Zsámbék
Zsámbék is located on the northwestern edge of the Zsámbék Basin, 35 kilometers west of Budapest.
By virtue of its favorable natural and climatic attributes it was inhabited back in the limestone era, and from later times Celtic, Roman and Avar findings also emerged on the territory.
A stone church stood here in the Middle Ages, in the 1050s, but we do not have any chronicle left over of the construction of the three-nave basilica still visible today. Some sources link the appearance of the Aynard clan that may be related to foundation of the monastery, and their settlement in the Zsámbék area to Kálmán Könyves’ (Coloman the Book-lover’s) first wife, to the daughter of the Norman prince of Sicily, whereas others (and perhaps this is closer to the truth) link these phenomena to the wife of Béla III, Margit Capet, and to the French noble family who came here in her retinue.
Based on former documents it is certain that Aynard’s kindred Comes (Steward) Smaragd donated part of the Zsámbék estate to the French Order of Prémontré monks in around 1220 and founded a monastery. The Order operated the church and monastery until the 15th century. In 1475 King Matthias – with the Pope’s permission – handed over ownership to the monks of the Order of St. Paul. The monks of the Hungarian order rebuilt the monastery, constructed the western wing, and renovated the cloister in Gothic style.
The former stone castle standing on the site of today’s palace was also completed on a French order in 1186. Later Zsámbék, which was owned by János Corvinus, was occupied by the Turks in 1540, the occupation lasting around 150 years took its toll on the church and monastery and on local people, as the village was depopulated.
The Zichy family bought the estate in the 17th century, and then had a Baroque palace built on the site of the ruined fortress. The introduction of Swab settlers in the depopulated country town occurs during the reign of the Zichy family. The people who found a new home here were well versed in agriculture and wine growing, and Zsámbék soon began to develop by virtue of their diligence and expertise.
The Great Plague of 1737-39 exploded into this prosperity, during which 828 inhabitants lost their lives, the votive statue opposite the palace was erected in their memory.
The church that was heavily damaged as a result of Tatar and Turkish attacks was restored again, but the major earthquake in Komárom in 1763 caused such a level of damage that it was not rebuilt. At least not as a church, because the local people carried away the church stones as construction materials, and these can still be found today in many of Zsámbék’s structures.
The church stood neglected for almost 100 years and only began to be cared for again in the 19th century when monument protection became an institution.
The middle of the last century didn’t hold much peace in store for the town. In the 2nd World War – as a result of geographical proximity to Budapest – it was a battleground, and then in 1946 the Swabs living here were displaced to Germany and replaced by settlers from the Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain). Zsámbék was given town status in 2009.
