Mesterségek és Hagyományok

From the very beginning, it was a great experience for me to be a student of Gazdáné Olosz Ella as a child, from whom I gained practical knowledge. At that time I was mainly interested in art education, from which I tried to get rich. I have been working in the profession for decades, gaining experience as a private entrepreneur, realizing all my dreams in the field of creation. For folk costume pieces, I try to follow the traditions of each village. In the case of modern outfits, I focus on uniqueness, but I also combine them with the traditional one. The raw materials are woven on a weaving warp. For me, every work is an experience. I would like those who carry my works to see them not only as an object, but also as a work of art.

Kürtőskalács (chimney cake) is a sweet pastry named after its shape. The dough-strings are rolled on a wooden cylinder, covered with butter and sugar that caramelizes on the heat of the coal. If you are curious about how this dessert is prepared, take part in a kürtőskalács workshop at the Malomkert Center and bake your own dessert! It will definitely turn out delicious! 😋 😜 Here's a secret about this dessert: it has its own event: “Kürtőskalács – Festival of Sweet Flavours”, organized in Sfântu Gheorghe, where Mrs. Ilona, ​​the head of the Malomkert Center, is a member of the jury for the “Kürtőskalács of the Year in the Szeklerland” competition. You can also take part in a workshop on making homemade potato bread! Minimum number of people for workshops: 6-8. Prior appointment is needed in advance! At the Malomkert Center you can also have a meal! 🍽 

😍 Have you tried weaving? If not, visit the weaving workshop of Erzsébet Bartók, who learned the craft from her parents. As well as folk costumes, she also makes rugs and tablecloths. She often hosts groups of children and adults to give them an insight into the making of handicraft products. 📌 An appointment is required for the visit!

At the Motolla Craft House, they not only do designs but also weave traditional textiles and sew folk costumes. Learn about ancient costume-making techniques and the most beautiful folk costumes! An appointment is required for the visit.

🔨 The blacksmith Nagy György learned his craft from his parents. In his workshop you can see how the horseshoe, carriage, decorative objects (forged iron), gate, fence are made. Besides the craftsmanship of the artisan, the guests can see and taste the house specialty: bacon, fried on iron heated in the forge. 📌 An appointment is required for the visit!

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🍯❤️ The Szántó Family’s Traditional Gingerbread – A Sweet Story from Târgu Secuiesc Master craftsman Szántó József carries on a family tradition that has lasted for generations. The Szántó family has been making gingerbread following an 1880 recipe, passed down from father to son, with great care and love. Each piece is made using the most natural ingredients possible, following time-honored methods that are cherished and preserved. The decoration is an art in itself: traditional Szekler patterns and floral motifs are hand-painted with colorful icing, using delicate techniques and lots of patience. Every piece is turned into a small, edible work of art. 🎨 Children, adults, families, and groups are all welcome to a gingerbread workshops – a wonderful opportunity to learn, create, and spend time together in a warm, authentic setting. ❗️Visits require prior appointment. We warmly invite you to discover the taste of childhood and the joy of tradition! 💛

Come join the felting club! You can go home with something you've made yourself - for example phone case, chair cushion, etc. - under the guidance of a professional. We are waiting for you until May, every Thursday between 5-8 pm at Casa Míves in Sf. Gheorghe!  For more information please call 0743708235. The Guzsalyas Foundation has been operating as a children's play workshop since 1995, and has been organizing handicrafts since 1998 as a foundation. Our goal is to revive popular traditions, promote and cultivate them. Our programs are intended for children, students, adults, teachers and all those who are interested in popular traditions.

I've learned the work maize-leaves from a popular artist Júlia Bálint. I elaborated a particular technique, thanks to which my figurines acquired meaning gestures and mime, individual. My big compositions represent scenes drawn by the classic works of the Hungarian literature and biblical scenes: Life of Jesus, Via Crucis. Other themes are scenes of the rustic life, the fieldworks. By using my creations I wrote working exercise books for children, with explanations and instructions, published by the Publishing House Corvina. Furthermore I teach this craft in my village and at folk events.

The Bodor family's farm, surrounded by mountain pastures, is where UzOnkA ripened artisan cheeses are made. The small family farm is always open to anyone interested in cheese making. After tasting some of the most delicious cheeses, you will have the opportunity to visit the animals and see the dairy processing plant in action. An appointment is required for the visit.

In Bățanii Mici, the Keresztes family’s water mill is still grinding. According to the inscription on one of its beams, it was built in 1835. The mill’s only automatic mechanism is a small bell that rings when the hopper runs out of grain to grind. The location can only be visited by appointment!

🤎📻 The "Haszmann Pál" Museum in Cernat is set in the Damokos mansion, built in a neoclassical style. Exhibits from the building heritage of Szeklerland are displayed on the two hectares around the mansion: houses and gates of the szeklers, a water mill, as well as Szekler funerary monuments carved from wood and stone. The exhibition of tools and agricultural machines in the open air provokes the curiosity of the visitors, being unique in Transylvania. 🚜 🔸 You can find more information about the museum HERE.

For more than four decades, the leathersmith Kovács Béla has been making custom-designed object and horse harnesses in Baraolt. Visit his workshop and choose a durable, useful, handcrafted product made of real leather. 

The father of Dávid Alpár had learned tailoring at the end of the eighties and after finishing school he founded his own tailoring firm at home. It functioned for a while, but as the regime changed and the country started importing and exporting more, stores were being filled with various cheap and low-quality clothing. So, change was inevitable. He had to start making products that could not be found on the shelves of higher-traffic companies. That is how he started making folk costumes. He first collected old, worn-out garments from the villages of the Baraolt/ Erdővidék historical region, and by reusing them made his first Szekler costume. To this day, materials are made with a traditional weaving loom and the garment is given to the customer according to the described specifications. In addition to folk costumes, the Dávid Alpár family also makes Hungarian full dresses, similar to the costumes that were worn in the 19th century. Currently, Dávid Alpár continues to practice the profession hoping that there will always be a group of people who will proudly wear these clothes, as they are an important part of our culture and is worth preserving. 

For over 30 years we have been producing lollipops with various designs and attractive colors. In the early 2000s we discovered the original recipe for gingerbread from 1906 in Tg.Secuiesc, based on which we make this product in the old models and to which we add newer models depending on the requirement of buyers. The preparation of gingerbread is made of quality raw material. We are members of the Craftsmen's Guild of Transylvania and in 2011 we obtained the "Szekler Product" brand license. In addition to the existing products in our offer, we can make unique products in the shapes desired by the buyer, as well as gifts and various souvenirs.

Vârghiș is famous for its master woodcarvers and furniture painters, among them the Sütő family, whose history dates back to 1568. The family members also carried out carpentry and joinery work at Daniel Castle from Vârghiș. Visit the home of the Sütő family, where now the sixteenth generation makes the furniture found in old Székely households. In folk art, carved and painted motifs carry a message, get to know them! 📌 Prior consultation is required for the visit!

The Gedő family prepares traditional gingerbread and other sweet treats such as cartoon characters or gifts for various occasions (weddings, baptisms, anniversaries) in their workshop. To visit the workshop and decorate gingerbread, please contact us at 0724 437202.