Őriszentpéter is the central municipality in the Őrség region which lies in the western border area of Hungary. It has its own customs and traditions which are still alive today and special natural beauty.
This small town with its approximately 1,200 inhabitants was built on 7 hills in the valley of the Zala. The structure of the settlement retains to this day the construction method that is hundreds of years old, a dispersed settlement called a „szer“. The groups of houses build on a hill give Őriszentpéter a very special charm. The small settlements got their names mostly from the families that lived there, or from the geographical position or an ancient craft. The distance between the individual „szer“ used to be quite big. Today many of these dispersed settlements have merged. The settlement buildings have a rich legacy. The oldest building is the Roman Catholic parish church, built in the 13th century, whose patron,St. Peter the Apostle, gave his name to the town. The other church, under heritage protection, is the Late-Baroque reformed church from 1790. In addition, many of the old houses, also mostly under heritage protection, display elements of the typical popular architecture for the Őrség region. In the gallery of the cultural centre there is a collection, set up here in 1985, of folklore and local history exhibits by Edit Szikszay.
The range of events held in the town is very attractive to visitors from home and abroad. The signal for the start of the great event in the last week of June – the Őrséger Markt was in
1981. The programme of events that revives the atmosphere of the old markets celebrates the rebirth of traditional crafts and customs. August – Siebenwiesenland: At this week-long festival celebrating the scattered villages and farms visitors can find out about the life and work of the people who live there. Alongside there is a „whole“ art with concerts, theatre performances, games and attractions. September-October: The specialist exhibition and trade show for the eco industy and eco tourism. „Natural Őrség“ presents products from the countryside and regional traditions. International pumpkin festival in the Őrség – apart from the presentation of pumpkin dishes, conferences and a children’s programme there is also a pumpkin light procession and numerous cultural programmes to delight our visitors. Wild pörkölt cookery competition – Every year participants from Hungary, Slovenia and Austria show what they can do against a background of plenty of cultural events.
Further information:
Tourinform iroda, Őrségi Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság
9941 Őriszentpéter, Siskaszer 26/a • Tel.: 94/548-034
Művelődési Ház és Városi Könyvtár
9941 Őriszentpéter, Városszer 55. • Tel.: 94/428-022
print
