Nyírtass brings together the history of Tas vezér, a Reformed church, a protected natural area and local pálinka production. The church’s construction history and the details of its furnishings give its cultural focus a distinct character.
Tas, the Town’s Name and the Monument
In the landscaped park on the square in front of the church hill, between the Reformed church and the community centre, stands a bronze equestrian statue of Tas vezér on a tall stone plinth. Local tradition and written accounts trace the name Nyírtass to Tas, a Hungarian military leader from the period of the Hungarian Conquest. In this way, the town’s name and the monument come together: Tas is reflected both in the story behind the town’s name and in the figure of the mounted warrior.
The Reformed Church: Construction History and Furnishings
After much of the church building collapsed in the 18th century, it was enlarged into a hall church incorporating the Romanesque choir. The surviving choir and the later extension represent different stages in the building’s history. During renovations in 1970, medieval doorways and window openings were uncovered. For architecture enthusiasts, this reveals a combination of Romanesque elements, a later church interior and openings brought back to light.
Multilayered fragments of Gothic wall paintings are exposed on the side wall of the nave closer to the choir; they came to light during restoration research. The organ gallery also has distinctive features: in the flat-ceilinged nave, it is to the left of the entrance, painted white and supported by simply carved wooden columns. Its projecting section of balustrade bears a cut-out lute motif dating from the 1860s. The wall paintings, columns and motif each offer a different way to appreciate the church interior. If you would like to see these details in person, it is advisable to check access to the church interior in advance.
Nature and Local Production
Nyírtassi védett terület is a locally significant protected natural area in Nyírtass, covering 100 hectares. It adds a distinct landscape dimension to the town’s history and church architecture.
Another local highlight is Magyar Talléros’s pálinka production. The company has been growing fruit since 1996 and built a distillery open to visitors on the outskirts of Nyírtass in 2010. It markets the fruit grown there as pálinka under the name MAGYAR TALLÉROS PÁLINKA. Alongside architecture and local history, Nyírtass therefore offers fruit growing and a specifically named product as topics to explore.
Regional Context: Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg
The wider destination of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg offers other distinctive cultural and nature-related attractions. In Vaja, the Vay-Ádám Museum Collection of the Hungarian National Museum is housed in the Renaissance Vay Castle. The Báthori-Várkastély in Nyírbátor features a permanent exhibition and a panopticon depicting members of the Báthori family in period settings. Another architectural example is Andrássy Castle in Tiszadob: former Prime Minister Andrássy Gyula had it built between 1880 and 1885 in the French Gothic style, to designs by Alpár Ignác.
The regional landscapes also offer a variety of highlights. The strictly protected Bátorligeti ancient marsh covers about 53 hectares and preserves especially well the different stages in the vegetation and landscape history of the Alföld. Near Csaroda, Nyíres-tó and Báb tava are notable peat bogs whose origins date back to the Ice Age. These examples are part of the wider destination of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg and complement the focus on Nyírtass’s own attractions.
Discover more destinations: Levelek, Ófehértó, Baktalórántháza.
Go to the main travel overview: Baktalórántháza.
