Székely Border Guard Memorial Centre

The Székely people held a unique position in the society of the Kingdom of Hungary: since the Middle Ages, they lived as a community enjoying collective noble rights and bound by military service in the eastern borderlands of Transylvania. Their duty was to guard the frontier system and protect the eastern gates of the country – not as a professional army, but as a free community with their own leaders and internal legal system.

From the 18th century, particularly under Maria Theresa and Joseph II, the Székely border guard system was officially integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy's border defence structure. This led to the establishment of Székely border guard regiments, such as the Székely Border Guard Infantry Regiment (1762). Although many opposed state intervention – the infamous Siculicidium (1764) being a consequence of this – the role of border guards ultimately shaped the organisation of Székely villages, as well as their educational, religious, and economic life for a long time.

The Székely border guards participated in the Napoleonic Wars (e.g., the Battle of La Rothière), the 1848–49 Revolution, and even the First and Second World Wars. Their history is not only of local significance but is also an integral part of European military history.

The history of the Székely border guards connects collective identity with responsibility. The exhibition is not about warfare but about community order, self-organisation, and conscious national existence. This form of remembrance not only reflects on the past but also expresses a commitment to the future – a particularly important message in today's rapidly changing global world, where regional roots and role models need to be reaffirmed.

The centre also serves an educational purpose: museum education activities are organised for school groups, and community events are also held.