Vityál castle - Eremitu
The history of the largest settlement in the Upper Nyárád region is exciting not only due to the battles of the First World War on the Bekecs Hill, but also due to the Vityál castle and the related legends. There are several small villages belonging to Nyárádremete parish, and the inhabitants of the settlement earned their livelihood for centuries in the field of forest and stone exploitation, farming and animal husbandry. Walking through the forests in the area, one can still discover the remains of the castle, which probably survived the age of the migrations. Their existence proves that the settlement has a remarkable history.
Vityal castle may have been one of these fortresses. Its traces and remains can be still found today. Balázs Orbán wrote, “The shape of this castle was not defined by accepted artwork but the shape of the hilltop, as the castle was rectangular with rounded corners, similarly to the hilltop; the walls of the castle has a circumference of 246 steps. These walls are four feet wide, built firmly from selected trachyte pieces with hot lime, so that they still defy in their massivity the ruinous power of time even now...” According to the archaeologists, the fortress was built on the foundations of a Bronze Age castle in the Middle Ages, and they were used probably as a fortress during the invasions of the Tatars.
According to folk tradition, the castle was not built by the villagers, but the fairies, who celebrated the good work during three days and three nights. But on the third night there was a storm, a lightning struck into the building, and the fairy castle burnt down. In their sorrow, the wonderful creatures left their ruins, but the people created a great number of myths about the event. Many believed that treasures were hiding under the castle, but according to the elderly, a lucky treasure hunter, nuncle Pop Petru found only a huge key from which he made a horseshoe for his horse.
One of the most interesting sights of Nyárádremete is the crucifix of the Roman Catholic church built between 1808 and 1812. The crucifix was probably made in the 14th century and is one of the most famous monuments in Transylvania. If we visit this place, it is worth to climb up to the Bekecs Hill, which offers scenic views of the Southern Carpathians and the Görgényi / Gurghiu Mountains. The nearby Vármező fish ponds and its hot air balloon festival attract visitors. For those interested in the built heritage and the religion, the nearby church and monastery in Mikház / Călugăreni offers a spiritual refreshment: this is the second best-known building of the Franciscans in Transylvania after the church in Csíksomlyó / Șumuleu de Ciuc, the church was built in the late Renaissance of the 17th century.
Tourists can also visit the worthily famous Csűrszínház, which regularly hosts various musical and dance performances. If we can no longer revel with the fairies that abandoned the Vityál castle, there will probably still be young people in the village who are fairly beautiful and just as cheerful.
Vityal castle may have been one of these fortresses. Its traces and remains can be still found today. Balázs Orbán wrote, “The shape of this castle was not defined by accepted artwork but the shape of the hilltop, as the castle was rectangular with rounded corners, similarly to the hilltop; the walls of the castle has a circumference of 246 steps. These walls are four feet wide, built firmly from selected trachyte pieces with hot lime, so that they still defy in their massivity the ruinous power of time even now...” According to the archaeologists, the fortress was built on the foundations of a Bronze Age castle in the Middle Ages, and they were used probably as a fortress during the invasions of the Tatars.
According to folk tradition, the castle was not built by the villagers, but the fairies, who celebrated the good work during three days and three nights. But on the third night there was a storm, a lightning struck into the building, and the fairy castle burnt down. In their sorrow, the wonderful creatures left their ruins, but the people created a great number of myths about the event. Many believed that treasures were hiding under the castle, but according to the elderly, a lucky treasure hunter, nuncle Pop Petru found only a huge key from which he made a horseshoe for his horse.
One of the most interesting sights of Nyárádremete is the crucifix of the Roman Catholic church built between 1808 and 1812. The crucifix was probably made in the 14th century and is one of the most famous monuments in Transylvania. If we visit this place, it is worth to climb up to the Bekecs Hill, which offers scenic views of the Southern Carpathians and the Görgényi / Gurghiu Mountains. The nearby Vármező fish ponds and its hot air balloon festival attract visitors. For those interested in the built heritage and the religion, the nearby church and monastery in Mikház / Călugăreni offers a spiritual refreshment: this is the second best-known building of the Franciscans in Transylvania after the church in Csíksomlyó / Șumuleu de Ciuc, the church was built in the late Renaissance of the 17th century.
Tourists can also visit the worthily famous Csűrszínház, which regularly hosts various musical and dance performances. If we can no longer revel with the fairies that abandoned the Vityál castle, there will probably still be young people in the village who are fairly beautiful and just as cheerful.
