When the name of Tokaj is mentioned, people raise their heads and pay attention. They approve the words of praise, but protest when the world-famous Tokaji is disparaged. Its reputation, originated from the Middle Ages, still exists.
Arriving at Tokaj by train, we can slowly get acquainted with the region. Under the railway bridge, we can find the so called Szerelmi row of wine cellars (from south to north). The foot of the hill - running parallel to the railway - was suitable for building a new row of wine cellars. The whole cellar system was created in honour of millennium of the Hungarian conquest.
Tokaj stands between the confluence of Tisza and Bodrog rivers and the Kopasz-hill. The 500 metre high hill secures ideal place to the transmission tower broadcasting radio and TV programmes over the eastern regions. On the slopes of Kopasz-hill grape has been grown for centuries.
Walking towards the centre of the town one could be impressed by the sight of the neatly cultivated vineyards on the foot of the hill. Besides, the buildings of education cannot be overlooked either. Ferenc Tokaji Grammar School can be found in Bajcsy-Zsilinszki street opposite István Széchenyi Student Hostel and the building of the town library and Ferenc Rákóczi II Primary School.
The first written reference to Tokaj was found in our king Géza I's charter of 1067 and it was mentioned as "kőrév" (stone ferry). The crossing of Tisza might have been north of today's Tokaj Bridge. In 1073 the settlement was already mentioned as Tokaj and then at the end of the next century "Anonymus", King Béla III's unknown parish-clerk, referred to its castle as Hímesudvar in his "Gesta Hungarorum".
Tokaj had an important role in distributing the salt of Mármaros and Transylvania. Salt, transported on road and river, was put out and stored in Tokaj. The royal salt office operated in the town.
The marble statue of István Széchenyi stands at the entrance of the student hostel. Walking on the visitor can catch the view of the impressive Rákóczy-Dessewffy castle built in Baroque style.
In the Middle Ages Tokaj was simply a crossing on the Tisza. The first wooden bridge over the river was built in the 16th century. Having been destroyed in a siege in 1565, it was rebuilt by Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria, and Queen of Hungary, at the current place This bridge was burnt up in the war of independence in 1849. Of course, it was reconstructed again, and in 1896 the first Tokaj iron bridge was built. Today's bridge - chronologically the fourth one - was completed in 1961.
Passing the bridge we reach the city.
The main street of the town is called Derék street. It has several small shops - reminiscent of the late feudal market town. The main square offers several sights. On the left there is the buildings of the Catholic Church (1913) and the Reformed Church (1802-1822). The former General house (ex-military headquarters) can also be found here.
The role of the castle of Tokaj increased after Mohács and further lost battles against the Turks when the country was divided into three different parts (1514). Tokaj castle was at its heyday during the period of the Ottoman occupation. It changed ownership several times, eventually it become the property of the Rákóczi family. (1646).
For today only one sheet of wall from the old castle remained on the left bank of Bodrog river. On the spot of the former castle the Jewish cemetery lies.
On the main square stand the statue of St. István (László Péterfy, 2000), and the Bacchus fountain at the foreground of the building of Hétszőlő Ltd. The company owns another sight in the square: the Rákóczi cellar, an old witness of Hungarian history.
Tokaj castle had an important role in the war of independence lead by Ferenc Rákóczi II against the Hapsburg dynasty. It was reoccupied from the pro-Austrian soldiers by its landlord in the winter of 1704-5. The reigning prince gave an order to Patay Sámuel (the constable of the castle at that time) to demolish the castle. Historians can only guess his reasons.
Looking back on the main square, we can see the statue of John of Nepomuk (1802, Lőrinc Jesper) standing on a stone column behind the chancel of the Roman Catholic Church. It used to stand at the Tokaj Bridge.
Walking down Derék utca we can find the Greek merchants' houses. One of them was owned by the Morellis and the other (today's Tokaj Museum) by the Karácsony family. They were built at the end of the 18th century.
The Museum gives place to the grape and wine ethnographical exhibition as well. On the first floor we can find the Béla Béres Religious Art Collection. On the ground floor temporary exhibitions are held. The wine exhibition can be seen in the two-winged cellar under the building.
The Tokaj Orthodox Church was established by Greek and Russian merchants. (Russian Czars stationed a military unit in Tokaj to supervise the procurement and the security of each wine shipment to Russia.) Its church building (1788-90) stands in Pál Vasvári utca.
Leaving the street we come across the former Paulite Monastery on the left. The northern gate of the town could stand at the corner of the building. Virtually this used to be the town limit with no buildings over it except for the Bercsényi manor-house and the Roman Catholic hospital behind it. Passing them we reach the Patkó (horseshoe) mine. At the abandoned quarry our tour comes to an end.
Historical review
Tokaj is first mentioned in the deed of foundation of 1067 of Százd abbey in the XI. century. Later the Illustrated Chronicle - written in the XIV. century - wrote about the crossing of Salamon on the Tisza in Tokaj. The settlement could be important crossing in the age of Arpad. We do not know exactly when Földvára was built, somewhere in the XII. century, but the Mongol invasion of Hungary destroyed it. We can read about a castle built at the confluence of Bodrog and Tisza rivers in the original document of 1290. It was possibly destroyed because in the XIV. century a stone castle at Tokaj is mentioned.
The name of Tokaj is mentioned initially in the document of 1353. At that time people dealt with wine-growing ang winemaking at Foothills. Since 1450 the region was in the possession of the Hunyadi family and then the Szapolyai family was the pledge holder. In October, 1526 the national party - with the leading of Szapolyai János - started towards Buda in order to obtain the crown. However, after his coronation, he lost the domain and new period began in the history of the region. In 1556, after the king, John Sigismund, was called back to Transylvania; Tokaj Foothills became royal domain and the medieval castle was reinforced. The wine region of Foothills became more and more profitable till the end of the century. Later the castle was owned by Bethlen Gábor, from where the Rákóczy family redeemed him and the reinforcement of the castel began. In the XVII. century during the revolt of Foothills several people wanted to obtain the rule, which was increasing income. The castle was occupied by Kuruts in 1703, and was destroyed in 1705. Tokaj was ruled by the Szepesi clan since that time.
Till the first half of the XVII. century the population of the settlement grew, more than 20 noble mansions were drawn up. The town had a peaceful period since that time and became a market cnter, furthermore it got the title of "Priviliged Tisza-Tokaj Town" . The XVII.-XVIII. century period was the golden age of the wine commerce of Foothills. Polish and Russian buyers swarmed in to the town, which meant new markets and income to the world famous Tokaj wine. Tokaj was an important spot of the Rákóczy War of Independence and the crossing of Tokaj had a strategic and military importance. At the end of the 1848s , after the double defeat of Kassa the crossing of Tokaj was really important for the Austrian troops. In July, 1849, the troops of Görgey crossed on the bridge of Tokaj towards the territory east of the river Tisza.
After the Compromise the economic recovery started and reached its culmination by 1910, more quarries produced. The achievement of burgeoes status began but it was broken by the World War. In 1917 territories were encolsed from Foothills, which reduced its importance. In 1919 the leaders reorganized the local administrative system and wanted to connect the town to Szabolcs County, but there was no possibility. The vineyards of Foothills suffered serious frost damage in 1929, from which it recovered in the 1940's. In March 1944, Tokaj was occupied by Germans and the front-line came closer and closer. It reached the town in November. That time Russian troops marced into the town.
After World War II. the development of Tokaj fell back, its chances could not be exploited. Because of political reasons its central role in wine commerce also changed and the new centre was Sátoraljaújhely. The facts that Tokaj was situated on the boarder of the county and was deprived of its main areas hendered its developement. Fortunately, the town preserved its historical values and its beautiful provincial nature. In 1986 it got back the designation as a town, which it had lost during the previous years. The town started to bloom again and new period started for people. Up to now intensive improvements have occured which resulted in spectacular architectural and infrastructural development. The dramatic results obtained so far were acknowledged by a HILD medal in 1997 and recently an old dream came true: Tokaj Foothills was declared as part of the World Inheritance. So this way Foothills officially belongs to the most famous and protected areas of the world.
