Situated in the southern part of the Great Plain, on Road 44 from Kecskemét to Békéscsaba, Szarvas is best known for its arboretum. This once prosperous market town was destroyed during the Turkish wars and remained uninhabited until it was populated by Slovakian families in the 18th C. It owes its economic and cultural revival to the evangelical priest Sámuel Tessedik (1742-1820), who built the evangelical church, pushed forward plans to develop the town and in 1790 founded the Practicum Economicum Institutum, one of the first agricultural schools in Europe, now a university.
By the Dead Körös, the 13ha (65 acre) park, over 100 years old, is named after the popular Hungarian queen and Austrian empress Elisabeth. The former residence of the local artist György Ruzicskay (1896-1989) contains a permanent exhibition of his paintings.
In the same street as the museum of the same name, Sámuel Tessedik built the evangelical church (1786/88) for his congregation. The neo-classical interior decor dates from around 1800.
In the Szlovák tájház a long farmhouse with a reed roof and pergola, dated 1885, houses an exhibition on the lifestyle and culture of the Slovaks who lived in Szarvas.
Hours:
April 1 to October 31: 1pm-5pm; Sat:10am-12pm; Closed: Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu
The school of economics founded by Pastor Tessedik is housed in the Late Baroque building, built in 1790. Archaeological finds, regional folk art and documents on the economic history of the region are displayed.
Hours:
March 1 to October 31: 10am-4pm; Closed: Mon
November 1 to February 28: 10am-3pm; Closed: Mon, Mon
Disability Access: Full facilities for persons with disabilities.
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