Szekler Border Guard Memorial Center

The ethnographic exhibition presents the rural popular life - sometimes encountered even today - of Ciuc (Csík) at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. You can walk around the specific everyday living-spaces of Ciuc (Csík) with the guidance of the characteristic objects of the region. The tour begins with the distant world of the alpine pasture fields, followed by the workshops of woodworking crafts such as the carpenters, the joiners and the wheelers. Next, you find yourself in a carriage shed where you can get acquainted with the tools of agricultural life. Finally, you come to know the specific objects of female homecraft placed in a cosily furnished interior inhabited by three generations of women.

The opening of the exhibition took place in 2001 with the occasion of the 325 anniversary of the foundation of the printing house from Şumuleu Ciuc. The printing house was founded during the principality of Mihály Apafi (1661–690). At this time there were functioning eight other protestant printing houses (in Sárospatak, Cluj, Sibiu, Braşov, Alba Iulia, Sebeş, Keresd, Debrecen) but this was the first Catholic one in the principality. The biggest Catholic printing house of the country in that time was owned by the Jesuit University from Trnava (Nagyszombat), which was one of the most outstanding printing houses of the time thanks to the number of its prints and publications. Until 1726 the printing house from Şumuleu was the only Catholic workshop in Transylvania. Its foundation and operation were in close relationship with the consolidation of the Catholicism and the spread of the Counter – Reformation. It was founded by the Franciscan János Kájoni, who obtained the necessary permission for the foundation from Rome. According to the letter of the Holy Congregation from the 22nd of June 1676 the Franciscans from Şumuleu had the right to publish the Latin grammar of Aelius Donatus and Emmanuel Alvarus, the family letters of Cicero and the reckoning table. The first known publication that is important also from literary historical point of view is the Cantionale Catholicum hymn – book from 1676 edited by János Kájoni. This is a popular song collection that was used all over Transylvania and Moldova . During the revolution from 1848 – 1849 the workshop was occupied by the revolutionaries, who printed here several proclamations and one of the newspapers of the Hungarian War of Independence, the Hadi Lap (War Journal). The newspaper tried to serve the revolution by informing the locals about the international - and battle - events. After the suppression of the revolution the monks were punished for the publishing of the proclamations and the newspaper: the Austrian military forces seized the workshop and they made the monastery to pay 5000 Forint war indemnity. The book – binding workshop started to function at the beginning of the 17th century. The oldest cover is known form 1644 – 1650, made for Marcus Bandinus. The workshop was functioning from 1676 until the end of the 19th century together with the printing – house. The books that were published in the printing – house were all bound in the Franciscan book – binding workshop, but external orders were also carried out. The covers from Şumuleu are usually decorated with gold tooling. In the 17th century the book covers were decorated in old – Renaissance style. At the beginning of the 18th century they went on with the old style, but from the middle of the century they started to decorate the covers in rococo – style. The 17th – 18th centuries represent the golden age of the workshop, which was followed by a decline in style and quality: the covers were made of cheap half – leather bindings or of paper. Most probably the Franciscans operated the workshop until 1900. We know fifteen prints from the 17th century, eighty from the 18th century. In the first one hundred years the workshop functioned in one of the cells of the monastery. In the 1760s it moved into a new building. In 1778 a new building was built for the printing – house, which was attached to the Western part of the cloister. At the beginning of the 20th century the printing – house stopped working, and in 1924 the building was pulled down. In 1910 the printing – house itself was moved with all its installation to the Franciscan monastery from Cluj. The complete installation of the former printing – house could be seen in an exhibition in 1926 that was organised in the monastery from Cluj. Our exhibition presents 125 prints and book – bindings: prints from 1676 – 1700, textbooks from the 18th – 19th centuries, the works of Franciscans, prayer – books, hymn – books, the publications of different kinds of religious societies, legal books, etc. You can also see some parts of the installation of the former publishing – house: the tools of the book – binding workshop, the copperplates of the illustrations and icons, etc.

The renaissance castle of its builder Hídvégi Mikó Ferenc, has been ravaged and raided by Turkish-Tatar troops in 1661, the ruined edifice being transformed into a fortified barrack by the newly installed Habsburg power by the year 1716. Until 1970 it has been serving military purposes, and then became the home of the Szekler Museum of Ciuc. The story of four centuries is caught out here, since the tracks of successive events have constantly piled up, keeping slumbering witnesses of earlier times. Going back from the present through scientific researches, the historical past gradually unfolds before our eyes. Archaeologists unravel layers beneath the face of the earth, analyzing the artefacts discovered. During mural researches art historians do similar work on rising walls progressing through layers (mortars, lime-washes, walled off doors, windows, embrasures, and stairs). In our exhibition of castle-history we off er an insight to the first two centuries of the building with the help of objects and architectural elements discovered in situ, and we do this in an easily comprehensible way with short movies for our visitors. First room Most of the walls are original while the vault is a result of latter reconstructions. Near the court-side window 17th century mortar- layers have been discovered with inscription fragments on the earliest. The show-case with layers playfully illustrates the order in which archaeologists come across various objects and materials. Fountain room Today’s single room has once had more premises, witnessed by the remains of demolished walls, doors transformed into windows, and imprints of vaults. The 17th century latrine, the stairway leading to the story, and the fountain inside the castle with its watercourse added in the 18th century are not interesting only by themselves: through the discovered objects the everydays of the 17th–18th century castle are outlined. With the help of the period short movie the visitor may size up how the discovered materials have ended up on the bottom of the fountain. Kitchen room In the ‘big kitchen’ of the 18th century they were probably mostly cooking only for officers. During researches the stove and oven have been found, and also the place of the pillars holding the smoke-keeper. Based on these a reconstruction has been made that alongside the next store-room invites the visitor to a gastronomic time travel. The short movie shot at his location animates the bustling life of the long-ago kitchen. Tower The last room of the exhibition offers an opportunity to extensively familiarize with the military history of the castle. Through original 15–19th century weapons we present their evolution in the era and region, while exact copies proffer the experience of touch. To help the cognition of the building’s development and transformation serve the scale-model, contemporary architectural surveys, and 3D animation.

Crippled Church (Csonkatorony in Hungarian), ruins of the tower of the old village church is located on the western edge of the village Tomeşti (Csíkszenttamás), Harghita County, Romania, near the other two special attractions: Bottomless Lake and Saint Anna Bath. Photo: Munzlinger Attila

Să se accentueze faptul că execuția acestei tip de brodare o facem cu un devotament maxim, fiind cea mai complexă formă de broderie, considerată și Hungarikum. Lucrările brodate sunt fidele privind mărimea, compoziția și armonia modelelor, alegerea culorilor a firelor de brodat precum și finețea lor. Noi nu brodăm modele inventate de noi ci numai acele care s-a realizat în era renascentistă sau barocă.  Expoziția cu patul cu baldachin renascentist a fost vizitat de circa 300-350 excursioniști ardeleni, vreo 500-550 turiști din Depresiunea Carpatică și peste 1000 de elevi din Depresiunea Giurgeului.

The Fairy Glade is a group of mineral springs, which flow in open-air pools. The place has a wardrobe and resting points. In 2009, the Ars Topia Foundation decided to build traditional baths in Borsec, using voluntary work. For ten days, young people from Hungary and Transylvania worked together with the locals to arrange these baths. Since then, the baths enjoyed great success among visitors. The project achieved several goals, such as: building swimming pool with mineral water, foot baths, changing rooms, gazebo, sunbeds. There are indicator panels in widely circulated languages, hand-painted on wood and decorated with floral motifs specific to the area. Year after year, the number of tourists visiting these baths is on the rise, but locals also use these mineral waters for different treatments. The Fairy Glade also has belvedere points and picnic or sunbathing areas.  There is no program or entrance fee. 📷 Rédai Botond

The Caracău Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the Miercurea Ciuc - Ghimeș section, which was put into operation on 18 October 1897. The viaduct was completely destroyed in 1944 as a result of World War II battles. From December 1944 until 12 February 1945, the Romanian engineers built a provisional, completely wooden (3,600 cubic meters) wooden viaduct. This was a unique performance in the history of railway constructions. In parallel, a new viaduct was built, and it was put into operation on 14 September 1946. The new construction of the viaduct was the largest railway bridge made of reinforced concrete in Romania. The total length of the viaduct is 264 m, the vault has an opening of 100 m and the arrow is 37 m. The width of the vault is 6.50 m at the top and 10 m at the base. The vault section has 2.5 m at the top and 4.8 m at the base. Photo: Bartalis Zsombor

In 1883 thanks to baron Károly Apor the Apor Bastion (761 m) was built at the bottom of the Surduc-hill, which never served strategic goals, it was always a viewpoint and resting place. From the bastion there is an excellent view on Băile Tușnad in the Tușnad Defile, on the Olt River and on the Falcon Stone Nature Reserve, which is rising from the opposite peak. The Apor Bastion has undergone several renovations over the years, but every time its purpose and style was conserved and as an addition it can be viewed now from the city even in darkness. During the renovation of 2017, an exhibition space was set up in the bastion by placing archival billboards and a brief presentation of its history. Photo: Băile Tușnad and surroundings ecoturistical destination

The Chirui Baths (in Hungarian Kirulyfürdő, translated as "The King’s Baths ") are located on the Odorhei-Miercurea Ciuc road, near Vlăhiţa. Thanks to the clean air, the quiet environment and the gentle climate, Chiruiul has long been the most beloved tourist settlement and spa resort in Harghita County and beyond. The Chirui baths have been known since 1600, but their development dates back to 1770. At the entrance to the Chirui baths is the H503 Chirui drilling, which intermittently erupts mineral carbonated water. A circular bridge was built around it, and if you are lucky to arrive during the eruption, you will witness an unusual show. In the resort area there are three carbonated springs, strongly mineralized (2-4 g / l). Water is particularly tasty because of its very high carbon dioxide content (CO2 = 1.6 g / l). They were recommended as treatment for digestive disorders, for hypoacidity and as diuretics, and externally for cardiovascular disease. Text, photo and video source: http://amfostacolo.ro