Hungarian Calvary

Sátoraljaújhely, Szár-hill

The monument system Hungarian Calvary on the Szár-hill is a unique historical site in the country, to which we can get by walking on a beautiful mountain path. As soon as we reach the entrance of the Hungarian Calvary in the forest, we have a magnificent view on our beautiful town. We can see the border splitting the settlement into two, the territories torn away from above. The Hungarian Calvary monument system consisting 3 constructions (National Flag, Hungarian Stations of the Cross, Saint Stephen commemoration chapel was built between 1934 and 1938. It was constructed with the aim and task to express pain the Trianon treaty caused Hungarians in an analogy to the history of the Passion of Jesus.

 While walking the Hungarian Calvary starting by the  board with the title “Severed Sátoraljaújhely” visitors could stop at the stations and conjure up the former historical Hungary and remember the towns that were torn away. The 14 stations of Christian Calvaries symbolize Christ’s path of suffering and pain from Pilate’s house to the Golgotha, the Hungarian Calvary reminds us the pain and the wounds caused by the Trianon treaty. The destination of the “walking the cross” here is - similarly to the Golgotha for Christ - the National Flag, which promoted the faith in Hungarian resurrection for Hungarians who became separated from the country. From the 19th century calvary constructions included two units: the calvary and the chapel. The monument system was completed by building the latter in Újhely as well.

 The Saint Stephen Commemoration Chapel erected on the occassion of the jubilee holy year also had to express the hope that the lost territories would be reannexed to Hungary again. No similar monument has been built in the country, but also nowhere else was the new border so unjustly drawn up.