In the crossroads of important trading routes, where the Alföld (lowland) meets the Zemplén mountain, on the foothills of Tokaj-Hegyalja, is where Szerencs, the "Gateway to Hegyalja", was established. Its existence was documented in 1216 for the first rime. Different religious orders, like the Benedictine, played a significant role in its early history. It received its township status in 1490.

Szerencs grew in importance during the time of Rákóczi Zsigmond II, who built an extension to the fortress and fortified it. He also supported the Reformation and the Rákóczi family, by royal decree, became the landlord of the town and its fort.

A very significant part of Szerencs's history occurred when the Parliament was held there in 1605 and Bocskai István landlord of Transylvania was elected reigning prince. Bocskai gave the Free Royal Town title to Szerencs then. Rákóczi Ferenc II. also spent some time inside the walls of the fort during his 18th birthday.

Following the defeat of the Kuruts War of Independence a transplanted Ukrainian population altered the town's ethnic profile. During the 18th century it had many different landowners like Illésházy Miklós, Grassalkovich Antal, the Szirmai and Almásy families.

Szerencs had an economic boost in the second half of the 19th century. The Hungarian Sugar PLC built the sugar plants in 1889. The streets and buildings were laid out during this period: houses, shops and buildings of public institutions were also constructed. Another large plant was built in 1923, which was a cocoa and chocolate producing plant. Later in the 1960s a high school and a vocation school was built in the town. The Folk House, "Szerencse" Supermarket, Hungarian Post Headquarters and Restaurant to the Stagecoach are more recent buildings, giving the town a more modern look.

Szerencs is the center of Taktaköz, the Harangod area and the southern Hegyalja region in terms of industry, commercial and cultural life. Today it has a growing population of about 11.000.

There is a lot to see in and around Szerencs. The town's most important structure is the fort that was built on the ruins of a Benedictine Abbey from the Middle Ages. Captain Németi Ferenc, who was supporting Szapolyai at the time, had it fortified in the 1550s. At the end of the 16th century it received its final modification by Rákóczi Zsigmond who perfected the inner fort and built two bastions to the outer walls. In 1968 archeologists started the excavation and reconstruction of the outer fort. They added a late Renaissance look. The town's culture center and Zemplén museum are located in the fort today.

The museum has four permanent exhibits. One portrays the history of post cards with a unique collection of over 825.000. Fery Antal, a local graphic artist, has an exhibit, and another is that of Rákóczi Zsigmond and his era. This exhibit includes period furniture, arms and works of goldsmiths reconstructed pieces of the aristocratic costume from the 16th-17th centuries. The fourth exhibit shows the construction of the fortress.

The town has a protestant church dating back to the 13th century that was reconstructed later in a Gothic style. Rákóczi Zsigmond is buried beneath the church in an arched crypt. His tomb is made of red marble and is erected in the aisle.

Twelve kilometres from Szerencs is the town of Monok, Kossuth Lajos birth place. His house is a memento museum today. Following the road from Szerencs you get to Prügy where the memento house of Móricz Zsigmond is found.