Mád: Synagogue, Wine and Distinctive Soils

Architecture and Jewish Heritage in Mád

In the synagogue, four supporting columns divide the interior into nine sections. This arrangement is considered a Polish-Lithuanian Renaissance innovation of the 16th century. At the same time, the domed building displays Copf and Baroque features. The nine-part layout and the Copf and Baroque features of the domed building make the synagogue a distinctive architectural subject in Mád.

Mád’s Jewish cemetery lies on the northern edge of town and is considered the largest Jewish cemetery in the Hegyalja region. Its location and regional significance add a distinct focus to the picture of the town’s Jewish heritage. Together with the synagogue, it shapes Mád’s cultural profile, while each site tells a different story.

Wine and Landscape

Wines from 13 wineries in Mád can be tasted at Első Mádi Borház. Check before your trip whether tastings are currently available. This lets you include this specific offering in your plans without assuming it will always be available.

Another distinctive feature of the surrounding area lies beneath the surface: the diverse soils around Mád can be observed in the root zone of the vineyards. This shifts the focus beyond the visible landscape to the soil beneath the vines. For travelers interested in wine and the conditions in which it is grown, this offers a distinct perspective on the character of the area.

More Highlights in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén

The wider destination of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén also offers distinctive themes beyond Mád. In the Aggtelek area, the Baradla-Domica cave system is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst. The short Aggtelek Cave Tour is one kilometer long, lasts 60 minutes and is rated easy. This provides a specific time frame for a cave experience elsewhere in the wider destination. Szent-István Cave features impressive stalactite formations.

The Zemplén Landscape Protection Area offers a different perspective. It is part of the Zemplén Mountains and, in turn, the Eperjes-Tokaj mountain range, which connects to the Carpathians in the north on Slovak territory. The area’s natural features influence its plant and animal life. Visitors interested in nature and geography will therefore find different themes here from Mád’s architecture and Jewish heritage.

The history and culture of the wider destination also extend beyond a single town. Diósgyőr Castle in Miskolc flourished under King Louis the Great in the 14th century and later served as a residence and as a wedding gift for six queens. In Sárospatak, the Reformed College preserves treasures of Hungarian Protestant culture. The Szent Erzsébet Basilica and the Szent Erzsébet House bring the world of the Middle Ages to life.

The Tokaj wine region brings together climate, soil quality and slope exposure as conditions for winegrowing. It is legally protected as a designated wine-growing area. This regional perspective adds another aspect of the wider destination to Mád’s specific wine-related features, without equating the different places.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Trip

A simple question can help you choose where to stay: should Mád, with its synagogue, cemetery and wine-related features, be the main focus, or would you also like to explore other themes in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén? If Mád itself is your main focus, you can narrow your search to a holiday apartment in Mád. If you plan to visit other places as well, take their respective locations into account when choosing your base.

Discover more destinations: Tállya, Bekecs, Szerencs, Legyesbénye, Mezőzombor, Rátka, Golop.

Back to the wider travel guide: Szerencsi.