What are these roadside taverns, called "csárda"?

A csárda is actually an inn or roadside tavern on the outskirts of settlements, in the Hungarian Wastelands alongside the main trading routes. As for the history of the word 'csárda', it is first mentioned in written sources in 1755. Originally, in Hungarian, "csárda" referred to a variety of structures, such as high watchtowers, military buildings, eaves, farm buildings and corn mills. In addition, booths built on wooden boats and the tents of fishermen made of wicker were also known as "csárda". In the Moldavian Hungarian and Csángó dialects, the form "cserdák" was also used, which had the meaning of atrium, and shows the influence of the Romanian development of the meaning porch, corridor. In Hungarian, the word csárda has been transferred to the meaning of huts, cottages.

The Great Tavern of Hortobágy

These taverns were originally located in places where they were difficult to control by the police and the notorious "pandurs" (military police officers in the 18th century) who supported their raids, as well as other members of the administration. Another consideration for the location was that the taverns should be located within half a day's walk of each other, a distance that could be comfortably covered between feeding and watering the animals. It also played an important role during the "Bridge fairs", as after a well-concluded deal, people could go to the fair for a drink.The Great Tavern of Hortobágy, which stands next to the Nine-arched Bridge, is now 320 years old, making it the oldest building in the Hortobágy.

Its predecessor was built in 1699 by the town of Debrecen. It was replaced in 1781 by a folk baroque style brick building, which is the western wing of the inn. The eastern wing was built in 1815 in the neoclassical style. The tavern was famous for the rapid and enchanting way in which a hot meal was brought to the table with a drink at any time of the day. Specialities such as Hungarian grey and buffalo veal, racka ewe and guinea fowl have also enhanced the inn's reputation. These dishes, which were originally prepared in a kettle, on charcoal coals, on skewers or in an oven, have been refined over time, but still retain their origins and the way they were prepared.

The porch was not only a cool shelter in the heat, where you could enjoy a nice glass of wine, but also a place where poor travellers could spend the night. Initially, there was only a tollgate at the bridge and at first only wine measuring was done here. Later Sándor Petőfi also visited the tavern. In 1842, the poet wrote his popular poem 'The innkeeper's wife' here, inspired by the 'beautiful, round-eyed maiden', who actually was the innkeeper's wife.

The Meggyes Tavern

Perhaps the traditions of the past is best preserved by the Meggyes Tavern, located at the foot of the Meggyes Hill in Tiszafüred-Kócs. It is one of the last heralds of the nearly 40 taverns of Hortobágy that were still in operation in the mid-19th century.

The tavern belongs to the Hortobágy National Park Directorate and houses a museum, which can be visited by appointment. It was privately owned in the 1880s by the Czinege family, a famous family of shepherds. The atrium was heated by a fire under the open chimney, which also heated the rooms and the inn. It is interesting that a typical feature of taverns can be find here, the so called 'damage room', which is a small room sealed with bars where, in the event of a fight, fragile belongings could be stored and the innkeeper himself could take cover.

The Patkós Tavern

If you take the road 33 through the Hortobágy, the last stop is the Patkós Tavern in Tiszafüred, along the "Salt Route" between Debrecen and Tiszafüred. The restaurant's menu also focuses on folk, Hungarian cuisine. On cold, winter days, a cosy buffalo stove warms the guests, while in summer the thick walls and tiny windows keep the heat out.

Standing at the western gateway of the Hungarian Wasteland and still in use today, the nearly 300-year-old building originally stood a few tens of metres to the north, on the county border. This was very convenient for the early outlaws, who could only be chased by the Pandurs as far as the county border. Once they arrived at the inn, the bandits were safe, and even if the authorities were allowed to search the inn with special warrants, the people usually still covered the bandits. It was customary, for example, the innkeeper's wife displayed her underwear while spreading the laundry as a sign to the favoured outlaw, to warn him that he should not enter the inn that day because there were pandurs stationing there. One of the most famous Hungarian outlaws of the Wasteland, Bandi Angyal (1760-1806), who had noble ancestry, nevertheless chose the life of an outlaw and regularly raided the animal fairs in Karcag and Mezőtúr. In the first decades of the 1800s, several notorious outlaws made their way to the area, including Imre Bogár, who was executed at the age of 20, but also Jóska Geszti, Jóska Fábián, Pista Sós and the notorious Marci Zöld.

The famous outlaw of Heves

But who is this famous ruffian? Marci Zöld (1790 - 1816) was born in Berettyóújfalu, but as an outlaw he was not only present in Bihar County, but also in Heves County and on the Hortobágy. Sándor Petőfi wrote a drama and a poem about Marci Zöld, and around the turn of the century, when pulp magazines about outlaws became fashionable, several stories were written about him, as well as folk songs, ballads and a stage plays. Perhaps less well known, there is also a Hungarian proverb, "He lives like Marci in Heves", which referring to his life on the Wastelands. Marci Zöld eventually had been run out of his luck. After his last theft, he went into hiding on a farm in the Tisza Valley, where he was ambushed and captured by some locals. A few days later, he was sentenced to death and hanged in town of Fegyvernek, which belonged that time to Heves County. Thus, in his short life - he lived only 26 years - Heves County was not only the scene of his merry years and the great successes of his 'career', but also the place where his life ended.

The golden age of the taverns came to an end in the 19th century, several of them were demolished because of the risk of accidents, but the emblematic inns of the countryside also became increasingly redundant, mainly due to the development of railways and roads. However, when walking along the Hortobágy, here and there they still stand today, preserving a beautiful reminder of the old times.

L. G.

Sources:

Adventures on Hortobágy

Patkós Tavern

Meggyes Tavern-museum