Mesztegnyő Summary
Mesztegnyő
Summary
Summary
Meszegnyő was first mentioned in a charter in the XIV. century. The settlement, which elevated into the rank of an oppidum in the middle ages, got into the centre of national attention during the Reform Era. One of the most significant and bloodiest peasant revolt took place here in December 1840. This peasant uprising took a death toll of thirteen people.
The revolution and freedom fight in 1848-49 were also an important chapter in the history of the village. József Koller, its vicar was elected in the constituency of Marcal in June 1848 as one of the eight members of parliament representing the region, and he participated in the work of the representative national assembly. He was sentenced to death after the fall of the freedom fight, but he was granted amnesty, and was released.
The settlement was destroyed twice during its history, but was re-settled on both occasions. First, it became deserted during the Turkish rule, and the Second World War was another mournful chapter of its contemporary history. It is one of the most suffered settlements in Somogy county. The village lay on the Margit-line, and was almost fully ruined during the last four months of the war. Its inhabitants escaped for several months. The population was decimated by the war years.
The most outstanding monumental buildings of the village are the baroque advowee’s church built by the Hunyady family in the middle of the XVIII. century, and the former Franciscan monastery. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful, and stately building compositions in Transdanubia. The church is decorated with the frescos and paintings by István Dorffmaister, and the crypt serves as the burial-place of the count-builder’s family. After the nationalisation in 1948, the local elementary school was accommodated by the monastery.
There is a system of fishing lakes on several hectares in the area of the village. It lies in the Landscape Protection Region of the Boronka district. It provides safe habitats for several special and protected plant and animal species. A lot of scenes of natural beauty can be visited on the forest-railroad starting from the railway station in Mesztegnyő. According to a survey, this is one of the territories with the cleanest air in Central-Europe.
The local history collection, one of the richest in Somogy county, consisting of several thousands of historic objects, is exhibited in the former boys’ elementary school building, now altered into a Village Hall. The material of the exhibition was collected during an almost three decade research and collection activity.
The local society operating the Village Hall obtained international fame and national professional recognition with its programmes, and it can be considered to be one of the most outstanding base institutions of the national movement to collect knowledge about the homeland. It has been organising camps and sub-Carpathian meetings for Hungarians living beyond the border, for almost one and a half decades. Recently, some international grants have been won to create the conditions for the operation of a forest-school. Due to all these activities, the settlement takes part in the movement of village tourism with good results.
