TRANSYLVANIA HISTORY CAMP 2023
“The students of the Jász and Nagybajom groups have already seen a lot of history, fairy tales, stories, paintings and films about Transylvania, but many of them are visiting this region, which used to belong to Hungary, for the first time. The trip there was very pleasant, since upon crossing the border, the children were able to hear historical and contemporary Romanian society facts and local agricultural curiosities from the mentors. Then we hired our tour guide who guided us all week: István Magyari Vass, so that he, as a local Székely man, would open our eyes to what Transylvania is today and what it means to be Hungarian here today. On the first day, we only booked our accommodation in the picturesque Torocko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and had a delicious Transylvanian dinner. On the second day, while visiting the village’s typical folk architectural style houses, we arrived at the starting point of our tour, from where our route led to Székelykő. We hoped for a view promising a magnificent panorama, and we got it, but before that we had to work very hard for this view. We walked two kilometers up the mountain with a difference in level of 550 meters, the terrain required a lot of attention, as it was very rocky, you always had to watch where you were stepping. On the ridge, we had such a breathtaking view that we will remember forever. We saw the famous houses of Torockó, the Unitarian church and the surrounding mountains and valleys. The way down led us to the foot of the mountain on a steep slope, which was exciting due to the rainy weather. We will remember this adventurous day for the rest of our lives! After dinner, we had a board game night with board games and card games. We look forward to what exciting programs the next few days have in store!” Dávid Vig, Jászság group 3, SZFE documentary film directing major
On Tuesday morning, after leaving our accommodation in Torockó at the foot of Székelykő, we headed towards the Tordai Gap. Hiking in the gorge was a great experience. After the previous day’s climbing, this was a significantly easier hike. After that, they took us around the Tordai salt cave, where we spent a little more than an hour and a half 13 floors deep. After all this, in the evening we were able to book our accommodation in Kápolnásfalu, where our hosts welcomed us with a real Székely dinner. On Wednesday morning, despite the early start, everyone managed to get together. First, we arrived in the interior of Korond, where we could learn about the famous local historical crafts. We visited the master potter László Józsa’s workshop, where we saw the production process of various objects fired from clay. We baked kürtőskalács and learned about the taplas craft, which is unique in the region. Taplás are those who make hats, ornaments, boxes, and tablecloths from tap mushrooms. All these programs have increased our historical and cultural knowledge. At approximately noon, we boarded 3 horse-drawn carriages, whose drivers took us around the entire Fenyőkút, which I think was a great experience for everyone. It was a special experience to talk with the locals, to get to know their thoughts and also their outlook on life. We had extremely positive experiences in the last two days.” Galambos Krisztián Nagybajom Group 2, MATE landscape architect MSc
This time our journey from Kápolnásfalu led us towards Békás-szoros, where we took a leisurely walk along the serpentine road, admiring the impressive limestone walls of the gorge towering above us and the rushing stream beside us. Upon reaching the end of the gorge, our bus took us back to the Gyilkos lake, so that after a delicious lunch we could be captivated by the sight of the lake. After the group photos taken here and a short free time, we went for a gliding to the nearby bobsleigh track as an adrenaline rush. After coming down from the Nagy-Hagymás Mountains, our next stop was Gyergyószárhegy, where we got to know the history of the castle briefly and toured its ruined but all the more beautiful buildings and its courtyard. After Szárhegy, we left the Gyergyói pool behind us, but before our return home we included one more stop so that we could also see the statue of the Virgin Mary in Csíksomlyó. After visiting the church, we now headed home, which was made memorable by a completely unexpected, but all the more special experience, as we had the opportunity to see the much-desired bear running across the road in front of us. When we got back to our accommodation, this time we had a very tasty and filling Transylvanian dinner, which was the perfect end to such a busy day, rich in sights and knowledge.” Zsolt Vugernicsek, Szeged group 1
We were not idle on the last day of our trip either, as we were able to take part in a series of more colorful programs during the camp. After leaving our accommodation, we made our way to the Gordon roof, where we visited with Jeeps and then climbed the Jesus heart lookout. The panorama was picturesque, we got to know the history of the creation of the statue. After that, we visited Szejkefürdő, where we could admire the row of Székely gates leading to the grave of Balázs Orbán. We discovered their characteristics, what the patterns symbolize, what traditions and value systems they have, and what recurring motifs the people of Székely decorate their gates with. We tasted the wine water, which had a very specific taste, many people dipped it into their bottles. After saying goodbye to the land of Székely, after lunch the tour guide guided us into the world of the Saxons. We visited Segesvár, where we toured the special points of the old town, the clock tower, the church, and also got an insight into the former guilds of industrial artists. After a short journey, we were able to admire the Berethalom fortress church, which has already become a world heritage site. The greatest treasure of the castle church is the altar, in front of which we could listen to the story of the castle. Towards the end of our day, we arrived at Kalotaszentkirály, which is famous for its culture and folk traditions. We had dinner in the extremely kind welcome of the host families, and then ended our day with a colorful folk costume show and dance party.” Lídia Zsombok, Jászberény group 1
“We felt as if we had fallen into another world. To a world where happy, hospitable people welcomed us in a beautiful environment. Our wanderings were always fun. We became richer with many new knowledge and feelings. We were happy to see our friends from Jászberény again. Thank you for this unforgettable week!” Laura Kovács Vanessza and Milán Vajda – Nagybajom group 2 “We are very grateful that we could spend a wonderful week in Transylvania. We have had many unforgettable experiences. We visited many beautiful places and were able to gain new information everywhere. It was an uplifting feeling to gain an insight into the lives of the people who live here. We think it will be a lasting memory for everyone.” Evelin Kiss and Tilda Tamasi – Jászberény group 3
További képek a Galériában láthatók!