Discover Frumoasa: Bell Tower, Lake and Via Mariae

Culture and History

In the centre of the Armenian quarter known as “Örmény sziget” in Frumoasa stand town houses built by Armenians in the 19th century. The Roman Catholic Szent-László Church in Frumoasa was dedicated to Saint Ladislaus in 1897. The wooden bell tower in Frumoasa is included on the official list of historic monuments in Harghita County. The belfry of the wooden bell tower has a fir-wood structure and a plank balustrade. Its upper section is made of latticework. The open bell tower rises from a conical shingle roof. The individual structural elements give the tower a clearly recognisable appearance: fir wood, plank balustrade, latticework and shingle roof all belong to the same open bell structure.

The medieval chapel in Frumoasa on Muntele Fumos is listed as a ruin. On the site of the old chapel, a new bell tower, an earthen embankment built in honour of Saint Ladislaus from soil collected from various places in Transylvania and Slovakia, and a statue of the knight king were erected. A local legend connects the name Frumoasa with Saint Ladislaus: he is said to have urged his horse to drink from the beautiful water of the area. The “Frumoasa” printing house operated from 1929 to 1944 and produced various printed materials. The statue of Saint Ladislaus in Frumoasa was erected in 2009. Thus, the old chapel site brings together a new bell tower, the distinctive embankment and the statue, while the printing house forms a separate chapter in the history of the town.

Faith, Trails and Landscape

The Via Mariae pilgrimage route passes through the administrative area of Frumoasa and, along the designated section, leads to the Szentlélek Chapel on Széphavas at an altitude of 1,339 metres. The Frumoasa Dam is located on the Frumoasa River, a tributary of the Olt. Visitors can use various hiking trails in the area around the Frumoasa Dam. The Frumoasa Lake is home to perch, crucian carp, chub, carp, lake trout, bream, pike-perch and catfish. The named landscape features therefore extend from the river and dam to the lake and further up to the chapel on Széphavas.

The mountain hay meadows around Frumoasa offer views of sunrises and sunsets and feature the characteristic flora of the Ciuc Mountains. Frumoasa’s “Nád” village garden covers just under 25 hectares and is divided among more than 500 cultivators. In addition to the bodies of water, the described landscapes around Frumoasa therefore also include meadows with their flora and the village garden, which is cultivated in small plots.

Local Traditions and Flavours

Cabbage growing has a centuries-old tradition in Frumoasa. The seedlings are planted during the week of Saint Ladislaus. The harvest takes place in mid-October. At the Frumoasa Cabbage Harvest Festival, visitors can sample cabbage-based dishes prepared by cooking teams on site. The Kultúrbisztró in the centre of Frumoasa serves Armenian coffee. The local annual cycle therefore includes both the cabbage cultivation scheduled for a specific time of year and the festival with its cabbage-based dishes; in the centre, Armenian coffee complements this culinary tradition.

Location

Frumoasa is located 11 kilometres from Miercurea-Ciuc, on the route between Miercurea-Ciuc and Ghimeș-Făget.

Other places: Miercurea-Ciuc, Valea Rece, Făgeţel, Izvoare, Subcetate, Ciceu, Sândominic, Borsec

For the overarching travel overview: Harghita.