A Late Medieval House in Mosonmagyaróvár

Abstract

The late medieval origins of 19 Fő Street, or as it is often called, the Cselley House, have been investigated during the reconstruction of the Old Town of Mosonmagyaróvár in 1974; the works brought to light several in situ details. Ferenc Dávid excavated the building’s walls on multiple occasions as the renovations progressed, while Rezső Pusztai and Péter Tomka led archaeological excavations to explore earlier building phases of the street wing of the building complex. My BA thesis discussed the building’s history between the 13th and the mid-18th centuries. The late medieval reconstruction was a major one when the house got the basics of its current façade and layout. Also, this was perhaps the time when it had the highest prestige. The house was a two-storey building with a reverse L-shaped ground plan, a ground floor divided by a vaulted doorway, and an enormous cellar in the courtyard wing. Based on analogies and excavations, the related building phase can be dated to the second half of the 15th century (probably around AD 1470–1480) or the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries at the latest. The house was special because of its exceptional size, the ornate openings, and the great ceremonial hall with two bay windows on the upper floor. The building is also important as the original inner division is still visible today, providing the research on medieval houses with a valuable source.