Beremend
The history of the municipality dates back to the Middle Ages and it flourished during the 15th century as an agricultural town. During the period of the Ottoman Turk occupation the residents were mostly winemakers.
Organised migrations took place in the 18th century, thus forming a multi-ethnic community, with the cohabitation of Hungarians, Croats, Serbs and Germans. Peaceful cohabitation is further improved by the churches of three different denominations.
Beremend is located near the southernmost part of Hungary, at the eastern edge of the Dráva-mellék. A new border crossing point opened here in 2006.
Attractions
Beremend Crystal Cave
In a manner similar to the Nagyharsány Crystal Cave, this cave was also "discovered" during mining activity, 10 years earlier, in 1984. The interior of the cave (with an opening at the height of 126 metres) was shaped by hot springs and the lower routes of the cave are still in contact with these warm waters. Its most remarkable shapes include pea stones, aragonite pins, huntite and certain kinds of stalactites. In the sediment at the bottom of the flights, researchers found the remains of Pleistocene mammals (sabre-toothed tiger, wild sheep, antelope). The cave is 700 metres long, has several levels and it is under special protection. It may only be visited with a permit issued by the National Park for professional reasons.
Southern Point
The southernmost point of Hungary (coordinates: N 45° 47' 37.68", E 18° 25' 9.34") is located along the route connecting Beremend and Kásád, to the southwest from Beremend. A commemorative pole indicates the place of this point.
Mendele Ferenc Memorial House
The birth house of Ferenc Mendele, an architect awarded with the Ybl Prize, a main figure in monument protection and the former director of the National Monument Protection Authority, was inaugurated in 1996. The exhibition presenting the achievements of his lifetime was prepared by his former colleagues, using original furniture. The memorial house is located next to the bath.
Lido
The wonderful lido of the village with Karst water and 3 pools (1 sports, 1 training and 1 children's pool). The 28 C degree Karst water of the Beremend Lido Bath offers refreshment to visitors during the sweltering hot summers.
Chapel of Reconciliation
The chapel was constructed at the elevated location where the refugees from the Yugoslav wars a few decades ago could see how their villages and churches across the border were destroyed by inhumane destruction. The chapel is also a memorial for the people who underwent forced relocations in 1946 in Beremend and its vicinity. The representatives of different nationalities and religions erected this ecumenical chapel on the elevation under the spirit of reconciliation, in cooperation with each other.
Smithy
The building was constructed in the late 1800s, it used to be the workshop of blacksmith Ferenc Molnár. The renovation took almost 5 years, and several lost original tools had to be replaced. The bishop of Pécs, Mihály Mayer consecrated it in 2008, it opened to the public then.
St. Michael's church
The first records mention the church in 1333, but it was completely destroyed during the Turkish occupation. It was rebuilt at its original location in 1719. The feast of the church - that bears Baroque, late-Baroque and neo-Classical motifs as well - is held on 29 September every year.
St. Roch's chapel (on the outskirts of Beremend)
A Catholic religious site of memorial at the southern edge of the village, located near the border crossing point. During the plague in 1739 many people died, even though a quarantine was ordered in the county. After the disease passed, a chapel was erected in the honour of St. Roch.
The Ascension of Christ Serbian Orthodox church
The Orthodox church of Beremend was built in Baroque style in 1735. The renovated building is a protected monument. The main façade and the tower were rebuilt in the 19th century.
Calvinist church
The church was built in 1869 in Baroque style, and it is currently a protected monument.
Statue of linguist Dragosavljević Adam
The Serbian teacher and linguist Dragosavljević Adam was born in 1800 in Beremend. He studied at several institutions and had a vast knowledge of the Latin and German languages.
Bust of Lajos Barta
Lajos Barta was born in Kistapolca in 1878. He studied law and went on to become a journalist. His first drama (Parasztok/Peasants) was banned after 1911, due to its criticism of the distribution of land. He took a role in the literary politics of the Hungarian Republic of Councils. From the autumn of 1919 he was imprisoned and then moved to Berlin and Vienna. In 1956 he was awarded the Kossuth Prize.
The plaque of Gyula Obersovszky
The writer, poet and journalist was born in Pécs on 1 January 1927.
Szőlőhegy
These abandoned mines are great locations for an excursion.
Memorial of the First World War
During the First World War 68 soldiers from Beremend lost their lives. Trees were planted to commemorate the fallen heroes, and a monument shaped like a sword was also erected in 1930.
Other sights: The Memorial of the Second World War, the Memorial of the Revolution of 1956, the Memorial Park of the Yugoslavs in the Second World War.
Accomodation:
Hotel Beremend Rose Address: 7827 Beremend, József Attila u. 12. Tel.: +36 30 8645 860 E-mail: hotel.beremend@yahoo.com Web: www.hotelberemendrose.hu
Catering:
Zokogó Majom Étterem Address: 7827 Beremend, Kossuth u. 108. Tel.: +36 72 474 840 Tel.: +36 72 474 047
Velence Pizzéria Address: 7827 Beremend, Szabadság tér 6. Tel.: +36 30 4994 638 Web: www.velencepizzeria.sokoldal.hu
Park Presszó Address: 7827 Beremend, Bartha L. tér 15.
Recommended tours
Bicycle tours around Beremend:
History
Archaeological artefacts show that the area was already inhabited in the 2nd century BC. A former sand pit in Beremend turned out to be a former graveyard, rich in artefacts. There is also an artefact from Roman times, the end of the 4th century which achieved fame all around Europe: a bronze plaque donated to Valerius Dalmatius who retired to his village on the outskirts of modern Beremend.
The first official records are from 1281, showing that the namesake of the village, Péter Beremendi sold some land to one of his relatives. The municipality flourished throughout the 15th century, under the rule of the Hunyadi family, as an agricultural town which was also awarded the right to hold fairs.
After the Battle of Nagyharsány on 12 August 1687, the village was abandoned. Its resettlement began during the early 1700s. The resettlement programme was realised by the Eszterházy family, in accordance with the imperial policies of Maria Theresa. In this period Beremend became a multi-ethnic community, and many Germans and Serbs moved here. The village already had a school in 1769. The first telephone line and the railway arrived to the village in 1910.
The First World War did not leave the municipality unaffected: 68 men did not return to their families. The monument to their memories is still on the main square of Beremend, it was erected in 1930. Due to the Treaty of Trianon after the war, major outskirt areas were transferred to the other side of the border.