pported the revolution, but there were no battles in the area because the city remained under Habsburg rule. The years after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 brought prosperity. A railway line reached the city in 1865, and in the 1870s Szombathely became a major railway junction. In 1885 the nearby villages Ó-Perint and Szentmárton were annexed to the city.
In the 1890s, when Gyula Éhen was the mayor, the city underwent significant development. Roads were paved, a sewage system built, the tram line was built between the rail station, the downtown and the Calvary Church. The City Casino, the Great Hotel and the area's first orphanage were built. The population became four times larger under four decades.
During the mayoralty of Tóbiás Brenner this prosperity continued. A museum, public bath, monasteries and several new downtown mansions were built, and a school of music and orchestra were founded.
Szombathely in the 20th and 21st centuries
After the Treaty of Trianon Hungary lost many of its western territories to Austria, and Szombathely, being only 10 kilometers from the new state border, ceased to be the centre of Western Hungary. Charles IV, when trying to get the throne of Hungary back, was greeted with enthusiasm in Szombathely, but his attempt to regain rule over Hungary failed.
Between the world wars Szombathely prospered, lots of schools were founded, and between 1926 and 1929 the Transdanubian region's most modern hospital was built.
During World War II, as with many other towns in the region, Szombathely became a target due to the railway, junction, marshalling yards, local aerodrome, and barracks. The town therefore formed part of the logistical military infrastructure supporting Axis forces. The town and locality was attacked by day on several occasions in 1944 and 1945 by aircraft of the US 15th Air Force, which also included aircraft from the Royal Air Force
