XIII. - Veszprém in the 19th century

In the 19th century Veszprém earned a position among cities in Transdanubia mostly by its grain market. One of the driving factors of economic development was Veszprém Savings Bank, which was founded in 1845.

The April Laws in 1848 marked an epoch in the life of the city which eliminated the landlord's jurisdiction. In place of the former double (aristocratic or bourgeois) self-government, a unified self-government was established in July 1849, in which craftsmen, officials and intellectuals could play a part in addition to nobles.

The transformation of the baroque cityscape happened gradually and did not equally affect the different town districts. While Castle Hill, representing ecclesiastical and county power, remained largely untouched, the so called inner town or centre (Old Town Square, Rákóczi Street, Kossuth Street) was developing at the double. Present-day Óváros square was a market area comprising several streets and buildings like the Fire-watch tower, the Fire-Engine House, the Savings Bank, town-houses commercial shops. The surroundings of Market stand (Vásárállás) became built in: market square was enclosed by aristocratic mansions and town-houses, and the Jewish synagogue, considered one of the most beautiful in the country, was built here too.

The County Hall building was completed by 1887 on the eastern edge of inner Bishop's garden (present-day Theatre garden (Színházkert)) formed in the 18th century, with the Lord Lieutenant's dwelling next to it. With this move an important and symbolic building of secular government was relocated to the city centre from the castle, which was increasingly transforming into a purely ecclesiastical centre. The Hospital of Veszprém started its functioning in 1829, which became a public institution from the end of that century.

Cultural institutions and associations proliferated in the city as well: orchestras, theatre troupe, upper class and civic casinos, lending library (etc.) The opening of the rail transport on the south coast of Lake Balaton in the 1860s was a major setback for the city as a commercial centre, which was only partially mitigated by the opening of the Veszprém railway line a decade later. Compared to other county seats, the development of the manufacturing industry was also lagging behind: by the turn of the century just a few industrial units - employing more than ten workers - were operating in the city.