Balmazújváros, a town in Hajdú-Bihar county in eastern Hungary's Northern Great Plain region, lies approximately 24 km northwest of Debrecen, at the border of the Hortobágy steppe and the Hajdúság low tableland. Known historically as Újváros (New Town), it has evolved from ancient settlements into a modern administrative center with a population of around 17,000 as of recent estimates. The town's history reflects broader Hungarian patterns of conquest, destruction, resettlement, and socioeconomic shifts, influenced by its fertile plains suitable for agriculture and its proximity to key trade routes. Archaeological evidence points to continuous habitation since prehistoric times, with significant developments during the medieval period, Ottoman wars, Habsburg rule, and 20th-century political changes. Today, it preserves its heritage through museums and landmarks, while serving as the seat of the Balmazújváros District since 2013. The region's black and sandy soils, regulated by 19th-century infrastructure like the Tisza River canals, have long supported farming, contributing to its role in agrarian movements.
Balmazújváros is a special, market-town settlement of
the Great Plain in Hajdú-Bihar county. The large city is located on
the border of two typical Great Plain landscapes, Hortobágy and
Hajdúság. It is located 23 km from Debrecen, 16 km from
Hajdúböszörmény and 21 km from Hajdúszoboszló.
The
administrative area of the city is crossed by two natural living
waters, the Hortobágy River and the Kadarcs-Karácsonyfok canal,
which receives the water of the main catchment area. The Eastern
Main Canal, built in 1953, is 3 km from the city.
In an east-west direction, Route 3316 runs through the
administrative area of the city, including its center; this road
provides a connection for the settlement to the west towards
Tiszacsege and to the east also towards Debrecen. In the city
center, two more four-digit roads branch from the former road, in
the south-southwest direction, towards Nagyhegyes-Hajdúszoboszló in
the direction of 3321, in the north-east direction, and towards
Hajdúnánás in the direction of 3323. From the latter, the road 3318
branches off on the outskirts of the city, leading to
Hajdúböszörmény
The settlement can also be reached by train
on the Debrecen – Füzesabony railway line; Balmazújváros railway
station is located near the center, a little northeast of it; access
to the road is made possible by side road 33 321 branching east from
road 3323.
Prehistory and Early Settlements
The area surrounding
Balmazújváros has been inhabited since ancient times, with evidence of
Neolithic settlements in the nearby Hortobágy National Park, including
low mounds (tells) marking prehistoric sites. During the Árpád dynasty
(9th–13th centuries), following the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian
Basin around 895 AD, several small villages emerged in the vicinity.
Names like Bakóc, Cucca, Balmaz, Hímes, Darassa, and Hort survive as
field or boundary designations, indicating early agrarian communities.
These settlements were likely focused on farming the fertile plains, but
the original post-conquest village was utterly destroyed during the
Mongol invasion of 1241–1242, a devastating event that depopulated much
of Hungary. Archaeological finds, such as those from the Pit Grave
culture (Yamnaya), suggest even earlier Bronze Age influences in the
broader region, though not specifically tied to the town site.
Medieval Period (13th–15th Centuries)
Recovery began in the late
medieval era. The Hímes estate, within the modern town boundaries, is
first documented in papal tithe records from 1332, reflecting
ecclesiastical influence. The name "Balmaz" appears in early
15th-century sources as a wasteland estate. In 1411, King Sigismund of
Hungary granted it as an appendage to Debrecen to the Serbian voivode
Stefan Lazarević, marking its integration into feudal structures. By
1465, the settlement was known as Újváros, and King Matthias Corvinus
issued a charter granting market town rights (mezővárosi jogok),
allowing three annual county fairs and one weekly market. Under the
Hunyadi family, Újváros flourished as a trade hub, benefiting from its
location in the Hajdúság region amid fertile lands.
Early Modern
Period and Ottoman Influence (16th–18th Centuries)
The 16th century
brought turmoil with the Ottoman wars. Prolonged conflicts led to the
settlement's depopulation between 1591 and 1610, as part of widespread
devastation in Hungary following the Battle of Mohács in 1526.
Resettlement occurred gradually, with the population recovering to
pre-war levels by the 1720s. In 1753, Empress Maria Theresa awarded the
territory to the Andrássy family, who introduced manorial farming
systems. They also settled German colonists in 1766, adding cultural
diversity and boosting agriculture. However, in 1773, Újváros lost its
urban privileges and was reduced to a village under corvée labor
obligations. In 1798, ownership passed to the Semsey family, who built
the classical-style Semsey Castle at the turn of the 18th–19th centuries
and settled semi-Slovak Catholics from the Košice (Kassá) region as
servants, further enriching the ethnic mix.
19th Century:
Capitalization and Administrative Changes
The mid-19th century saw
economic modernization amid Hungary's broader reforms. Capitalization
accelerated social stratification, with a high proportion of
sharecroppers (zsellérek) above the national average, fostering strong
agrarian socialist movements. In 1876, administrative boundaries
shifted: Újváros moved from Szabolcs County to the newly created Hajdú
County, becoming the namesake of the Balmazújvárosi District, though not
its initial seat. Regional developments, such as the 19th-century
regulation of the Tisza River via the Tiszalök Dam and Main Canal,
improved irrigation and supported crops like wheat, corn, and
sunflowers, enhancing the town's agricultural base. Traditional crafts,
like the Mihalkó family's hat-making from the 1800s, emerged,
specializing in shepherd hats that later gained national heritage status
in 2016.
20th Century: Wars, Reforms, and Socialism
World War
I claimed 600 lives from the town. The short-lived Hungarian Soviet
Republic (1919) failed to deliver reforms, followed by Romanian
occupation from April 23, 1919, to 1920. World War II ended locally on
October 22, 1944, amid Allied advances. Post-war land reform addressed
widespread landlessness, with distribution announced first in Hungary on
March 20, 1945. The 1950s brought forced collectivization under
communism, forming 10 cooperatives that consolidated into two (Lenin and
Vörös Csillag), which thrived as major employers until the late 1980s.
Cultural figures like writer and politician Péter Veres (1897–1970),
born in Balmazújváros, rose to prominence; his mid-1850s birthplace now
serves as a memorial museum. Other notables include playwright Menyhért
Lengyel (1880–1974) and actor Imre Soós.
Modern Period
(1990s–Present)
Post-communist transition saw Balmazújváros as a
small region center until 2013, when districts were re-established,
making it the seat of Balmazújváros District in the Hajdúság region.
Economic focus shifted to tourism and heritage preservation, with sites
like the Semsey Andor Museum in Semsey Castle exhibiting local history,
the German Village House of Traditions (opened 2015) highlighting the
18th-century German settlers, and the Radio History Exhibition featuring
early 20th-century artifacts. As of 2025, the town emphasizes cultural
traditions, including folk crafts and organic farming at sites like the
Virágoskúti Rose Garden Biocsárda (opened 2017), while maintaining its
role in regional agriculture and administration. Mayor Hegedűs Péter has
led since 2019, overseeing ongoing development.