Hõgyész (reloaded) Traditional Cache
Hidden : 8/13/2002
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


A magyar oldalon a ládát GCHogy név alatt találod. Vigyázz, ott multi! Ne felejtsd el összegyűjteni mind a három jelszórészletet!

The History of Högyész
Hőgyész, a settlement of 3200 inhabitants is situated in a valley in the southern part of the Hegyhát region, in the center of Tolna county.
The settlement is of Medieval origin. It was first mentioned in a written source in 1277, when King László IV bestowed the local local fields on Simon, a royal judge. His letter speaks of Högyész as a village of 'royal servants' that has been inhabited for centuries.
In the Medieval times villages paid their taxes in the form of services, crops or goods. This settlement was to pay the nearby court of Prince Tevel with stoat fur, hence the name of the village. The hunter for ermines in Hungarian was called hőgyész.
For centuries Hőgyész was part of the Simontornya estate. According to the Turkish tax register of 1563 there were 66 heads of families which means there were about 180 inhabitants.
At the end of the 17th century, during the last stages of the fights against the Ottoman Empire this part of the country got almost entirely depopulated, the settlements were burnt down, the inhabitants fled.
Hőgyész, practically a ghost village, and 30 other settlements were purchased in 1722 by Count Claudius Florimundus Merci, the Emperor's general and the Governor of Temes county. He is rightfully honored as the founder of modern Hőgyész. He organized the re-settlement of the village and wanted to transform Högyész into the center for his vast estates. Several German families, especially craftsmen, who were on their way to the south were invited to settle down here, sometimes forcefully. During the several decades of the resettlement 265 families found new homes here.
The cold determination of the Mercis as well as the diligence of the new German settlers soon transformed Hőgyész into a booming market town. The much coveted market town title was given by Empress Maria Teresa in 1753. For 200 years Högyész has functioned as a regional center with booming trade and crafts. The approximately 100 local craftsmen represented 40 different trades. All kinds of products were made in their workshops from simple nails to sophisticated golden jewellery. Many new buildings were erected at this time including a manor house, a church, a school and a Baroque chapel at nearby Csicsó, which later became the burial place of the landowning families.
In 1773 the ownership of Hőgyész was taken over by Antal György Apponyi (1751-1817). He was one of the most educated aristocrats of the time and from 1780 onwards he was the lord-lieutenant of Tolna county. Hőgyész was steadily growing during those 150 years when the members of the Apponyi family were its landlords.

The Apponyi Castle
The main attraction of the village is the castle that was originally built by Count Merci as a one-storey mansion, and got enlarged to a two-storey building around 1760. The beautiful Baroque building, surrounded by a 5 hectare park, was restored in 1890 according to the plans of Miklós Ybl, the most famous architect of the times.
For their servants' children the Apponyis founded a kindergarten and a girls' school on their estate in the 1880s. A music school was also established within the walls of the mansion, and since the Count was also the county's lord lieutenant at the time, the county assemblies were also frequently held here. In 1846 it was also this mansion that the famous Hungarian composer, Ferenc Liszt enjoyed the hospitality of the Apponyi family.
After the death of Géza Apponyi in 1927 Högyész and the castle had several owners.
In 1939 the castle and the park was sold to the National Social Insurance Institute and was intended to serve as a resort, but in the same year it became the shelter for Polish refugees. During the second world war it also served as an army hospital. After the war Greek children found refuge here. In 1955 the Greek children were replaced by Hungarian girls. For 30 years, the castle has served as an orphanage. It finally gained back part of its past elegance when it was turned into a 4 star spa hotel. Then the ownership has changed again. Now the hotel is closed, even the park is locked. Its future is uncertain. :-(

The Church of the Holly Cross
The Baroque parish church of Hőgyész was built on the site of a Medival church, by the Apponyi family. It was consecrated in 1799.
It church gained its Classical look during its renovation in 1899.
Its organ was built in by the Angster Organ Factory of Pécs.

The Liechtenstein Castle
On the opposide said of the road from the Apponyi castle there is the so called Small or Liechtenstein castle. It gained its name in our times, because the Liechtenstein family lived in the second quarter of the 20th century. Prince Alfred Lichtenstein, the prince-engineer is still remembered in Högyész for achieving admirable results in economy and for demonstrating democratic sympathies in politics.
During the Mercys the building was the home of the prefect of the lordship. In 1818 it is listed as the chancellery, offices, and home of the lawyer of the property. Also, the Apponyis' archives was kept here until 1927, when the Liechtensteins moved here. After 1945 it was nationalized and became the office building of the state farm. Now it serves as a small hotel.

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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Orfg nccebnpu vf sebz Eáxópmv fgerrg. Gur fvta jvyy uryc.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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