The small blazon of Hungary with the crown is back again in its original place on the façade of the corner building of the Mikes Kelemen High School of Sepsiszentgyörgy (Sfântu Gheorghe, Sankt Georgen). The edifice had to be renovated, and amongst the works that needed to be carried out, the salient frontispiece was restored as well – just in the manner as it was once constructed, with the coat of arms of Hungary, carved out of stone – reported the Székelyhon news portal. The restoration was completed by the beginning of the new school year.
Éva Sztakics, deputy mayor of Sepsiszentgyörgy told Székelyhon that the local administration had long ago planned the restoration of the school’s building. They had applied for European Union funds, but they did not get financing on account of the lack of resources. Eventually, they started to implement the already well-prepared project from the local budget, and after they started carrying out the plans, they received funds from the government program destined for the endorsement of local developments. The total cost of the renovation was RON 4,1 million (EUR 865,000), out of which RON 700,000 was supported by the city. The real estate is not listed as historical heritage, but it is located in the neighborhood of the Szekler National Museum, so a certificate from the historical monument management committee was also needed to carry out the restoration. “We have completed out every study needed and obtained all the certificates necessary” – Sztakics said.
Local historian Álmos József has provided the photos and postcards from the era of the construction of the school, as it was built in the second decade of the 20th century. The exact replica of the coat of arms that was on the prominent frontispiece of the façade was carved out by sculptor and visual artist Hunor Baróti. Heraldist Attila Szekeres said that this small blazon with the Hungarian crown was on the façade when the building was constructed, has the same elements as Hungary’s present coat of arms.
A small blazon is actually a stately coat of arms that contains the most representative insignia. The first element of the Hungarian royal crest (that later became the state blazon), was the dual cross, followed by the shield field cut repeatedly with gules and argent. Ever since the 14th century, under the dual cross appeared the triple heap and the crown as well. The crown placed above the shield in time was depicted enclosed, and started to be identified with the Holy Crown.
The elements of the coat of arms in their present form settled by the 16th century: according to the popular interpretation the dual cross refers to the apostolic kingdom, the triple heap signifies the mountains of Tátra, Mátra and Fátra, the four argent stripes in field with seven cuts the four big rivers: The Danube, the Tisza, the Dráva and the Száva. This is the so called small blazon, whilst the bigger coat of arms unifies the coats of arms of the territories that once belonged to the Hungarian Kingdom. In the era of the Struggle for Independence and Revolution of 1848–1849 the crown was taken off the blazon, disclaiming the Habsburg rule. In the communist era, after the 1956 anti-soviet uprising was crushed, there was another state blazon which had a shield cut with the national colors, but had a red star was on the crest. Hungarian Parliament decided on July the 3rd 1990,that the national symbol of Hungary will be the coat of arms adorned with the Holy Crown.
Title image: This small coat of arms of Hungary is the exact replica of the one that was put on the façade when the building was constructed
Photo: Éva Sztakics/Facebook
