“Falconer’s Valley.” That’s what Solymárvölgy roughly translates to. Solymárvölgy is a district in Budapest. It resides in the III. district. Its name comes from the Solymári-völgy. This valley separates the Buda Mountains from the Pilis. The valley begins at Solymár.
Solymárvölgy’s borders are defined. They run from the Budapest border along Solymárvölgyi road. Then they extend to Bécsi road and Kocsis Sándor road. Finally they continue along Solymárvölgyi road back to the Budapest border.
Once upon a time, the Budapest-Esztergom railway line crossed this area. Here was located the Üröm stop. The Bécsi road also passes through. From the edge of Harsányi János College to the Budapest border. This also marks the district border.
In 2001, Solymárvölgy had a population of 112. Solymár itself is older. The village’s name first appeared in a charter by Béla IV in 1266. It was referred to as Solomar. The name likely derives from the Hungarian word “solymár”. This means falconer. It signified a place where royal falconers resided. Neighboring villages had similar names.
The village thrived. It may have housed a royal hunting castle. This castle called Szarkavár burned down after 1561. The Ottoman Empire’s advance left the village deserted after 1580.
Around 1700 new settlers arrived. Serbians and Bulgarians migrated from the south. They escaped the withdrawing Ottoman forces. Soon after, Bavarian immigrants came. The monarchy recruited them from Habsburg provinces. They were promised they could retain their language and religion. They were called die Donauschwaben or Danube Swabians.
During World War II, many ethnic Germans supported Hitler’s program. After the war, many eastern European countries expelled ethnic Germans. In 1946, about half the population of Solymár was deported to Germany. This was collective punishment.
Empty houses were occupied by Hungarians. They relocated from other parts of the country. Refugees from Transylvania also arrived. Germans became a minority. Since 1990, the deportation has been commemorated with a memorial.
Solymár has attractions. There is a historic Catholic church. There are also other old buildings. You can find hilltop ruins of a castle. The Budapest War Cemetery is also located here. It contains Commonwealth burials from World War II. These are mostly airmen. The cemetery also contains French and Polish War Graves.
On Zsíros Hill is the entrance to the Devil’s Hole Cave. Experienced spelunkers can explore it with a guide. As of 2022, Solymár has over 11,000 residents. Most are ethnic Hungarians. A minority are ethnic Germans. Solymárvölgy and Solymár share a rich history shaped by diverse cultures and historical events.