Szabadszállás between local history and nature
Accommodation in Szabadszállás
In Szabadszállás, many traces lead into the town’s history: to a memorial house in a former gatekeeper’s lodge, to collections about the lives of past generations, and to churches and monuments with specific historical connections. Nearby, you’ll also find natural attractions to suit a range of interests—from birdwatching to an approximately three-hour hike through sand dunes. This lets you choose whether to focus your trip on culture in town or nature experiences in the surrounding area.
Landschaft des Kiskunság-Nationalparks in der weiteren Umgebung von Szabadszállás
Photo: Globetrotter19 via Source, CC BY-SA 3.0
Local history in houses and collections
The Dörmögő House is located in the former gatekeeper’s lodge of Pőcze Imre. Today, it is a memorial house and ethnographic exhibition featuring period furniture and household objects. It was inaugurated on April 11, 2005, the 100th birthday of the poet József Attila, as part of the József Attila commemorative year. It is the only József Attila memorial site in Bács-Kiskun County. The house, exhibition and memorial function offer several historical points of reference, without requiring a single story to take centre stage.
The Tóth Sándor Local History Collection brings different aspects of everyday life in the past to life. A series of twelve panels covers the Petrovits family’s years in Szabadszállás and Sándor Petőfi’s connection to the town. Household objects, clothing, and tools used in crop farming and livestock raising illustrate the material culture and way of life from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century; traditional crafts are also presented. The Tájház at 5 Mars Square focuses on folk customs and traditions and the lives of people who lived in this area during the previous century.
Churches, monuments and remembrance
The present structure of the Reformed Church was built between 1747 and 1759; its tower was erected in 1771. An oval memorial plaque above the tower entrance preserves a further remembrance: its inscription states that the church was built by the Reformed community in 1770 with the permission of Maria Theresa. The church thus brings together both architectural history and the community’s inherited memory of that time. The Catholic Church, meanwhile, was completed in 1929 to plans by architect Lajos Fridrich. Its floor plan was adapted to the shape of the plot.
Monuments, too, tell of different chapters in the town’s history. The Sándor Petőfi Monument marks the former home of István Petrovics and Mária Hrúz, who settled in Szabadszállás in 1818. A bust created by Lajos Páli stands in the garden of the Sándor Petőfi Town Library; it was installed in 1969. The monument to those killed in the First World War was erected in 1922 and bears 255 names. The monument to the victims of the Second World War, inaugurated in the town centre in 1992, names more than 200 military and civilian victims. In the European Union Memorial Park, the town commemorates its accession on May 1, 2004.
The memorial plaque to Pál Rozsnyai offers another biographical trace. It commemorates the hussar first lieutenant who fled the imperial army during the 1848 War of Independence and later became chief magistrate of Szabadszállás. Together, the monuments and collections paint a picture of a town where family history, public remembrance and local figures offer different ways to explore the past.
Nature attractions nearby
If you enjoy spending time outdoors as well as exploring local history, there are two nearby options with distinct character. The route to Kelemen-szék on the outskirts of Fülöpszállás combines birdwatching with binoculars from observation towers and a walk along a nature trail offering botanical and other natural history experiences. The Fehérhegy area on the outskirts of Fülöpháza, by contrast, offers an approximately three-hour hike through sand dunes. The contrast can help with planning your day: one option is about observing and discovering nature, while the other is a longer hike through a dune landscape.
The Upper Kiskunság saline lakes are also located in the area around Szabadszállás and Akasztó. Their large, shallow, open waters provide suitable habitats for large numbers of waterbirds. They add another dimension to the nearby natural attractions, with open water and birdlife taking centre stage.
Choose the right focus for your holiday rental
When looking for a holiday rental, you can start by considering what you want your trip to focus on: the collections, churches and places of remembrance in Szabadszállás, or nature watching and hiking in the surrounding area. The town’s history can be explored through its various houses, exhibitions and monuments; the natural attractions mentioned here offer their own highlights, from birdwatching and botanical discoveries to getting out and moving through the landscape.
Discover more destinations: Apostag, Szalkszentmárton, Tass.
Go to the main travel overview: Kunszentmiklósi.
