Novaj’s profile brings together church and village history with traditional local customs. Its historical landmarks range from the first church and the rectory to the memorial in the southern part of the village; they also include the Remélés and the Asszonykórus’s preservation of local folk traditions. The village’s history thus offers several distinct themes to consider when choosing a destination—from architecture and building history to masking, songs and clothing.

Church and rectory: historical milestones

The first church in Novaj was probably built in 1288 and rebuilt after being destroyed by the Ottomans. According to the Hevenessy census of 1696, the stone church in Novaj was in Calvinist hands and in a state of disrepair. In 1756, the church was expanded with a new sacristy and an oratory. These dates mark distinct milestones in the church’s history: its presumed early construction, the dilapidated state of the stone church in 1696 and its expansion in the 18th century. The sacristy and oratory were two specific additions to the church. A sacristy is an adjoining room; an oratory is used for prayer.

A rectory already existed in Novaj in 1332; the present building dates from the mid-19th century. These dates distinguish the rectory’s early existence from the age of the current building. A church bell is also connected with the house: because it was kept there due to its size, it was housed in the rectory. The bell was no longer in use at the time and was offered for the purposes of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.

Remélés and local traditions

During Novaj’s Remélés, young, unmarried men wearing masks parade through the village streets as a mock wedding procession, accompanied by rattling and music. The custom also includes visits to houses where young women live. There, participants blacken the young women and wives living in the houses and receive eggs and bacon in return. The Remélés thus encompasses both the procession through the village streets and house visits where a gift is given in return. These clearly described actions give the custom its own distinct form among local traditions.

The Novaji Asszonykórus preserves local folk traditions; its founding was supported by Palóc research in 1971. At performances, the choir sings songs in a distinctive local dialect and wears 19th-century clothing from Novaj. Language and clothing together represent different forms of expression of the local cultural heritage. A memorial commemorating the Turks stands in the southern part of Novaj, providing another clearly located historical landmark.

In the wider destination of Heves

The wider destination of Heves provides a distinct regional context. In the southern part of Heves County lies the Hevesi Füves Puszták Landscape Protection Area. It covers 16,114 hectares, was designated in 1993, and reached its present size following expansions in 2005 and 2008. The 6.5-kilometre Ilona Valley Nature Trail along the Ilona Stream passes geological sites of interest in the Eastern Mátra Mountains and traces of former ore mining.

The Szépasszony Valley is another cultural attraction in the wider Heves destination. It encompasses Eger’s largest contiguous area of wine-cellar-lined vineyards. Wine culture and the gastronomy associated with it are among the area’s major tourist attractions. Hevesi szőttes is a textile cultural heritage from Heves County, associated with Heves, Mátraderecske and Bodony. Together, these regional themes provide another context for travel planning alongside Novaj’s church history, village customs and choral singing.

Discover more destinations: Egerbakta, Felsőtárkány, Maklár, Egerszólát, Kerecsend, Egerszalók, Demjén, Szarvaskő

To the wider travel overview: Egri.