A small wooden tower rises above the curved gable of the Csárda-puszta Chapel. This façade detail points to a local landmark whose architecture and historical memories reveal its significance. In Bakonyság, the chapel and the Szent László király templom offer two distinct starting points for a cultural trip.
The chapel in Csárda-puszta: furnishings and architectural style
The chapel was built in the 18th century in the Baroque style; its furnishings are in the Rococo style. They include a framed altar in the sanctuary and wooden sculptures on the walls. The difference in style terms is not a contradiction: Baroque describes the building, while Rococo describes its furnishings. Understanding the architecture makes it possible to distinguish these two design layers.
The main façade also features specific architectural details. The stone-framed entrance and the window above it are set between wall pilasters. At the edges of the curved gable are spherical ornaments, above which rises the small wooden tower. The entrance, window and gable give the façade a clear structure.
History and remembrance at the chapel
Török János had the chapel built. It was probably intended as a funerary chapel, as a large crypt lies beneath it. The chapel’s location was also directly connected to a property complex that belonged in the last century to Meszlényi János, Kossuth Lajos’s father-in-law.
A 2021 article reports that Földing Ernő renovated the chapel in 1994 using donations. The occasion was the 250th anniversary of the settlement of Bakonyszentiván. During the renovation, a memorial plaque created by Raffay Béla was installed. It commemorates the church wedding of Kossuth Lajos and Meszlényi Terézia held there.
The Szent László király templom
A different architectural timeline can be seen at the Szent László király templom in Bakonyság. The church has Baroque origins and is in the Historicist style. It acquired its present form through a reconstruction carried out between 1853 and 1855 and funded by its patron, Pál Esterházy. Its origins, stylistic design and reconstruction can therefore be considered as distinct aspects of its architectural history. Compared with the chapel, the church’s later design takes centre stage here.
More themes in the wider Lake Balaton - North destination
The wider Lake Balaton - North destination offers additional cultural and landscape themes of its own. Boat trips are available in the Tapolcai-tavasbarlang, along with the guided “Csodálatos karszt” (“Wonderful Karst”) exhibition. The cave is part of an underground cave system beneath the town, which has been explored to a length of 14.6 kilometres so far.
Hegyestű is a 337-metre-high mountain between Zánka and Monoszló. There, the inside of a basalt volcano that was active around eight million years ago is visible. At the western edge of the quarry site, visitors can identify the surrounding hills with the help of a panoramic information board. Hegyestű also has a rock garden featuring characteristic rock types from Transdanubia.
Those interested in porcelain will find more related attractions in the wider Lake Balaton - North destination. The Herend Porcelain Manufactory Visitor Centre presents porcelain production, techniques and applied-art traditions. The Herend Porcelain Museum features a permanent exhibition and changing exhibitions on the history of the manufactory. In workshops at the mini-manufactory, visitors can handle porcelain clay and a brush for painting.
When choosing accommodation, it is worth first deciding what you want to focus on: would you like to centre your trip on Bakonyság’s two sacred buildings, or include other themes in the wider Lake Balaton - North destination in your travel plans? Then tailor your search for holiday apartments to your chosen location.
Discover more destinations: Farkasgyepű, Lovászpatona, Döbrönte, Homokbödöge, Németbánya, Pápa, Ganna, Bakonyszücs
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Pápai.
