Glimpsing through the trees, notice how the Gercsei kápolna stands serenely. This small chapel has witnessed centuries of history. The story of Gercsei kápolna is intertwined with the tale of a village named Gercse.
Gercse existed long ago. We know this from written records and archaeological finds. These were unearthed near the still-standing chapel in the 1950s and 1980s. The Gercsei kápolna now stands in a quiet area. It is a twenty-minute walk from Pesthidegkút’s residential zone. The village is first mentioned in a document from the early 1200s. However, artifacts from Roman times have been discovered here.
Gercse is mentioned in a 1212 deed under the name Guerche. King Andrew II ordered a survey of Óbuda’s properties. Gercse was included in this survey. Like many settlements, Gercse was devastated during the Tatar invasion. Yet the village soon recovered. Noble families settled here providing military service. Gercse flourished maintaining close ties with Buda and Hidegkút. Villagers sold produce and arranged advantageous marriages.
The residents of Gercse supported Charles Robert after the Árpád dynasty died out. As a result, some villagers rose to high positions even becoming royal commissioners. The Turkish era brought an end to this prosperity. The last document mentioning Gercse was written a month before the Battle of Mohács. Some people lived in Gercse for a few decades after the Turkish conquest. But by the end of the 1500s, it was completely deserted.
Two families the Szunyogh and Terstyánszky families later won a lawsuit. They gained control of Hidegkút and divided it. The Szunyogh family received the area where Gercse once stood. This land was valuable due to its road to Óbuda.
Gercse was never rebuilt as a lively village. Parts of its former territories were populated as Hidegkút expanded. Today, if you walk along Kulcs Street or Máriahegy Street you are walking on the grounds of old Gercse.
Gercse exists today only as the Gercsei kápolna. It stands on a hilly, wooded area. The chapel is worth visiting for a weekend trip. You can reach it by tram and bus to Hűvösvölgy. Take bus 64 or 257 and get off at Mikszáth Kálmán Street. Walk back towards the city and turn onto Gesztenyefa Street. Walk straight for half an hour until you see trees and fields.
The Gercsei kápolna was built when King Saint Stephen ordered every ten villages to build a church. This Romanesque chapel has one nave. It has no tower or gallery. It features a horseshoe-shaped sanctuary and two entrances. The Tatars destroyed the chapel. But it was rebuilt and surrounded by a defensive wall. The first papal tithe record mentioning it dates back to 1292. After Turkish rule, the chapel fell into ruin. It was not rebuilt until the early 1700s.
The nearby Hidegkút church was built. Villagers continued to attend the Gercsei kápolna. Its surroundings were more conducive to contemplation. Over time, they visited the Gercsei kápolna less often. A natural disaster turned it into a ruin. In 1888, there was a decision to demolish the ruins. But the plan was abandoned. The chapel was renovated several times. But these were temporary solutions. In the 1990s, community efforts restored the Gercsei kápolna. The restored chapel was consecrated in August 1997. However, it could use another renovation today.
Next to the Gercsei kápolna, there used to be a cemetery. It was opened in the 14th century. Archaeological excavations confirmed its existence. They found two children’s and five adults’ graves. The 164 victims of the 1739 plague were also buried here. The cemetery was abandoned from the 1770s.
In 2018, the band Gustave Tiger filmed their music video here. The abandoned chapel was a fitting location. The Gercsei kápolna is not completely abandoned. Masses, weddings, and baptisms are held here upon request.