Brief History
The History of Salonta
The Municipality of Salonta, the second most populous in Bihor County after Oradea, is located in the westernmost part of the country, near the border with Hungary. The natural conditions specific to the plain area have favored the existence of human settlements since ancient times.
The first documentary attestation of Salonta dates from 1332 when, in a papal document, the settlement is called "Socerdas de Ville Zalantha". Subsequently, the name of the locality underwent several changes, until it reached the form "Szalonta" in 1587.
Until the 16th century, Salonta belonged to the Toldi noble family and had no great importance in the area, mainly due to its location near Culișer Fortress, a strong political-economic center that was raised to the rank of city in the 12th century. During this period, the village of Salonta comprised approximately 50 houses set among swamps and reeds, with about 250-300 inhabitants.
The Turks destroyed both Culișer Fortress and old Salonta in 1598. The fortress was not repopulated, but after a short period of time, Salonta recovered. This was due to the return of part of the refugee population and the settlement here, by order of the Prince of Transylvania, Bocskai István, of three hundred free soldiers whose task was to defend the border regions against the Turks.
During the same period, the watchtower in the center of the settlement was built, known today as the "Csonka Tower", which served as an observation post. The soldiers of Salonta received significant land areas and enjoyed privileges that were later increased through the granting of noble titles.
The privileges and freedoms granted to the inhabitants led to the numerical growth of the city's population and its transformation into a strong economic center, especially following the right to organize fairs.
Economic Development
Because the city is located at the edge of the Principality of Transylvania and near the territories dominated by the Turks, merchants from Transylvania met those from the Ottoman occupation zone at the Salonta Fair. The intense exchange of goods led to the rapid development of the settlement and the emergence of small industry: leather tanning, sandal making, boot making, fur making, weaving, and blacksmithing.
The produced goods met local needs and were also sold at eastern and southern fairs in Tinca, Beiuș, Ineu, Chișineu Criș and at fairs in the Ottoman occupation zone, at Gyula and Orosháza.
In 1659, the Prince of Transylvania, Rákóczi György II, ordered the burning of the city, which began to be repopulated only at the end of the 17th century. As a result of successes against the Turks, Austria gained control of Hungary from 1686 and Transylvania from 1688.
Under Austrian Rule
Emperor Leopold strengthened the privileges of Salonta's inhabitants, but in 1700 the Imperial Court renounced the military services of the free soldiers and canceled their privileges. This led to disagreements between the inhabitants of Salonta and the Eszterházy noble family, a process that was resolved in the revolutionary year 1848.
During the Revolution of 1848, the poet Arany János distinguished himself through his activity. His verses reflect the poet's participation in the events.
After a brief period of freedom, the territory of Salonta was reintegrated into the Habsburg Empire under an absolutist regime. At the beginning of the 19th century, craftsmen organized themselves into guilds. The first guild, that of bootmakers, was established in 1820, and that of tanners in 1836. In 1872, craftsmen, with the exception of bootmakers, formed the Mixed Union of Craftsmen. At the end of the 19th century, nearly 500 masters with operating licenses were registered.
City Modernization
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the region developed intensively. During this period, swamp drainage works began, the railway line was built, and the first capitalist institutions in industry and commerce appeared. There was also a strong influx of rural population to the city.
The movement of European peoples for self-determination following World War I led to the dissolution of the Habsburg Empire and the formation of nation states. Under the new conditions, Salonta became one of the border points between Romania and Hungary.
Industrial Development
The city's industrial development intensified after 1948 through the establishment of new economic units. Salonta thus became a city with a continuously developing industrial-agrarian economy.
The food industry, textile, clothing, leather, fur and footwear industries, as well as wood processing, are industrial branches with old traditions in the area and currently account for 65% of the city's global production, with the food industry being dominant. Alongside these, the machine-building industry has appeared and developed.
Tourist Attractions
Visitors to Salonta can stop at the houses that belonged to poets Arany János, Sinka István, and Zilahy Lajos, lay a flower at their statues or that of the 1848 revolutionary Kossuth Lajos, or admire the Csonka Tower or the "Arany" Palace which houses the "Teodor Neș" Municipal Library and an art gallery. The city's churches and the Town Hall building are also worth visiting.
Lăsând în urmă obiectivele turistice ale orașului, Salonta poate fi punct de plecare pentru cei pasionați de vânătoare și pescuit. În același timp, Salonta oferă multiple oportunități investitorilor și oamenilor de afaceri interesați, fiind un oraș al tuturor posibilităților.