for relaxing. Since Szombathely is also a center for education, culture and university, during the academic year there are a lot of young people in the city. In the evenings many places of entertainment are open, several programs are awaiting those wanting to go out. Szombathely is also a shopping-town, in the outskirts several shopping centers had opened. Also in the outskirts of the town can one find Claudius Industrial Park, having an important role in the town's economic life.

The historical town center, sights to visit.

Nothing is a better testimony to the traditions and century-long history of the town than does the fact that in different historical periods, the settlement's political and cultural centers had been established practically in the same places since the Roman times as long as the Enlightenment Period. The ruins of the ancient Roman provincial center, including the Governor's Palace are preserved in the Ruin-garden (Romkert) a section of the Amber Road can also be seen here. Excavations are being conducted at present, too, in the Isis shrine, whereas everyday life, the equipment used by craftsmen and tools of ancient technology are displayed in the Historical Theme Park, which is also a center of the Savaria History Games. A church erected over Roman ruins in the 19th century commemorates Sain Martin's martyrdom – the memorial center, which is part of the European pilgrimage route, can also be found here. Built in the Middle Ages, the Church of Saint Elizabeth, and the remains of the Szombathely fortress in the Ruin-garden are also important sights worth visiting. The road system of the town is also several centuries old. The Main Square, used as a place for county markets, could be approached by very narrow streets, of which one, Belsikátor street, still exists. Of the historical buildings the episcopal center built in the 18th century in baroque style had survived best the past centuries. The Cathedral, now occupying the old fortress church's place, the episcopal palace (with a vast Roman collection displayed in the Sala Terrana), the seminary and the adjoining buildings are still showing their age-old glow. The County Hall was also built in the late 1700s, it is still used for housing the regular county meetings. The renovated houses of the civic Szombathely can be found in the Main Square (Fő tér) in Szily János street, in Király Street, but the freshly refurbished building of the Railway Station is also worth a glance. If you wish to get to know more about the history of the town and its environs, visit Savaria Museum and the private collection of Smidt Museum.