Petrikeresztúr

• The Roman Catholic church was built in the 15th century in the Gothic style and had already been restored in the Baroque style by 1735.
• In 1973, Márkos Attila created the clay Stations of the Cross in the Szent Kereszt Felmagasztalása-templom in memory of his brother, Márkos Béla.
• A small-leaved lime tree in the churchyard has a trunk circumference of 460 cm; its age is estimated at around 350 years.
• A nature trail through the village, described in 2020, is 2.5 km long and has ten information boards.
• The Kéktúra hiking trail passes through Petrikeresztúr; section RP-DDK-36 between Becsvölgye and Petrikeresztúr is 4.1 km long.

The Roman Catholic church in Petrikeresztúr was built in the 15th century in the Gothic style and had already been restored in the Baroque style by 1735. A church had stood on this site as early as 1275, but it later burned down. Thus, the accounts of the church’s history span its early location through to later building phases.

Architecturally, the Szent Kereszt Felmagasztalása-templom is a free-standing, east-facing, single-nave building with a polygonal apse. A buttressed tower stands in front of the west façade. “Single-nave” describes a church building with one main nave; the polygonal apse forms a multi-sided end to the choir. The ceramic Stations of the Cross add a more recent work of art to these architectural features: Márkos Attila made them from clay in 1973 in memory of his brother, Márkos Béla. The building’s history, spatial design, and the dedication of the stations offer different points of interest for exploring local history.

A small-leaved lime tree stands in the churchyard. A 2022 hiking report gives its trunk circumference as 460 cm and estimates the tree’s age at around 350 years. The circumference is a measurement, while the age is explicitly an estimate.

The Kéktúra hiking trail passes through Petrikeresztúr. A 2020 report also describes a 2.5 km nature trail through the village with ten information boards. The section designated RP-DDK-36 between Becsvölgye and Petrikeresztúr is listed as 4.1 km long. The two lengths refer to different routes: one describes the nature trail in the village, the other a section between the two named places. Check the current trail conditions before setting out on RP-DDK-36.

Ceramics classes were also offered in Petrikeresztúr. A 2020 report introduced Págyi Zsóka as a ceramic artist who lived in the village’s Győrfiszeg district and offered classes to interested people at the Tuttu Mikka-Makka Association’s ceramics studio. If you would like to include this in your plans, check in advance whether classes are currently being held.

The broader travel destination of Zala offers a perspective on a larger landscape and cultural region. The Zalai Borvidék wine region extends across the slopes and plateaus of the Zalai-dombság hills and the northwestern slopes of the Keszthelyi-hegység. It comprises two wine-growing districts and 38 settlements. This regional wine landscape is therefore on a broader scale than the local architectural and hiking features.

The wider context of Zala also includes Kis-Balaton: it is Zala’s largest body of water, is strictly protected, and covers 14,745 hectares. It is also the setting for István Fekete’s classic novels Tüskevár and Téli berek. The wine landscape, protected area, and literary connection offer different themes for a trip that looks beyond local history to the region of Zala.

Discover more destinations: Szentkozmadombja, Csöde, Vaspör, Lickóvadamos, Kiskutas, Baktüttös, Gősfa, Becsvölgye.

What are the church’s architectural features?

The Szent Kereszt Felmagasztalása-templom is a free-standing, east-facing, single-nave building. Its stated features include a polygonal apse and a buttressed tower in front of the west façade.

How long is the nature trail through the village?

A 2020 report describes a 2.5 km nature trail with ten information boards.

Where does the Pataktól patakig nature trail begin?

A 2020 description names Petrikeresztúr as the starting point of the Pataktól patakig nature trail.

What is known about the ceramics classes?

A 2020 report describes classes for interested people with Págyi Zsóka at the Tuttu Mikka-Makka Association’s ceramics studio. Before making plans, check whether the classes are currently being held.

View the broader travel overview: Zalaegerszegi.