Natural Treasures

Peace and quiet, harmony and a magnificent landscape in Zala County – these welcome us if we visit the Recluse Garden at the border of Nagykapornak, in any of the seasons. The garden has its own features of religion, history and of tourism; thus, whatever reason we have to visit this place, we would definitely reach our destination.
Everybody thinks the Recluse Garden is theirs: all the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages (seven little settlements of Zala County are situated there altogether within five kilometres: Nagykapornak, Misefa, Padár, Tilaj, Szentpéterúr, Nemesrádó és Orbányosfa), the colleagues of Zalaerdő PLtd managing the forests there, and the National Park of Balaton Highlands as well, whose Cyclamen training path runs across the garden. Among the stations of the training path we can find the forest reserve, the areas demonstrating silviculture of selection cutting and the ornament of the Recluse Garden that is the little chapel with the belfry right next to it and the Maria-Spring in the neighbourhood.

It is considered to be a place for kermesse and a consecrated place of pilgrimage; even more visitors arrive there on the first Sunday after 15th August, on the occasion of the Assumption Day Kermesse.
The history of the Recluse Garden is originated from the Turkish era, when Nagykapornak became purged, the inhabitants fled into the forest and they started farming there. Later, they started trickling back to the village. Jesuits settled down there in the mid-1600s, and they did highly recognised farming. It included agriculture, animal breeding and silviculture as well.
The history of the belfry is connected to the name of Imre Makovecz. The paternal grandparents of the Kossuth-Award winning architect lived their lives in Nagykapornak, he also spent the summers of his childhood there; therefore, he truly cared about the neighbourhood. The original bell was stolen after an eighty-year-service in 2004. Imre Makovecz designed and drew the new belfry and asked the local people to have the bell made. The new bell was consecrated by Gyula Márfi, Bishop of Veszprém in 2005.
Wooden statues of some respected people were placed in the garden: among the others, Pope John Paul II, Saint Josef and Saint Paul; the chapel and its surroundings are guarded by a forester and a recluse. A crucifx commemorating the martyrs of Arad, a place for relaxing, an open-air fireplace for roasting bacon and the Maria-Spring can be found there as well.

For further information

Forestry Company in Zalaegerszeg
Egervári Street, 8900 Zalaegerszeg
Phone: +3692510250
E-mail: zalaegerszeg@zalaerdo.hu