Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings, World Heritage Site in Hungary

Hollókő is a small village located northeast of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The village was developed between the 17th and 18th centuries, and it is noted for the large number of traditional buildings that still remain in the village.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains in simple terms why the old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings is a World Heritage Site.Read this and you will definitely learn more about Hollókő!

What is old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings?

Located in Nograd County in northern Hungary, Hollókő is a village where the Párots still live. Hollókő is located about 100 km northeast of Budapest and is a popular tourist destination because it can be visited in a day trip.There are 55 registered traditional Palóc-style mansions, and other buildings and churches related to agriculture.

The 13th century “Hollókő Castle,” located on a hill a short distance from the village, is also included.It is said that the name “Hollókő” was originally derived from the Hungarian word “raven,” and there is even a legend that the castle was built by ravens.

The castle was quite run down by the time the village was occupied by the Ottomans in the 16th century; it was completely abandoned in the 17th century and people began to build and live in villages under the hill. Houses were built on both sides of a single road, and the next generation of families built more houses behind them, as was the tradition of the people of Palóc, and the village eventually expanded.

In the 19th century, the area was almost the same as it is today, but most of the buildings were destroyed by fire in 1909 and rebuilt in the early 20th century. Although it was traditional for the buildings to be constructed of wood, stone is now also used as a material.

As luck would have it, the area was never developed despite the fields and orchards, and the villagers continued to live a self-sufficient lifestyle until the end of the 20th century, leaving the village landscape largely untouched. The village, a living museum, was registered as a World Heritage site in 1987 and has been recognized worldwide.

For what reason is the old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings on the World Heritage List?

Hollókő was recognized for the following

Registration Criteria (v)
Hollókő is a place where traditional rural life, which almost disappeared with the Industrial Revolution, has been preserved to this day.

World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Comments

Hollókő is valued for the fact that the traditional Parrots-style houses still remain and show a rural village that has been almost entirely lost today.This is actually a great thing, and there are few villages like this in the world.

Nevertheless, it is now one of the leading tourist destinations in Hungary, as it is registered as a World Heritage site. During the local season, women dressed in traditional Palóc-style costumes make sweets and dance for visitors.And for tourists, Palóc-style handicrafts and carvings are also sold in a workshop in a renovated traditional house.

…You may think that this is too much of a tourist village, but you must not forget that this area was originally dry land and delicate farmland. This tourism industry is also an expression of the “self-sufficiency” spirit of this village!

*The content here is a study derived from the research of a World Heritage enthusiast. Please note that the interpretation of the data differs depending on the medium.。