Discover Porva
Accommodation in Porva
Porva reveals itself through its history and landscape. Local points of interest include the listed parish church, the history of the Paulines, historic Pálos Lake and views of the town from Kálvária Hill.
Parish church and the history of the Paulines
Porva’s parish church is a listed Gothic-style building. Its sanctuary is Baroque in design. The same building thus brings together two distinct styles: the church’s Gothic architecture and its Baroque sanctuary. For travelers interested in architecture, this distinction offers a tangible way to appreciate the town.
The history of the Paulines is also part of Porva’s historical background. In 1436, Miklós Gara had the Paulines settle in Porva. After his death, his second-born son, László, completed the undertaking and dedicated the monastery to the Holy Spirit. The sequence distinguishes two steps: the settlement was followed by the completion of the undertaking and the dedication. This gives the town’s history a clearly defined chronology alongside the building itself.
Another historical trace is the Calvary group of three statues. In the first half of the 20th century, it stood on the hill at Porva’s entrance from the direction of Borzavár; today, the statues are in the church garden. Their former location and present setting give the town’s history a concrete spatial and temporal perspective.
Pálos Lake and Kálvária Hill
Pálos Lake belonged to the Pauline Order in the 17th and 18th centuries. Its surface area was nearly 40 hectares, and it was used for fish farming. The municipal administration restored a small part of this historical heritage through a landscape reconstruction. The significance of the place name therefore extends beyond the history of the monastery: the use of the water area and the historic landscape are also part of Porva’s past.
Kálvária Hill offers views of Porva. The hill is a resting place for photographers and hikers. The flag bearing Porva’s coat of arms, the flag of the Republic of Hungary and the flag of the European Union are located there. Unlike the historic sites connected with the church, the Paulines and Pálos Lake, the view here focuses on the town itself and its surroundings. This makes the hill a distinct landscape landmark within Porva.
In the wider Balaton - North destination
Within the wider Balaton - North destination, the Tapolcai-tavasbarlang offers a different focus: boat rides are available there, as well as the guided “Csodálatos karszt” (“Wonderful Karst”) exhibition. The cave is part of a cave system beneath the town that has so far been explored to a length of 14.6 kilometres. Boat rides, the exhibition and cave geology thus offer a distinct thematic perspective within the wider destination.
The geological features of Hegyestű also broaden the view of the wider Balaton - North destination. The 337-metre-high mountain lies between Zánka and Monoszló and exposes the interior of a basalt volcano that was active about 8 million years ago. At the western edge of the quarry site, visitors can use a panoramic information board to identify the surrounding hills. Hegyestű also has a rock garden featuring characteristic rock types from Transdanubia, the western half of Hungary.
For the wider travel overview: Zirc.
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