THE HISTORICAL MUNICIPAL GEOGRAPHY OF CSEPREG UNTIL THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN COMPROMISE

Abstract

The study provides an overview of the medieval historical urban geography of Csepreg until the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. This town has been selected for the study, because in spite of its relatively small population, Csepreg had a population of 3241 people in 2015, it has a long urban history and it determines the development of Central-Répce region for centuries.

Csepreg belonged to Sopron County until 1950, its first written reference dates back to 1255 and it was called civitas by certificates in 1348, Charles Robert or Louis the Great gave Csepreg the town status. Until the introduction of civil administration system in the 19th century, the settlement preserved its urban traditions in market town (oppidum) status.

This study gives the overview of historical municipal geography of the medieval Csepreg. During this period the noble village turned into royal city, and then into market town under the power of landlords. At the same time it became the most important trade and economic centre of Répce region. The research is therefore organised in two parts. The first segment presents the administrative, economic and social processes, which mean and strengthen the central functions of the (market) town.

In the centre of second part of the study is the presentation of spatial consequences of the introduced social and economic processes, namely the morphologic changes of the town. We summarize here how these factors have formed the settlement pattern of Csepreg, furthermore, we analyse what signs can be found in the townscape of the whole town and its five quarters today.