Szolnok – City Overview and Activities under the LIFE-IP HungAIRy Project

Szolnok is the county seat of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County, located in the heart of the Great Plain, approximately 100 km from Budapest. The city lies on the banks of the Tisza River, at the confluence with the Zagyva River. Its population, based on the 2022 census, is 66,426 inhabitants.

Szolnok has a long and rich history. Evidence suggests that as early as the end of the Neolithic Age, people settled near the meandering Tisza. The town became known around 1030 during the reign of Saint Stephen I, who established it as the centre of a newly organised ispánság (county). The castle of the Ispánság was built on a protected hill surrounded by the Tisza and Zagyva rivers and was named after Ispán Zounok, who also gave his name to the county. In 1046, Zounok was martyred while defending Bishop Gellért on what is today known as Gellért Hill in Budapest.

Szolnok was first mentioned in writing in 1075 in the founding charter of Géza I, in the form of Zounok. It became a prominent county centre. In 1552, the town fell to the Ottoman Turks, likely due to a typhus epidemic weakening the castle's defenders, leading Captain Lőrinc Nyáry to abandon it. Szolnok became a key Ottoman sandbagging centre, and in 1562, Hungary’s first permanent wooden bridge across the Tisza was built here, forming a vital trade route.

The castle was retaken in 1685, rebuilt during the Rákóczi War of Independence, but ultimately demolished in the early 19th century.

Szolnok is renowned for its natural beauty, particularly the living waters and oxbow lakes of the Tisza and Zagyva rivers. This scenic landscape attracted Austrian painter August von Pettenkofen, who first visited Szolnok in 1851. Captivated by the surroundings and the locals' hospitality, he returned regularly and inspired a wave of Hungarian and foreign artists to join him. In 1902, Hungary’s oldest art colony opened on the former castle island, attracting renowned artists such as Vilmos Aba-Novák, Ferenc Chiovini, József Koszta, István Zádor, Adolf Fényes, and Aurél Bernáth. Szolnok remains a cherished destination for creative minds and is widely recognised for its cultural and natural assets.

More information: https://info.szolnok.hu

Actions under the LIFE-IP HungAIRy Integrated Project

As part of the LIFE-IP HungAIRy project, Szolnok has begun implementing elements of a modular Intelligent Transport System (ITS). This includes the development of a real-time automatic traffic counting system at key intersections throughout the city.

The goal is to enable more efficient traffic management by analysing real-time data to adjust traffic flow and signal timings. Once fully operational, the system will help reduce congestion and improve urban mobility.

The system will include:

• 17 infrared sensor units (with SIM card-based data transfer),

• A congestion detection module, and

• Integration into an urban ITS framework for traffic optimization and intersection design based on simulation and measured data.

Complementary environmental monitoring includes the installation of air quality sensors to measure particulate matter and nitrogen oxides across the city.

In parallel, a new digital platform—the SzolnokAIR application—is under development. It will be integrated into the existing SzolnokApp and will provide residents with real-time air quality data.

Additionally, an Ecomanager consultancy office has been established to provide information and guidance on environmental protection and funding opportunities. The office also plays a central role in awareness-raising activities, including:

• Participation in events, lectures, and conferences,

• Development and dissemination of educational materials,

• Thematic school programs in Szolnok and surrounding municipalities.

Topics covered include:

• Clean air and green heating practices,

• Composting,

• Animal welfare (as a related theme).

To improve air quality, particular emphasis is placed on discouraging open burning of garden waste through public education and promoting composting as a sustainable alternative.

Effective public information and increasing environmental awareness are key to addressing air quality challenges, which have become increasingly urgent.

More information and contact: ecomanager [at] ph.szolnok.hu