Magyarpolány: Calvary Hill, Church and Passion Play

Magyarpolány can be explored through several distinct cultural themes: the Szent László Church and Calvary Hill, the rural architectural and domestic culture of Petőfi Street, and the Passion Play. This variety brings different priorities into focus when planning your trip. Architectural history, folk culture and open-air performance each offer their own highlights—and some activities are tied to a particular season or specific dates.

Church and Calvary Hill

The Szent László Church is a Baroque church with a main altar and two side altars in the Copf style. It was built between 1761 and 1773 by Abbot Konstantin Haschke of Heinrichau, together with master builder János Hoffpaur of Zirc. As a specially protected historic monument, it is one of the defining features of the area’s architectural history. The combination of a Baroque church and Copf-style altars gives the building its distinctive architectural character.

On the hill next to the church is the Calvary Hill sculpture group: near life-size figures stand at five stations. The Swabian brothers Listner created the ensemble in 1780. A chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows also stands at the summit of Calvary Hill. Calvary Hill forms part of Via Calvaria’s cultural, natural and architectural heritage. Together, the church, sculpture group and chapel offer different perspectives on Magyarpolány’s history and religious heritage.

Petőfi Street and rural domestic culture

Historic Petőfi Street is known for its farmhouses with verandas. The Magyarpolányi Tájház (local heritage house) is located in a traditional stone house on this street. It displays furnishings and household items from traditional rural life, as well as typical examples of folk costume. The other rooms in the same building house an artists’ residence and an art school.

A central kitchen can be described as the typical layout of traditional houses: smoke from the stove escaped through an open smoke outlet, and the pantry and main living room opened off the kitchen. This gives rural domestic culture a spatial dimension in addition to its objects and folk costumes. Petőfi Street and the Tájház thus offer a different glimpse of the local cultural heritage from the sacred buildings on Calvary Hill.

Passion Play, Via Calvaria and seasonal art

Since 1993, the Magyarpolány Passion Play has been staged as an open-air performance by village residents and members of the local community. If the performance is a key factor in planning your trip, check the current dates before booking.

Via Calvaria is a different kind of attraction: it is a developing hiking trail that connects the Calvaries of 14 towns and villages, with one location in Magyarpolány. The trail places Calvary Hill in a broader cultural context, while the Passion Play offers its own date-dependent focus as an open-air performance.

During the summer months, visitors can explore various art forms with the support of experienced masters. This is a seasonal offer; check locally in advance for current availability. The reasons to visit therefore also vary by time of year: architectural and domestic culture are enduring themes, while art activities are tied to the summer and performances to their scheduled dates.

Explore more destinations

Somlószőlős, Ajka, Somlóvásárhely, Kislőd, Városlőd, Halimba, Úrkút, Nagyalásony

For the overview of the wider area: Ajkai.