History
The name of Mezőberény (Berény) was first mentioned in books in 1347 in the form “Beren”. In 1347 it was the property of Acsai Berend; his sons: Márton, Berend and Gergely has divided the inherited estate into three parts among themselves. At that time Berény consisted of two villages with a stone church (ecclesia lapidea). In the area of Mezőberény, people have been settled thousands of years ago, in the rivers of the Körös valley, on floodless plains and foothills. Archeologists have found many evidence of settlements from the ages between New Stone Age and the Settlement of the Magyars in Hungary. With the settling of the Hungarians, a new era began in the history of the township, as they formed an Árpád-era village, what they later called Berény.
According to historians engaged in local history, Berény's story is divided into three periods. The origin of the name “Berény” has several explanations. Most likely, the word Berény is a tribal name, perhaps from Pechenegs or other nomadic tribes. However, in the current territory of Hungary there are 13 settlements called “Berény” (and there are further 4 located in the territory of the historic or “Great” Hungary), this confirms the above explanation. Presumably, the village has been destroyed during the Mongol invasion. The depopulated settlement was reinstalled by Márton, the son of Berend, who was the bailif of castle of Békés. Books from 1347 mention it first, as the domain of the Békés estate. At that time period, Berény was a part of the small village system of the medieval Békés County. It could have been a significant place, consisting of two villages, with a church built of stone.
At the end of the 14th century Berény belonged to the estate of Gyula, and it has changed hands several times, as a royal donation. Among its most significant owners were the Losonczy, the Maróti families, János Corvin and marquis Georg of Brandenburg. The Nobles of the county held the meetings of the county council between 1514 and 1517 here. The inhabitants of Berény at that period are villeins. They earned their living mostly from farming and livestock-breeding, and performed serfs duties for the estate.
Ethnic groups
In 2001, 91% of the city's population was Hungarian, 4% Roma, 3% Slovak and 2% belonged to the German minority.
The sights of the town
“Károly Bodoki” Water Management Museum – in the water pump station at the junction of the Canal Hosszúfoki and river Kettős-Kőrös
Orlai Petrich Soma Museum - ethnographic collection, Holocaust memorial
Jewish cemetery and funeral home, road of Gyoma
Mezőberényi Thermal Spa
Wenckheim-Fejérváry Castle
Celebrities
Soma Orlai-Petrich, painter was born here in 1822.
József Csabai-Wágner, painter and architect was born here. (1888-1967)
András Somos (1911-1996), horticultural engineer was born here, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the introducer of foil-tent vegetable growing in Hungary.
József Czakó, agricultural engineer (1923-1990) was born here, introducer of the applied-ethology in Hungary
Sándor Piller was born here (1932-2015), teacher, footballer, coach, sports leader
Márton Kaposi, philosopher, aesthetics was born here in 1936, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Dr. Andrew Gschwindt, electrical engineer, university professor was born here (19 March 1941); he is one of the creators of the Masat-1, the first Hungarian satellite. Honorary citizen of Mezőberény. (8/20/2013).
Prof. Dr. Mihály Bak, pathologist, cytopathologist was born here (1946). Honorary citizen of Mezőberény. (8/20/2013).
Anikó Udvardy, sculptor was born here in 1952
Imre Lengyel, economist was born here in 1954
Péter Bereznai was born here in 1955 “Mihály Munkácsy Award” winning painter
Twin cities:
Gronau (Westf.), Germany (1987)
Gúta, Slovakia (1946)
Münsingen, Germany (1993)
Szováta, Romania (1998)
Csantavér, Serbia (2007)
Directions
Mezőberény is accesible on highways nr. 46, 470 and 47.
Mezőberény railway station lies on nr.120 MÁV Szolnok-Békéscsaba-Lőkösháza railway line, between stations Csárdaszállás and Murony.
The name of Mezőberény (Berény) was first mentioned in books in 1347 in the form “Beren”. In 1347 it was the property of Acsai Berend; his sons: Márton, Berend and Gergely has divided the inherited estate into three parts among themselves. At that time Berény consisted of two villages with a stone church (ecclesia lapidea). In the area of Mezőberény, people have been settled thousands of years ago, in the rivers of the Körös valley, on floodless plains and foothills. Archeologists have found many evidence of settlements from the ages between New Stone Age and the Settlement of the Magyars in Hungary. With the settling of the Hungarians, a new era began in the history of the township, as they formed an Árpád-era village, what they later called Berény.
According to historians engaged in local history, Berény's story is divided into three periods. The origin of the name “Berény” has several explanations. Most likely, the word Berény is a tribal name, perhaps from Pechenegs or other nomadic tribes. However, in the current territory of Hungary there are 13 settlements called “Berény” (and there are further 4 located in the territory of the historic or “Great” Hungary), this confirms the above explanation. Presumably, the village has been destroyed during the Mongol invasion. The depopulated settlement was reinstalled by Márton, the son of Berend, who was the bailif of castle of Békés. Books from 1347 mention it first, as the domain of the Békés estate. At that time period, Berény was a part of the small village system of the medieval Békés County. It could have been a significant place, consisting of two villages, with a church built of stone.
At the end of the 14th century Berény belonged to the estate of Gyula, and it has changed hands several times, as a royal donation. Among its most significant owners were the Losonczy, the Maróti families, János Corvin and marquis Georg of Brandenburg. The Nobles of the county held the meetings of the county council between 1514 and 1517 here. The inhabitants of Berény at that period are villeins. They earned their living mostly from farming and livestock-breeding, and performed serfs duties for the estate.
Ethnic groups
In 2001, 91% of the city's population was Hungarian, 4% Roma, 3% Slovak and 2% belonged to the German minority.
The sights of the town
“Károly Bodoki” Water Management Museum – in the water pump station at the junction of the Canal Hosszúfoki and river Kettős-Kőrös
Orlai Petrich Soma Museum - ethnographic collection, Holocaust memorial
Jewish cemetery and funeral home, road of Gyoma
Mezőberényi Thermal Spa
Wenckheim-Fejérváry Castle
Celebrities
Soma Orlai-Petrich, painter was born here in 1822.
József Csabai-Wágner, painter and architect was born here. (1888-1967)
András Somos (1911-1996), horticultural engineer was born here, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the introducer of foil-tent vegetable growing in Hungary.
József Czakó, agricultural engineer (1923-1990) was born here, introducer of the applied-ethology in Hungary
Sándor Piller was born here (1932-2015), teacher, footballer, coach, sports leader
Márton Kaposi, philosopher, aesthetics was born here in 1936, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Dr. Andrew Gschwindt, electrical engineer, university professor was born here (19 March 1941); he is one of the creators of the Masat-1, the first Hungarian satellite. Honorary citizen of Mezőberény. (8/20/2013).
Prof. Dr. Mihály Bak, pathologist, cytopathologist was born here (1946). Honorary citizen of Mezőberény. (8/20/2013).
Anikó Udvardy, sculptor was born here in 1952
Imre Lengyel, economist was born here in 1954
Péter Bereznai was born here in 1955 “Mihály Munkácsy Award” winning painter
Twin cities:
Gronau (Westf.), Germany (1987)
Gúta, Slovakia (1946)
Münsingen, Germany (1993)
Szováta, Romania (1998)
Csantavér, Serbia (2007)
Directions
Mezőberény is accesible on highways nr. 46, 470 and 47.
Mezőberény railway station lies on nr.120 MÁV Szolnok-Békéscsaba-Lőkösháza railway line, between stations Csárdaszállás and Murony.
