Holiday apartment in Lazarea: art, chapels and the Kraut Festival

Anyone planning a holiday apartment stay in Lazarea will find several distinctive themes to shape their trip: medieval and religious buildings, Renaissance architecture, contemporary art, and the annual Kraut Festival with a market for traditional products. In the wider surrounding region, peaks, churches and a chapel add to the cultural and natural landscape. This allows you to tailor your stay to the interests that hold the greatest value for your trip.

Culture between chapels, Renaissance and art

The Roman Catholic “Sfântul Anton” Chapel in Lăzarea is a medieval chapel dating from the 15th century. It is located on Mount Szármány, north of the village. On the slope of the same mountain near Lăzarea, there were once five chapels arranged in the shape of a cross. This historic sacred landscape is therefore one of the distinctive cultural themes around Lazarea, without being limited to a single type of building.

Lázár Castle is an example of Renaissance architecture in Transylvania. Another historic stop is the Franciscan monastery of Lăzarea: its courtyard contains a statue of Kájoni János. The monastery’s history also includes Kájoni János’s printing press, which operated there from 1675 to 1854. The castle, monastery, statue and printing press represent different approaches to architecture, religious history and regional cultural heritage.

In the present day, the Lăzarea Art Camp provides a distinctive focus. It was conceived as an open window onto contemporary Romanian art that accepts and appreciates all artistic movements. The Lăzarea art collection comprises 2,117 works. The Lăzarea Cultural and Art Centre also organises a wide range of contemporary cultural and artistic events. For a trip in which historic sites and modern culture are to stand side by side, this range offers several points of connection.

Kraut Festival and traditional products

The Lazarea events calendar has a clear seasonal focus with the Kraut Festival and the Kraut Market. Both take place every year on the second weekend of October. The Kraut Festival and the Kraut Market also include a market for traditional products. Anyone who incorporates this date into their travel plans can combine visits to cultural sites with a regionally focused market experience.

Peaks and churches in the wider surrounding region

The wider region around Lăzarea includes Vârful Mic, Răchitiş, Fagul Roşu and Poienii. Each of these four names refers to a peak. These four elevations broaden the view beyond the history of the village and give regional orientation a connection to the landscape.

The wider region around Lăzarea also contains several sacred buildings: Biserica Ortodoxă Sândominic, an Orthodox church; Biserica Catolică Sândominic, a Catholic church; and Biserica Ortodoxă Ciuntită, an Orthodox church. In addition, there is Capela Tomeşti, a chapel. The cultural surroundings thus encompass various church traditions and types of buildings.

Plan a holiday apartment stay in Lazarea according to your interests

When planning a holiday apartment stay in Lazarea, you can tailor the focus of your visit to the themes available. Historic and sacred buildings lead to chapels, the castle and the monastery, while the art camp, collection and Cultural and Art Centre place contemporary art at the forefront. The Kraut Festival adds traditional products to this selection on the second weekend of October. The peaks, churches and chapel in the wider surrounding region expand the thematic scope. Lazarea therefore remains open to different travel plans without being confined to just one type of experience.

Other places in the surrounding area

For further orientation, you can also include Baile Tusnad, Siculeni, Făgeţel, Lunca De Jos, Odorhellen, Voşlăbeni, Sâncrăieni and Valea Rece.

For the broader travel overview: Harghita.