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Life beyond

the inner ring road

Alsóváros (Lower Town) of Szeged is one of the oldest The uniqueness of the paprika grown here lies in its out-
and most elegant districts of the city, where we can soak up standing quality and red colour, available in both sweet and
the special atmosphere of history and tranquillity. Th e late hot varieties.
Gothic-style Franciscan church dedicated to Our Lady of Tápé, a former village on the banks of the river Tisza, is ac-
the Snows and the monastery standing next to it form a very tually older than Szeged and has been inhabited since the
precious architectural heritage of Szeged, and it is also the Árpád era. The river Tisza has always been the centre of the

second largest monastery complex in Hungary. Th e church village’s life: the islands of the river once provided shelter
also houses two miraculous images of Mary; one of them from the Tatars, and later, the water-centred lifestyle: fi sh-

decorates the main altar carved by the monk sculptor Antal ing, operating the ferry, and the craft of reed and bulrush
Graff, and the other is Black Mary, a replica the original of weaving provided a livelihood for the residents. Reed and

which is found in Czestochowa, Poland. bulrush weaving is still present in the life of the former village

The “Eye of God” motif of the main altar of the Church of thanks to the heritage preservation group which operates in
Alsóváros, with the rays radiating from the centre, became a the local cultural centre.
recognizable decorative element on many residential build- The Kiskundorozsma district was first mentioned in a

ings in the district. One fine example of these so-called “sun- document in 1237 under the name of Durusma, a village
beam houses” is the Traditional Rural House Museum in that developed from an ancient fishing farm. The district is

Alsóváros, where, in addition to a permanent exhibition, folk known for its windmills; the first one was built at the be-
customs connected to holidays are also showcased together ginning of the 19th century, and, a hundred years later, al-
with programmes of unique atmosphere. ready 23 windmills were operating within the boundaries
Alsóváros is famous for its paprika growing traditions, which of Kiskundorozsma. The longest-standing windmill, still

have been an integral part of local agriculture for centuries. visible today, was built in 1821.
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