Origins and the Arrival to the Carpathians – Verecke Pass – Verecke-Pass memorial
Fact of the Hungarian figure „Myth of the Hungarian land-taking – Ópusztaszer”
Part of the „The story of the beginning” topic
The Verecke Pass, situated in the Carpathian Mountains, holds a place of great significance in Hungarian history and mythology. It is through this pass that the Hungarian tribes, led by Árpád, are believed to have entered the Carpathian Basin around 895 AD, marking the beginning of the Hungarian conquest and settlement in the region. This event is a cornerstone of Hungarian national identity, symbolizing the origins and establishment of the Hungarian state.
There are few sources available on the history of Hungarians before the Land-taking, and it is questionable whether the Turks mentioned in Byzantine sources or the Bashkirs referred by Arab travellers are indeed Hungarians. Their first mention is in the 9th century chronicle of Friar George, when the Hungarians, referred to as Ungri, Turks and Huns, were called upon by the Bulgarians. Around 860 they were reported by Cyril in the Crimea, and in 862 they fought in the Eastern Frank Kingdom. Christian writers attribute the migration either to fleeing from the Pechenegs or from overpopulation, both of which are typical explanations for the migration of a nomad population. According to the chronicles, the migration from the Volga to the Carpathians was rapid.
Both Byzantine and archaeological sources testify that the Hungarians crossed the Volga in the middle third of the 9th century and moved to Etelköz, which, may have been on the banks of the Dnieper. The chronicle tradition suggests that by this point Hungarians were already ruled by a single prince and that there was some kind of tribal alliance, the so-called ‘hetumoger’ (‘Seven Hungarians’). Whether the name ‘magyar’ used to mean ethnicity or tribe is not known, but the ethnic groups that remained in the east along the Volga used the term even during the Mongol conquest. The Land-taking was initiated not long after from Etelköz.
The historical and cultural importance of the Verecke Pass is commemorated by the Honfoglalási Emlékmű, or the Conquest Memorial. Erected in 1996, the monument stands as a tribute to the ancestors who embarked on the arduous journey to establish a new homeland. The memorial features a dynamic composition of seven columns, representing the seven Hungarian chieftains who led their tribes through the mountains. The design evokes both the unity and the determination of the early Hungarians.
This monument not only marks a pivotal moment in Hungarian history but also connects to the broader context of Central European migration and settlement patterns. The journey through the Verecke Pass is emblematic of the movement of peoples across the region, a common thread in the shared history of Central Europe. It reflects the challenges and triumphs of forging new beginnings in unfamiliar territories.
