After 80 years, the image of Dezső Szilágyi, the father of tourism in the Carpathian Basin, has finally returned to the viewpoint of the High Tatras. It's worth the wait!
There is a lookout point in the High Tatras, which bears the name of the dreamer of tourism in the Carpathian Basin. Once upon a time, the portrait of Dezső Szilágyi greeted hikers at Tarjakán, but in the 20th century, the bronze plaque disappeared. Now, under the leadership of the 150-year-old Hungarian Carpathian Association, an authentic copy of this could be returned to its rightful place.
Dezső Szilágyi was a politician and an enthusiastic nature walker
Dezső Szilágyi was Hungary's Minister of Justice between 1889 and 1895 in the Tisza, Szapáry and first Wekerle governments. In his spare time, he spent a lot of time in the High Tatras, was a nature walker, and enthusiastically supported the tourism of the time. It is no wonder that many simply consider him the dreamer and institutionalizer of tourism in the Carpathian Basin.
A lookout pavilion in the High Tatras, Tarajka, bears his name.
Facebook page of Orsz Orsz
It was dismantled by the Czechoslovak government and restored by the MKE
It is known that the lookout tower was erected shortly after Szilágyi's death as a result of public donations. In 1904, a relief was placed on it, which praises the work of János Istók. However, the wedge of the facade of the pavilion disappeared in the first half of the 20th century, in 1945, i.e. roughly eighty years ago, after
it was removed by the Czechoslovak state power.
The screws holding the relief were still in place.
Based on a recently found model, the Hungarian Carpathian Association and the Sine Metu Association collaborated to recreate the monument. The plaque was created by the sculptor Ádám Ádám, recast in bronze and returned to its original place on the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Hungarian Carpathian Association.
By restoring Dezső Szilágyi's relief, they want to draw attention to the importance of tourism and nature conservation in the Tatras.
This year, the Hungarian Carpathian Association celebrates its 150th anniversary, which is also the celebration of one hundred and fifty years of Hungarian tourism. August 8-13, 2023 at the site of the foundation, Ótátrafüred, in the High Tatras. a series of celebrations were held between Various tours were organized every day, and as part of this, the newly completed Szilágyi plaque was handed over.
Source: Descendant
Featured image: Facebook page of Orsz Orsz
