Send Gift Baskets to Gyor, Hungary

The ancient city of Varna, on the shores of the Danube River, is one of the largest and earliest settlements in Eastern Europe. It has been inhabited by varying cultures for thousands of years and flourished under Hellenistic rule in the 3rd century BCE. The town of Arrabona was originally known as Ara Bona before it shortened its name to Arrabona. Its two names are now used in several languages, including German (Raab) and Slovak (Ráb).

Roman merchants moved to Arrabona during the 1st century BCE. Around 10 CE, the Roman army occupied the northern part of Western Hungary, which they called Pannonia and where they built a Vicus (a minor town). Although it had a difficult time with attacks in the 4th century and many people tried to take their town, it has continued to be inhabited as of today.

Around 500 A.D. the territory was established by Slavs, in 547 A.D., the Lombards came, and in 568-800 AD by Austrasiatic peoples influenced by Western Europe. It was called Rabba in the 880s, but it became part of Great Moravia between 880 and 894 and had temporary rule under East Francia.

There are ancient Roman artifacts scattered around the town built by Hungary’s founder Stephen I when he founded an episcopate there. The Hungarians lived in tents and later in cottages in what is now the southeastern part of the city center. Hungary is often thought of as a success story, at least in the recent past. Yet this nation, which has occupied its current land for a thousand years or more, did not start as one. The town is evidence of that–examples include the Mongol invasion of 1241–1242 and the Czech military occupation.

Nádasdy and Cseszneky occupied the town of Mohács after the battle of Mohacs, while John Zápolya was also trying to annex it. The Ottomans occupied Hungary but the Győr commander thought this was futile. He devastated the town and Turkish forces found nothing but a destroyed building, hence the Turkish name for Győr, Yanık kale (“burnt castle”).

During the renovation, the town was surrounded by a castle and a city wall designed by the leading Italian builders of the era – this brought about a significant cultural change. After these years, when many new buildings were built in the Renaissance style, there came to be a new splendor on display. The main square became more beautiful than ever before.

In 1594, after the death of Count János Cseszneky, captain of Hungarian footsoldiers, the Ottoman army occupied the castle and the town. In 1597, after a military showdown between Hungary and Austria in which the Ottomans lost and became bankrupt for not thinking about paying their soldiers. Austrian troops took control of it again. During the Turkish occupation, the city was called Yanık Kala (burned place, as a reference to the enormous damages caused by the siege).