Dreaming of a town repopulated by German farmers? That’s the story of Pilisvörösvár. After the Ottoman rule the area was deserted. Lord László Csáky brought in German farmers to revive it.
Pilisvörösvár is a town in Pest County Hungary. It is also known by its German name Werischwar or Rotenburg. Today we will explore Pilisvörösvár together.
Four families from southern Germany arrived in 1689. They settled in the empty Padmaniczky manor. This manor was in Kyszntho and Kyralyzanthonya. These families initiated flourishing agriculture in Pilisvörösvár. Easy access furthered the town’s development. Coal mining began at the end of the 19th century.
Let’s delve into some unique aspects of Pilisvörösvár. The Miners’ Memorial Park commemorates a legendary miners’ strike. This strike occurred in 1928 and 1929. The park is located at Rákóczi Street. Around 1908 the New Colony was built. It housed the local miners of Pilisvörösvár. The houses were all built alike. Each had four two-room apartments with a yard and garden. The colony even had a tennis court and a casino with a library. From 1930 it had its own chapel. In 2008 a Miners’ Commemorative Parlour was established.
Pilisvörösvár’s Catholic Church has a special history. It was built in 1703. Its main monument is an altar made of white and red marble. The altar was originally in the Roman chapel of Buda Castle. After the chapel’s destruction in World War II it was restored. Then it was brought to Pilisvörösvár.
Near the church stands a statue of blessed Gisela. She was the wife of Saint Stefan Hungary’s first king. Tóth Dávid created the bronze statue. It reminds us of the Danube Swabians. They were settled in the region over 300 years ago.
The forest chapel was built in 1851. It honors the fourteen helping saints and the Mater Dolorosa. Its Rococo-style woodcarvings date from the same time. Remarkably the forest chapel possesses a relict. It holds a small part of the True Cross.
“Lahmkruam” is a memorial park of local history. You can find it at Petőfi Sándor Street. A small lake once filled a clay pit. Locals called it “Lahmkruam” meaning clay pit. The lake was filled in the 1970s. In 2009 the local administration created a memorial park. It features eleven bilingual plates about local history.
Don’t miss the village museum. It showcases local historical objects. You’ll see furniture folklore costumes and old paintings. The museum displays farmers’ everyday life of old. Up until today carpets of flowers decorate the Corpus Christi procession.
Pilisvörösvár a town repopulated with German diligence. A town with a miners’ strike memorial and a forest chapel holding a piece of the True Cross. A town with carpets of flowers adorning religious processions.
Pilisvörösvár is a unique blend of history culture and faith.