Putnok: Churches, Art and a Local Legend
Accommodation in Putnok
Putnok tells the story of its local history through more than a single building: the neoclassical crypt, two churches with different architectural styles and historical dates, gallery art and a bronze fountain connected to a folk tale give culturally minded travellers several specific reasons to visit. This offers a clear approach to planning your trip: if you want to focus on art and architectural history, you can make Putnok a destination in its own right; the themes across the wider destination of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén are a separate choice.
Churches and a crypt: different historical dates
Putnok’s Reformed Church was built between 1795 and 1804 in the late Baroque style, at the corner of Tompa Mihály utca and Posta köz. It replaced an earlier wooden church. The Roman Catholic church, by contrast, is Neoclassical and dates from 1835; its tower followed in 1854. The histories of the two buildings offer different points of reference in terms of time and architecture.
The Serényi family crypt adds to this picture: according to local tradition, it was built in 1860 to plans by Miklós Ybl and renovated by the Putnok municipal administration in 1999. If you are interested in the historical layers of the town, you can consider these details alongside the churches’ construction dates. Putnok thus brings together late Baroque and Neoclassical architecture, as well as a 19th-century crypt, as distinct themes.
Gallery art and a story cast in bronze
The permanent exhibition at the Holló László Gallery features paintings and graphic works by Holló, as well as historical coins, Sándor Bodó’s “Historical Medals,” Ferenc Medgyessy’s “Dancing Girl,” medals and small sculptures. The collection brings together works by an artist with historical coins and other art objects. The gallery also runs museum education programmes alongside its annual Christmas exhibition. If you would like to plan your trip around this exhibition, check the specific dates.
The Szakállas Farkas drinking fountain stands on Sétáló utca. Created by art teacher István Kónya in 2009, it was inspired by a Putnok folk tale and cast in bronze. It adds a public work of art with a local story behind it to the churches and gallery art.
More to explore across the wider destination of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén
If you would like to include nature or regional history alongside Putnok’s local history, the wider destination of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén offers other themes to explore. The Baradla-Domica Cave System is part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Caves of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst. The short Aggtelek Cave Tour is one kilometre long, takes 60 minutes and is rated easy—specific details that can help you plan your time. A nature trail connects the Aggtelek and Jósvafő entrances to Baradla Cave and introduces the area’s natural and cultural heritage.
Another way to experience nature is to see the Hucul herd grazing at Gergés-lápa, around 1.5 kilometres north of Jósvafő; it can be visited year-round. Check the latest information about visiting before you go. In contrast, Diósgyőr Castle in Miskolc offers a historical perspective: it flourished under King Louis the Great in the 14th century and later served as a residence and a wedding gift for six queens. The cave tour, wildlife watching and castle therefore speak to different interests within the wider destination.
Putnok as your base for finding accommodation
If you would like churches, the crypt, gallery and fountain to shape your stay, focus your holiday rental search on Putnok. If you would rather explore other themes across the wider destination, first decide which places matter to your plans, then compare suitable bases for your stay. This way, your decision starts with the experiences that interest you, rather than with a broad assumption about location or travel routes.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Uppony, Nekézseny, Ózd, Járdánháza, Bükkmogyorósd, Királd, Csernely.
For the wider travel overview: Ózdi.
