Music, Village Church and Sacred Art
The Somló Hangja Festival takes place every year in Nagyalásony. Folk music bands from the surrounding area perform at the festival. This gives the village a recurring musical highlight, while the churches and chapel offer other perspectives on its cultural history.
The Szent Márton Church in Nagyalásony was built in the 13th century and is the oldest building in the village. It was built in the Gothic style and is decorated with frescoes. Its age, architectural style and artworks make it a clearly defined subject for travellers interested in sacred architecture and historical art.
Another religious landmark is the Szentkúti Chapel: it lies in the Puszta north of Nagyalásony and is known as a pilgrimage site. Its northern location distinguishes it from the Szent Márton Church in the village; together, the two names point to distinct sacred sites in the local area and to the north.
The altarpiece in the church in Nagyalásony-Szent István was painted by Gyula Károly in 1959. It depicts Saint Stephen presenting the crown of the country to the Virgin Mary. Sacred painting from 1959 and a 13th-century building thus stand side by side as cultural subjects from different periods.
These themes also differ in their timing when it comes to planning a trip: the festival is an annual event, so the dates of each edition matter when making specific plans; the church, frescoes, subject of the painting and pilgrimage chapel are place-based cultural attractions. If you are travelling for the festival, check the dates of the relevant edition before booking.
In the broader destination of North Balaton
As a broader regional setting, North Balaton offers distinctive nature and culture attractions. Boat trips are available in the Tapolca Lake Cave, and there is also a guided exhibition called “Csodálatos karszt” (“Wonderful Karst”). The cave is part of an underground system beneath the town, which has so far been explored over a length of 14.6 kilometres. The boat trip, exhibition and geology offer different perspectives on this destination.
Hegyestű is a 337-metre-high mountain between Zánka and Monoszló. It exposes the interior of a basalt volcano that was active around eight million years ago. At the western edge of the quarry site, visitors can use a panoramic information board at the viewpoint to identify the surrounding hills. Hegyestű also has a rock garden featuring characteristic rock types from Transdanubia, the western half of Hungary. The focus here is on volcanic geology, rock diversity and finding your bearings in the landscape—a different theme from the Tapolca cave.
Another cultural attraction in the broader destination of North Balaton is Herend. The Herend Porcelain Museum presents a permanent exhibition and changing exhibitions on the history of the manufactory. The Herend Porcelain Manufactory Visitor Centre explores porcelain production, techniques and traditions of applied art. At the Mini-Manufactory, visitors can handle porcelain paste and a paintbrush in workshops. The exhibition and workshop have different focuses: one explores the history and craftsmanship of the manufactory, while the other offers hands-on experience with porcelain paste and a paintbrush.
Discover more destinations: Magyarpolány, Somlóvásárhely, Somlószőlős, Ajka, Városlőd, Kislőd, Úrkút, Halimba
To the overview of the broader destination: Ajkai.
