Székelykeresztúr

Székelykeresztúr (Cristuru Secuiesc) is a Székely Hungarian town in Transylvania, in the Székely Land. It can be found in Romania. The River Küküllő is flowing there.

The place was named after the Holy Cross and it was mentioned first in 1333 as S. Cruce, then in 1459 as Keresthwr, later in 1630: Székely Keresztur. However, the settlement used to have an early Christian church built in the Romanesque style in the 11th-12th century.

Inside the Roman Catholic Church (Photo: Andrei Kokelburg)

King Zsigmond dated several documents from here in 1395 during his campaign to Moldova. The town’s Gothic church dates back to the 15th century. The previously built 12th church was rebuilt in 1458.

The house of Péter Imre
Photo: Tetcu Mircea Rares

Székelykeresztúr became a market city in 1459 and Queen Isabella, the widow of King Szapolyai gave a letter of privilege to them in 1559. Its Catholic school was founded in 1646.

Székelykeresztúr and its area are famous for medieval and early modern tiles and ceramic stoves. Read about the great stove-tiles found there during a recent archeological excavation:

https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/masterpieces-of-art/ceramics-from-the-15-17th-centuries/

Also, here you can find a full gallery of fabulous tiles from the region:

https://docplayer.hu/10261572-Kalyhacsempek-es-keramia-disztargyak-stovetiles-and-ornaments.html

You can see there a stately home of the Ugron family, built in the 17th century. The present town consists of three settlements: Székelykeresztúr, Keresztúrfalva, and Timafalva. Today, two other villages also belong to it, Fiatfalva as well as Betfalva.

You can read more about the Székelys here:

https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/essays/who-were-the-szekelys/

The Ugron Mason (Photo: Tetcu Mircea Rares)

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