Rohovce: Manor House, Park and Historical Heritage

Rohovce is best understood through its combination of aristocratic history, sacred buildings and a protected park landscape. At its centre is a Renaissance manor house built in 1570. As early as 1521, the lord of the manor hosted King Louis II and his wife Maria of Habsburg there for a lavish Lenten feast featuring various Danube fish. The history of the place is therefore not confined to a single building, but extends from courtly hospitality to later commemorative landmarks in the villagescape.

Culture

The park known by locals as Bažantia záhrada is part of the manor house’s historic setting. It covers 12.81 hectares and surrounds the Renaissance manor house. In 1982, the historic park was designated a protected area with the fourth level of protection. A dendrological survey conducted in 2006 documented more than 3,000 trees and 32 tree species there. These figures demonstrate the extent and documented tree population of the grounds without separating their history from the development of the manor house.

History

A second focal point is the church dedicated to Saint Andrew. It was built in the Romanesque style in the mid-13th century. Even after its Gothic reconstruction in the 15th century, it retained its single-nave layout and west tower; the tower acquired its Baroque appearance in the 18th century. The church also contains a Romanesque baptismal font. Rohovce cemetery lies immediately next to the church. The oldest gravestones preserved there date from the 19th century, and the cemetery also contains the graves of members of the count’s family.

Several religious and commemorative landmarks add to this historical picture. The statue of Saint John of Nepomuk originally stood beside a fountain in the part of the former count’s estate known as Pajtás-kert. During renovation work on the manor house, it was moved to its current location in 2000. The sandstone group of Saint Anne depicts the Virgin Mary, her mother Saint Anne, and the infant Jesus. The statue of Saint Anne was erected in 1885 by László Lengyel in memory of his deceased children. A statue of the Virgin Mary stands beside the rear entrance to the cemetery; it dates from before 1837.

In the centre of Rohovce, a cross commemorates the brother of Viktor Nagy, who drowned in the Danube. The original cross bore the year 1929. The depiction of the suffering Christ and the metal plaque bearing the inscription INRI are original components. The village is also home to the monument to the Holy Trinity, which Jolán Nagy had erected in 1944 in memory of her deceased husband, Gyula Varga. It underwent extensive restoration in 2016, including a new coat of paint, renewed images and the installation of a wrought-iron fence.

Two further monuments refer to communal and historical points of reference. The wooden school monument was made in 2002 to mark the 110th anniversary of the school’s founding. The Millennium Monument commemorates the 1,100th anniversary of the arrival of the Magyars in the Carpathian Basin.

Nature

The area surrounding Rohovce also includes various architectural and landscape features. Pálfiovský kaštieľ is located nearby, a building regarded as a castle. Svätý Anton lies in the immediate vicinity, a building regarded as a monastery. Ostrov is also located in the area, a geographical feature regarded as an island.

In the wider regional surroundings are Amadeovský kaštieľ and Eberhard, both buildings regarded as castles. Új-sziget and Laci-sziget are also located there, two geographical features each regarded as an island. Thus, Rohovce’s geographical context extends beyond its own village centre without equating the different areas of its surroundings.

Other Places

Other places: Dunajska Streda, Kvetoslavov, Kostolné Kračany, Hviezdoslavov, Veľké Dvorníky, Trnávka, Kľúčovec, Janíky.

For the higher-level travel overview: Dunajská Streda District.