Oroszlány: Mining, Churches and Art

Oroszlány brings together rural history, mining, churches and public art. The Slovak Local History Museum, the Mining Museum and two notable churches give the city distinct cultural points of interest; public art can also be seen in a sculpture and on buildings. If you are looking for a hotel in Oroszlány, these themes can help you plan your stay around your interests.

Museums: Rural Life and Mining

The Slovak Local History Museum in Oroszlány opened in 1987 in a farmhouse dating from the late 19th century. In the stable, which stands across the end of the courtyard, visitors can see a cart alongside agricultural tools. The building and its contents give the museum’s focus on rural life a tangible character and distinguish it from the working world depicted in the Mining Museum.

The Oroszlány Mining Museum depicts an underground mine with a reconstructed tunnel containing mining faces and machinery. Other features of the museum include a working underground mine railway, a mine rescue vehicle and a viewing point on the headframe. The contrast is useful when choosing what to visit: the local history museum focuses on agricultural objects, while the Mining Museum focuses on underground mining and mining technology.

Churches and Their History

The Evangelical church in the old part of Oroszlány is considered worth seeing. The church as it appears today is single-naved and Neoclassical; it was consecrated in 1787, five years after the Camaldolese hermitage in Majk was closed. The Evangelical congregation had its first church built as early as 1702; it was later enlarged when it became too small. The newer Catholic church in Oroszlány is also considered worth seeing.

Art in the City

The city commissioned Topolyafa, also known as Topolya, to mark the 300th anniversary of the founding of the village of Oroszlány; the work is by sculptor György Kungl. Its stylized tree centerpiece is surrounded by smaller paving stones, one of which conceals a drinking fountain. The sculpture thus connects the memory of the village’s founding with a detail that only becomes apparent in the area around the tree centerpiece.

Public art in Oroszlány is not limited to Topolyafa: the sides of buildings set perpendicular to the main street are decorated with colorful graffiti by various artists. Further works of art can be found in squares, streets and apartment blocks. While Topolyafa is a single named work tied to an anniversary, other works can be encountered in several kinds of locations throughout the cityscape.

Visitor Information

Visitors can find information about Oroszlány and its surroundings on information boards at three locations in the city or at the information office of the mayor’s office. If you plan to use these resources, check their current availability in advance.

The Majki Kamalduli Remeteség

In Komorn-Gran, the Majki Kamalduli Remeteség is a Baroque monument complex with seventeen hermit cells, a church tower and a monastery. An exhibition there covers the general history of the Camaldolese order and its history in Hungary.

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