Two notable cultural features of Sitke are the Memorial Park with its memorials and Török emlék with its former border function.
Sitke Memorial Park
A bell tower decorated with Hungarian and Székely motifs stands in Sitke Memorial Park; the bell comes from Transcarpathia. There is also a Székely gate and the municipality’s coat of arms in the park. The bell is intended to ring for births and for every deceased person, sound on every national holiday, and ring daily at noon in remembrance of the Battle of Nándorfehérvár. The occasions for which it is intended to ring thus range from personal life events and community holidays to historical remembrance.
The war memorial adds a personal note: it depicts the fate of a widowed mother and her child. Together with the various occasions for which the bell is intended to ring, it offers a glimpse of different aspects of remembrance in the memorial park.
Török emlék: Votive Pillar and Border Marker
Török emlék is a Gothic votive pillar from the 15th century, carved from flat stones. It is considered a stone lantern; candles were once lit in its niches in memory of the dead and to ward off the wandering souls of the damned. The monument also formerly served as a boundary marker between Kissitke and Nagysitke. Thus, a Gothic architectural form, historical candle use, and a former border function come together at one site.
Eisenburg as the Wider Travel Destination
Within the wider travel destination of Eisenburg, the Írottkő Nature Park lies in the northwestern part of Vas County. It includes the entire 4,303-hectare Kőszeg Landscape Protection Area. Two themed routes offer further ways to explore the region: the Termál Kerékpáros Túraút takes cyclists to five spa complexes in Vas County and combines cycling with visits to architectural and natural attractions, as well as other spas. The Vulkán Tour leads to Kis-Somlyó, Ság-hegy, and Belső-hegy. The routes therefore have different focuses: one combines cycling with nature, architecture, and spas, while the other leads to the three destinations named above.
The wider travel destination of Eisenburg also offers historical perspectives for culture enthusiasts. The Vasi Skanzen presents rural life and the folk architecture of Vas County from the past two centuries. Since opening in 1973, it has saved and rebuilt 43 buildings from 27 settlements. Two different dates are given for the churches: St. Michael’s Church in Csempeszkopács was built in the Romanesque style around 1250; the Romanesque church of Ják Abbey was consecrated in 1256. One date is therefore approximate, while the other is an exact year of consecration.
The Nádasdy Ferenc Museum displays art and cultural history objects from the castles and manor houses of Vas County. It also has an exhibition on the history of the hussars, described as unique in Hungary. For culinary recommendations, the Vas County Tourism Association provides travelers with a gastronomic map of the county and an online search for recommended restaurants and wineries. Listings may change, so check the current selection if you have a particular restaurant or winery in mind. The Natúrbolt in Jurisics Castle in Kőszeg presents and sells Kőszeg wines, especially red wines, Hegyalja rapeseed and chestnut honey, gingerbread, and jams and syrups from Lukácsháza.
Discover more destinations: Répcelak, Sótony, Zsédeny, Rábapaty, Bögöte, Bögöt, Hosszúpereszteg, Csénye.
To the wider travel overview: Sárvári.
