VÁSÁRHELYI, Pál
* 25. 3. 1795, Szepesolaszi/Spišské Vlachy, Slovakia
† 8. 3. 1846, Budapest, Hungary
Water construction engineer
In 1782 Joseph II. founded an "Institutum Geometrico-Hydrotechnicum" within the University of Pesta, where future water construction engineers would be educated. He attended this school between 1813 and 1816. After graduation he took part in measuring the Danube, which took place at that time precisely, and soon took the lead in this project. While having this function, he drew the first navigation map of the improper lower part of the Danube and draw up a programme to regulate this part of the river. The first regulation of Iron gate between 1834 and 1837 was based on this programme. However, a lack of resources prevented the works to be completed. Starting in 1837, he attained the position of General Engineer for Hungarian shipping. In 1843 he determined a level of the Danube river comparing it with the one of the Adriatic Sea and draw up the plan for the project of regulation of the Tisa river and its affluences. This was, however, not completed due to his early death. He was accepted into Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1835.
