Szabolcs: Romanesque Church and Historic Earthwork Castle

Located on the Tisza, Szabolcs brings together a variety of historical and natural points of interest. The local history is especially tangible at the Romanesque Reformed Church, the earthwork castle and the manor houses. Morotva-tó is also part of the town’s character.

Reformed Church and Earthwork Castle

The Reformed Church of Szabolcs is a Romanesque building dating from the 11th century. Inside, a Gothic sacristy door, a sacrament house and a carved baptismal font have been preserved. The building’s historical classification and distinctive interior details offer complementary points of interest. The church and the Szabolcs Earthwork Castle are jointly part of a designated historic memorial site.

The church is also the western gateway to the Route of Medieval Churches and forms part of the significant architectural heritage of the Upper Tisza region. Visiting is subject to one specific requirement: the Reformed Church can only be visited by prior appointment. Please take this into account when planning your visit.

Manor Houses and Visitor Centres

The Mudrány Manor House is a late Baroque building dating from the end of the 18th century. It also houses an exhibition. The architecture and exhibition offer different ways to explore the town. If you would like to visit the exhibition, check the current visitor arrangements in advance, as temporary organisational arrangements may change.

The Tomori Manor House now serves as a visitor centre. It presents the history of the Szabolcs Earthwork Castle, as well as the world of earthwork castles in the Carpathian Basin. The presentation thus connects a subject closely associated with Szabolcs to a broader historical perspective.

For tourist information, the Reformed Visitor Centre of Szabolcs brings together the town’s attractions and introduces them to visitors. The visitor centre also has a conference room for 80 to 100 people, suitable for lectures, conferences and events. If you are considering using the room for a specific date, check its current availability and booking conditions in advance.

Landscape and Regional Context

Szabolcs lies on the River Tisza, and Szabolcsi Morotva-tó is a designated natural asset of the town. These landscape features add another perspective to its architectural and cultural history.

The medieval church landscape extends beyond Szabolcs within the wider Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg destination: the northern Hungarian section of the Route of Medieval Churches links 37 churches in the region. The church in Szabolcs is part of this wider network as its western gateway.

Other architectural periods are also represented across the wider destination. Vaja Castle, a Renaissance building, houses the Vay Ádám Museum Collection of the Hungarian National Museum. Andrássy Castle in Tiszadob was built between 1880 and 1885 in the French Gothic style by former Prime Minister Gyula Andrássy, to plans by Ignác Alpár. Compared with the 11th-century church, the castle represents a much later period of construction in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg.

Discover more destinations: Tiszadob, Rakamaz, Tiszalök, Tiszavasvári.

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