Zala, Lendva district or Vas? The Fairy Gardens and Culture Barns await!

The Fairy Garden of pomologist Gyula Kovács is hidden in Zala, Pórszombat. The pomologist, who has been tirelessly collecting native Hungarian fruit varieties for decades, presented his mission and shared his thoughts in the first episode of the Petőfi Academy. On Pórszomba, everyone can meet him in person and choose from the countless native varieties offered by the garden, depending on whether you want fruit for drying, jam, brandy or for fresh consumption – Gyula Kovács can recommend a variety for everything!

Nagyhegy Fairy Garden and Barn Theater – Szilvágy. The settlement, where the goal is to keep and even attract young people, and where the Tündérkert and the Barn Theater have become real community-shaping factors in recent decades. Visitors can also admire the traditional Szilvágy cellars. As they write about themselves: “Szilvágy’s coat of arms features a three-branched leafy tree, which simultaneously shows the clinging to the past, the striving towards the future and the love of nature. We started creating our fairy garden in Nagyhegy in 2012 after clearing a weedy area that had been unused for decades, with local cooperation, to preserve the diversity of native Hungarian fruit varieties and to preserve our still living heritage. In the first year, we planted 34 small fruit trees grafted with locally collected canes, and we currently have 140 donuts. We built our barn theater in 2006 so that, in addition to the Cultural Center, we have a community building from spring to fall, which is the ideal venue for festivals, family and community events. The wood-framed building with folk architectural features characteristic of the landscape is ideal for organizing events with its stage, semi-covered and open spaces.

Just a half-hour drive from here, on the other side of the Slovenian border, you can also find a special location in the village of Dobronak. One of Dobronak’s attractions is the György House in Dobronok, which opened in 2006 and houses a collection of local history and ethnography. The building was named after the Jesuit teacher György Dobronoki, a famous native of the village and the first rector of the Nagyszombat University, who lived here in the 17th century. All those who enter through the large wooden door will step back into the past, as they will get an insight into the life of György Dobronoki with the help of various old documents, and learn about the past of the local parish and St. James Church. The exhibited clothing, old furniture, and photographs found from the depths of drawers and boxes provide an insight into the life and traditions of the settlement’s former residents. The Pajta stands next to the György-tájház in Dobronok and the House of Handicrafts. Its construction began in 2020 and it was opened to the public in 2022. The purpose of its creation is to preserve the cultural values ​​of the Hungarian region – so that the people living here are proud of their tangible heritage, traditions, and affiliation.

Driving an hour and a half from Dobronak, Laky Demeter Pajta and Rezi Pajta are waiting for everyone again in Zala, Rezi! A barn, a yard, a museum – and a public square. With the establishment of the Pajta Museum in Rezi, the creation of a long-desired exhibition space has been realized, where our children and interested parties can learn not only about the preservation of tradition, but also about the tools and tools that helped our ancestors’ everyday life and how they were used. In addition to preserving tradition, the purpose of creating the collection is to transfer information, perpetuate our material culture, and strengthen our sense of identity. The garden of the Laky Demeter Turistaház is still actively farmed today, and small animals are also kept in the poultry house, for the purpose of introducing and re-teaching the traditional village porta.

Since 2020, the Kispáli Lábas Pajta has been the main scene of local community life. It was built in order to enliven cultural life, so that local people can meet each other at its events and performances, and generations can more easily connect with each other. Classical and world music concerts have been held here, theater performances, handicrafts and folk crafts have also been held here. The makers of local products are also welcome to see their products at the events of the barn. The celebration of the Marked Days in the Kispáli Lábas Pajta was a three-part series of all-art programs in the summer of 2023. A community-building program with folk music concerts, folk dances, folk art demonstrations, folk gastronomy and a craft fair.

In Kehidakustány, there is also a Landscape House, a Traditional Preservation Court and a Barn Theatre. The event venues are visited not only by the population of the village and the guests who are vacationing here, but also by the residents of the surrounding settlements. The combination of the Tájház and the Mariska courtyard, together with the skirted belfry standing in front of it, has become a symbol of the area today. One of the largest herb gardens in the Zala valley, which can be visited, is also located here. The presented plants can be seen and tasted.

On Szécsziget, the renovated Kerka Watermill is one of Hungary’s prominent industrial monuments, which have survived the centuries despite many adversities. Getting to Szécsisziget is time travel and an adventure tour at the same time, in addition to exploring the Kerka region, you can step into the past between the ancient walls of the mill. And in the Pajta Kávézó, you can rest after a trip, admire the water of the lake, meditate while watching the neighboring buffaloes, or listen to the chirping of birds while sipping a delicious coffee or homemade syrup.

And if it’s Szécsziget, then SZÉF Folk Festival and SZÉF Cultural Barn! As they put it: “Traditional values ​​- in a festival atmosphere! We could not express our vision better, which we will realize starting in 2021 at the SZÉF Folk Festival. We, the SZÉF team, are not only dedicated to folk music, folk dance and folk craft traditions, but our commitment has become our way of life, our everyday life. We do this with pleasure, once a year in a real festival atmosphere.”

Let’s jump to Vas county! The Pajtszínháza, the oldest of the Őrség, with a history of more than thirty years, is open to all genres in Őriszentpéter. The performers of the art programs are typically leading representatives of their respective genres. The culture consumers of the future are given priority, the family and children’s programs are varied here, and the role of cultural mediator, which is the live performance of classical and contemporary music in this rural environment, is important to them. Another mission for the Pajtszínház is to involve the Slovenian and Austrian settlements across the border – some of which are still inhabited by Hungarians – in the cultural circulation.

And speaking of Iron and Barn Theatre: head to Viszák. The Viszáki Cultural Barn was the idea of ​​Attila Kaszás, which was implemented by József Szarvas. There is always something going on under the shady trees of the Fairy Garden surrounding the barn and in the Barn.

There are other examples of the symbiosis of Tündérkert and Pajta. In the garden of the Vasi Skanzen in Szombathely, teenagers tend and plant native Hungarian fruit trees. The Fairy Garden is called the Beythe Garden. It has a village forest, a nursery school, a vineyard on Márton-hegy and a Mentaker garden. It has been growing and getting better for 15 years. And under the trees of the flourishing Tündérkert, the Skanzen offers varied programs throughout the year.

We can visit the Lábas Pajta in Magyarnádal. For years, the local government of the village has been putting together its annual program plan, strengthening the local community and addressing all age groups and interests. Attendance at events is growing dynamically. The barn also provides space for arts that were not or only rarely included in the program palette before – and the range is constantly expanding!

The former barn of the old farmhouse in the yard of the Nagy Gáspár Memorial House in Bérbaltavár was partially rebuilt in 2018. Its original purpose was for the covered, open space to provide a venue for the foundation’s traditional May and summer events even in bad weather. After its completion, however, it became Bérbaltavár’s new public cultural space, where chamber plays were performed, photo exhibitions were organized, and community events were held in recent years. In rain-free weather, the more than 500 square meter grassy yard in front of the barn completes the space – and awaits visitors with its special programs.

Patinás Kultúrpajta operates in Oskó: the predecessor of the Oskói Hegypásztor Kör, the association was founded in 1985 by local youth. The NGO was already ahead of its time when it was founded, since in the eighties it was not an everyday thing to create an association. Thus, it was registered as the first social organization in the region, which has preserved its innovative spirit to this day. The goal of the founders was to document the historic press houses of the vineyard belonging to the village, to save them if possible, and to organize cultural programs to try to enliven the life of the village, reviving its traditions. And they do it to this day!

And while visiting Vas, do not miss the new community center of Nádasd, the Hétdombi Cultural Barn built a few years ago. The Együtt Nádasdért Village Building and Development Cultural Association was founded in 1997. In 2014, their smaller barn equipped with a community oven was completed, in which the local farmers’ market began to operate. After five years of operation, the settlement had the opportunity to create a 272-square-meter barn in the square behind the community center, which provides a community scene and a place for the market as well. The goal was to create a cultural barn that serves the needs of the people who live here – but now also attracts visitors: the barn also hosts theater performances, concerts, and community events.

During trips to the Carpathian Basin, the Cultural Barns and Fairy Gardens await you with special programs both within and beyond the borders from spring to autumn! Detailed programs and exact descriptions of locations: nepi.kultura.hu.