Post-Conference tour

Szombathely, Vasi Skanzen

The open-air ethnographic museum opened its doors in 1973 as the country's second Skanzen. The Skanzen’s original buildings, which were relocated, are designed to recreate the atmosphere of the old village. Some of the houses are built in closed rows along the street, spaced apart from each other in a manner typical of the scattered settlements of the region. The most important parts of the open-air exhibition are the main street of the village, the hill in the middle of the village and the cellar. The residential buildings include poor peasant, wealthy peasant and gentry homes, and houses with pine, hedge and block walls. The original furnishings give an insight into the way of life in the villages in the 18th and 20th centuries, showing, for example, the historical changes in kitchen and room fireplaces. In addition to the dwellings, farmyards, outbuildings, workshops and other public buildings have been moved here. In the centre of the village stands a replica of the late Baroque Perene chapel, built in 1800. The most interesting buildings are the Molnaszecsőd wooden belfry from the early 18th century, the open-hearth forge relocated from Cák, the German house with a wood-burning stove and a black kitchen from Pornóapáti, built in 1792, and the Slovene smoky-house with a single stove from Felsőszölnök, the oldest type of house. In the Skanzen, indigenous Hungarian domestic animals are raised and plants are used in folk medicine. The village vineyard is planted with old grape varieties and the nursery with indigenous fruit trees. The museum is also home to traditional arts and crafts programmes, and really gets bubbly during the St Martin's Day fair in November.

Vasi Szalafő, Őrség Folk Art Ensemble

In 1970, in order to preserve the form of the settlement of Szalafő-Pityerszer, the Directorate of Museums of Vas County purchased 3 crofts with 10 buildings, an area of 3926 square hectares, the associated orchard and 2 water ponds. The aim was to create an open-air ethnographic museum in situ, restored and furnished according to its original function. By this on-site conservation approach, covering several buildings and monuments, Vas County has set a national example.

The Őrség Folk Monument complex in Szalafő, Pityerszer consists of 10 buildings: 1 fenced house, 1 single-storey and 1 two-storey “kástu” (food and fodder storage building), 2 dwelling houses, 1 barn, 1 barn with stable and pantry, 1 shed, 1 pigsty and 1 wood-shed. The most valuable building is the two-storey “kástu” and the fenced house, because these can be seen only here in Hungary. In the “kástu”, food was stored upstairs and cereals on the ground floor. This type of building came from neighbouring Slovenian and Austrian territories to the Őrség in Vas County and to Göcsej in Zala County.

Pityerszer probably takes its name from the bird called “pityer” (which was more at home here in larger numbers). The open-air village museum preserves the old way of life. The buildings have been restored according to their original appearance. The so-called ”walled house” and the two-storey cottage, which is the only one in the country, are noteworthy. Next to the “kástu” you can see the so-called pond, dug to collect and store drinking water. When the need arose, its water was also used for cooking.

http://www.szalafo.hu/index.php/orsegi-nepi-muemlekegyuttes

https://www.documenta-pannonica.eu/built-cultural-heritage/folk-monument-complex-in-orseg-at-szalafo-pityerszer/