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Reformed Church

The church, built in the late 18th century in a neoclassical style, was initially constructed without a tower, as Protestants were prohibited from building church towers at the time. The tower's construction only began in 1803 under the guidance of Ferencz Ignác, a master builder from Tokaj. During this period, the current Upper Street was still the main street of the settlement, and according to Joseph II's decree, Protestants were only allowed to build the church with its back to the main street, 30 metres further down.

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History served justice to the Reformed community when the lower street closer to the Bodrog River became the main route for wine merchants, eventually taking over the role of the main street entirely by following the river's path. With the spread of the Reformation, the people of Bodrogkeresztúr quickly converted to Calvinism. By the 1600s, the settlement was predominantly Reformed, and by the mid-17th century, it even hosted a high school of the Sárospatak Reformed College. Later, during the Counter-Reformation, the Calvinists were expelled from the market town and could only return thanks to Thököly. However, following the Rákóczi War of Independence, the local Reformed religious life ceased again, as the former Catholic church they had been using was returned to the Catholic Church. It was only Joseph II's Edict of Tolerance that allowed them to build a new church. Over the years, the church has undergone several renovations, the most recent of which took place in the 2000s. On a beautiful summer evening, it is worth taking a stroll to the church. With a bit of luck, you might observe bats hunting in the evening sky. The church's attic has been a summer refuge for two strictly protected bat species for decades. Over 2,000 lesser horseshoe bats and greater mouse-eared bats find shelter here during the summer months.


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