Monuments – historical wine cellars

“The Avas, without which Miskolc and its life cannot be imagined, is the ornament and the most impressive significance of the city. The ancient church, the old belfry, a special cemetery behind them and the spectacular lines of wine cellars with the wine from Avas above them make not only the city colourful but they also add a special atmosphere to the city life. The Avas is the romance of the city. “ (Bedénrvi Béla, 1929.)

Mount Avas in the heart of Miskolc plays an important role in the cultural and intellectual life of the city. It is a significant scene of social life due to its culture of wine and cellars and at the same time it is a cult place.

Under the lines of wine cellars in the east of Avas the former part of the city called Mindszent (All Saints) is situated. Its memory is kept in the Mindszent Roman Catholic Church built in Baroque style. In the north of Avas the Calvinist Church with the Belfry and the historical cemetery belong to the oldest monuments of Miskolc.

Calvinist Church in Avas

The Gothic Calvinist Church in Avas was built in Gothic style on the place where in the 14th century a parish church, named after King Stephen I, used to stand in Romanesque style. Later it was expanded to a hall church with three bays during the reign of King Louis I (the Great), who also had the Castle in Diósgyőr reconstructed. The building has looked like mostly the same since then. The church was catholic originally and it was started to be converted according to the Calvinist ceremony in 1563. The wooden ceiling which can be seen today was made in 1778. In the northern-western chapel, at the bottom of the former tower there is a small display exhibiting the history of the church. Several items of the furniture painted in the 18th century can also be seen here. One of the main ornament of the church is the pew made with renaissance inlaid decorations in the late 15th century and is thought to have been in the chapel of the castle in Diósgyőr. Its speciality is the collection of broaches and weather-cocks from the 17-18th century as well as the “black chair” from 1735.

Belfry

Standing next to the church, there is a belfry with wooden roof and loft built in 1557. The one-storey building used to serve as a fire-protection. The specific chime of bells of the clock tower can be heard every 15 minutes, but the whole melody is only played every hour.

Historical Cemetery

The historical cemetery next to the Avas Calvinist Church is thought to have been used since the Middle Ages, though the tombs having dates have remained only since the second part of the 17th century. The cemetery is a “historical museum”, where famous public figures rest.

The Gate of Avas

The monitoring centre of the city is situated in the building next to the flight of stairs leading to Avas near the Avas Church and Palóczy Monument. The building serves as on information centre during the wine festivals in Avas, and since the spring of 2014 there has been an exhibition on the culture of wine and cellars in Avas.

Lookout Tower in Avas

The 72 metres high TV Tower made from steel with a special technology was built according to the plans of Hofer Miklós and Vörös György. It was inaugurated on 20 August 1963 and can be visited as a lookout tower.