The history of the Reformed Church gives Becskeháza a distinct cultural and historical focus: the present-day church is the fourth in a succession of buildings dating back to the 18th century. The tower and bells add specific measurements, names and dates to the building’s history. The wider travel destination of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén also offers other, distinct travel highlights.
Four churches, several building phases
The first Reformed wooden church in Becskeháza was destroyed during Ottoman raids. The second church was built around 1728 and probably had room for 50 to 60 people. It was closed in 1775 and reopened only after Joseph II’s Edict of Toleration. The third Reformed church was built in 1847. The present-day, fourth church followed in 1928, based on plans by architect Doszpoly Károly. Its history can therefore be traced through several clearly distinct phases: the destroyed wooden church, the closure and reopening of the second church, and the two later new buildings. The reopening after the edict belongs to the history of the second building; 1847 and 1928 mark later building phases.
Tower and bells
The tower of the present-day Reformed church stands in front of the south façade and is 20 metres high. Its position and height are specific features of the present-day building. The bells also have their own history: a 150-kilogram bell by Szlezák László bears an inscription naming Székely István and his family, as well as the year 1928. Another bell weighs 80 kilograms. According to its inscription, it was cast in 1834 in Kassa by bell founder Wiesner Lajos, at the expense of the Reformed congregation of Becskeháza. The dates can be distinguished: 1928 is the construction year of the present-day church and also appears on the 150-kilogram bell; the inscription on the 80-kilogram bell refers to its casting in 1834. Alongside the architecture, people, the congregation and dates are also central to the story.
Other travel highlights in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén
In the wider travel destination of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, the Baradla-Domica cave system offers a different area of interest. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst. The short cave tour in Aggtelek is one kilometre long, lasts 60 minutes and is rated easy. An educational trail connects the Aggtelek and Jósvafő entrances to Baradla Cave and introduces the area’s natural and cultural-historical values. For the tour, distance, duration and difficulty rating are specific planning details; the educational trail connects the two entrances and brings the area’s natural and cultural history into focus.
Viticulture and landscape also shape other regional themes. The Tokaj wine region is legally protected as a protected wine-growing area; its climate, soil quality and slope exposure are suitable for growing grapes. The Zemplén Landscape Protection Area is part of the Zemplén Mountains, whose landscape influences the area’s plant and animal life. These travel highlights differ from the building history of the Reformed church in Becskeháza: here, the focus is on viticulture or the relationships between landscape, plant life and animal life.
Plan your stay and hotel search
Caves, viticulture and landscape appeal to different travel interests than church architecture. Tailor your hotel search to the kind of trip you have in mind.
Discover more destinations: Szuhogy, Tornaszentandrás, Bódvarákó, Szögliget, Aggtelek, Szendrő, Jósvafő, Damak.
For the overview of the wider travel destination: Edelény.
