Military School “Reloaded”

Târgu Secuiesc will soon have a prestigious and spectacular monument completely renovated: the former Szekler Military School. The imposing neoclassical building, with its two huge tympanums spanning the central half of its facade, has been an important reference point for the town of guilds, also known throughout history as the Military City. 

The history of the institute began with the visit of Emperor Francis to Târgu Secuiesc on 15 September 1817, when Baron János Purczell, lieutenant of the Second Imperial Infantry Regiment and local military commander, proposed the establishment of a military school. The idea appealed to the Emperor, who promoted the Baron to the rank of Colonel and authorised him to raise the necessary funds. The construction was completed by the autumn of 1822, and the institute was opened with a great ceremony in 1823. Furnished for 115 students, the state-of-the-art building was equipped with, among other things, an institute for "physical training" and a swimming pool. During communism, the building served as a warehouse, after the regime change it was used as a wholesale warehouse and an antique shop, but the municipality also used the spacious rooms as storage. After the renovation, the building will be used for cultural purposes, housing the “Incze László” Museum of Guilds, and its spacious courtyard will be designed to host concerts and performances.