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Zalaszentgrót (Zala, Hungary)

Zalaszentgrót város

Last modified: 2023-06-03 by zachary harden
Keywords: zalaszentgrot | zala |
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image by Zoltan Horvath, 16 July 2010



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Overview

"The origin of the eponym - One of the most important data of the town is 1083 or 1084, which years are supposed to be the years of the naming, however, no written evidence can prove it. According to the experts who deal with the history of the settlement it got its name after St. Gellért bishop. The bishop who died as a martyr was declared a saint in 1083 or 1084, therefore the settlement could get its name after him only after his death. There are some written evidence in connection with the naming from 1491, which is a certificate of Ulaszlo II.. In this document he gave Szent Gót to the Hagymasy family as a present. According to the Pray codex the certficate included the following:  Nikolai Hagymas e St. Giróth , however, it was mentioned as  Zend Geród  as well. Giróth is supposed to be the same as Gellért, and Geród is the same as Gerard, which can be abbriviated as Grót. Szent Grót is most probably  the abbriviated form for St. Gerard that could possibly originate from the name of St. Gellért. The first written evidence for the existence of the settlement is from 1247. In order to understand this document you should go back to the Türje clan, the owner of Szentgrót. The first well-known person of the clan is mentioned namely as Gecse or Géza who had the name  Szentgiroliti  then  Szentgrót . His son was Dénes, the ban and later palatine of Hungary who founded the Premonstratensian abbey. He is mentioned in the certificate as Dénes master ban from Szent Gerard who was given the abbey that was established by himself in addition with four holdings, a two-wheeled mill by the bank of the River Zala, and half of the amount of the taxes as well. The donation was approved by Béla IV. and he ordered the chapter of Veszprém to inaugurate the Premonstratensians of Türje. It happened on 22th September 1247."
"Szentgrót, the 100th town - In 1949 the population of Szentgrót was 3.683. In 1950 Kisszentgrót was atteched to the settlement and since then up to 1963 Zalaszentgrót was a seat of the region with its independent council. After the war a significant improvement was started during which the co-operative movement was introduced. Beside the agriculture, the distilling, textile and wood industry, the brick factory and wine-growing and vegetables processing plants were installed. Aranyod and Tüskeszentpéter was attached to the town in 1963 and after it lost its seat role in the region n 1978 the following settlements were united with Zalaszentgrót by 31st December 1983: Csáford, Tekenye, Zalaudvarnok and Zalakoppány. Zalaszentgrót was given the title of being a town on 1st January 1984 after the attachment was ended. This was the 100th time to give the rank of being a town in the country. According to the current process that went through the country at that time, the court, the deputy office, the public prosecutor s office and the police station was closed in Zalaszentgrót."
2001 Population Census: 8,034 inh. Ethnic affiliation: Hungarian: 95,9%; Gipsy: 1,6%; German: 0,4%; unknown, did not wish to answer: 3,6% Religion: Roman Catholic: 78,4%; Greek Catholic: 0,1%; Calvinist: 1,5%; Lutheran: 1,0%; belonging to other church/denomination: 0,7%; does not belong to any church/denomination: 7,8%; unknown, did not wish to answer: 10,5%.
Sources: <www.szentgrot.hu>, <helynevtar.ksh.hu>.
István Molnár, 15 January 2006

Home page of town (including image of proper colours of coat of arms): www.szentgrot.hu/
Zoltan Horvath, 16 July 2010


The Flag

Flag of Zalaszentgrót town (coat of arms on blue field) can be seen at <www.zalamedia.hu>.
István Molnár, 29 March 2001

Resolution No.1/1992.(I.31.) about the Coat of Arms, the Flag and the Seal at <www.szentgrot.hu>.
István Molnár, 15 January 2006

Its flag is light blue, with darker red shield, and the inscription is placed in an arc.
Zoltan Horvath, 16 July 2010


Coat of Arms


image from <natloz.znet.hu>, located by István Molnár, 15 January 2006

From <www.szentgrot.hu>:
"The coat of arms of Zalaszentgrót
The coat of arms is a shield framed with a golden wave line and with a pointed bottom. There is an arm in armour holding a floating short silver sword in the red part under which a green bay branch is situated. The arm in armour holding a short silver sword symbolises the boarder castle battles, and the bay branch stands for the heroism of the fights. The leaders of the town gave this definition of the coat of the arms of the town in December 1991. It has been valid ever since and can be discovered in the market town history of Zalaszentgrót. The question of a shield came up in connection with the town rank that was lost and given back in 1984. The leaders of the town [in 1984] made some changes on the shield that is divided into two parts by a wave symbolisig the River Zala: in the upper part the former castle can be seen on a blue background and beside the castle as a result of the era a red star as well. In the lower part of the shield  the arm in armour that has already been mentioned was placed. This shield was valid only for 17 years, until 1991."
You can see here the the original historical pre-1949 and present coat of arms since 1991. Here is the communist era coat of arms (1984-1991) and here is the official seal of Zalszentgrót in 1908.
István Molnár, 15 January and 2 February 2006

Description of coat of arms and some historical background (in English): www.nemzetijelkepek.hu.
Zoltan Horvath, 16 July 2010