Székely Land is the home of Peregrinus: a Transylvanian landscape framed by the Carpathians, where the Hungarian-speaking community still lives in a compact area. It is home to Csíksomlyó (Șumuleu Ciuc), the largest Pentecost pilgrimage site in the Carpathian Basin.
Its churches preserve the Catholic, Reformed and Unitarian traditions alike: small churches with painted coffered ceilings, fortified churches surrounded by stone walls, venerated statues and holy springs await pilgrims in Harghita, Covasna and Mureș counties and in the land of the Csángós of Gyimes.
Shrines and churches
Csíkkarcfalva (Cârța)Fortified Church – CsíkkarcfalvaCsík’s tallest fortified church: the medieval Great Lady Church with an oval defensive wall, an indoor altar and a gate tower.Gyergyószárhegy (Lăzarea)Franciscan Friary – GyergyószárhegyThe Baroque Franciscan monastery above Lázár Castle, the former home of Kájoni János, and one of the oldest religious communities in the Gyergyószentmiklós basin.Mikháza (Călugăreni)Franciscan Friary – MikházaThe late Renaissance Franciscan church and monastery at Nyárád dates from 1678 and is one of the important stops on the Mária Út road.Esztelnek (Estelnic)Franciscan Church and Friary – EsztelnekSzékelyudvarhely (Odorheiu Secuiesc)Chapel of the Heart of Jesus – SzékelyudvarhelySzékelyudvarhely The four-arched Jesus Chapel: a legend about the Tatar Khan, a healing spring, a ceiling memorial from 1677 and the renovation completed in 2021.Csíksomlyó (Șumuleu Ciuc), CsíkszeredaPilgrimage Church and Franciscan Friary – CsíksomlyóOne of the most famous places of Hungarian farewells: on the Csíkszereda border of the Baroque basilica and Franciscan monastery that houses the Maria statue from the early 16th century.Marosvásárhely (Târgu Mureș)St John the Baptist Parish Church – Târgu MureșMarosvásárhely Two-tower Baroque parish church in the Roszak Square: Jesuit foundation, consecration in 1750, Haller main altar and Church Art Museum.Gyimesbükk (Kontumác)Church of the Assumption at Kontumác – GyimesbükkThe Mother Temple of Gyimes Valley at the 1000-year-old border: the Franciscan church founded in 1782 with the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, near the Rákóczi Castle.Gyergyószentmiklós (Gheorgheni)Armenian Catholic Church – GyergyószentmiklósThe Baroque church of the Armenians from Gyergyószentmiklós has a barred stone wall and bastions, and an altar painting from the Mechitarist monastery in Venice.Csíkszépvíz (Frumoasa)St Ladislaus Memorial on Pogány-havas – CsíkszépvízThe 17th-century chapel and bell tower discovered on the site of Kicsi-Pogány: The Memorial Site of Saint Ladislaus in Csíkszépvíz, with a pilgrimage on June 27.Dálnok (Dalnic)Reformed Church – DálnokMarosvásárhely (Târgu Mureș)Reformed Fortress Church – Târgu MureșMarosvásárhely Its oldest building: the Reformed church built from the medieval Franciscan church is located between the city walls.Sepsiszentgyörgy (Sfântu Gheorghe)Reformed Fortified Church – SepsiszentgyörgySt Anne's Lake (Lázárfalva)St Anne's Chapel – St Anne's LakeThe chapel on the shore of Lake Saint Anna, located in the Csomád crater: a centuries-old place of farewell, with a bonfire at the end of July and a wreath around the lake.Gelence (Ghelința)St Emeric's Church – GelenceCsíkdelne (Delnița)St John's Church – CsíkdelneMedieval church standing in the field, surrounded by a stone wall in Csíkdelné: 15th-century wall paintings, floral-patterned painted coffered ceiling and 17th-century winged altar.Csíkmenaság (Armășeni)Church of the Immaculate Conception – CsíkmenaságOne of Alcsík’s most important medieval churches: a painted sanctuary vault, a 13th-century rose window, and a winged altar, parts of which are now in the Hungarian National Gallery.Énlaka (Inlăceni)Unitarian Church – ÉnlakaMedieval Unitarian church on the hill with a painted cassetted ceiling from 1668 and the famous carved inscription „One in God”.Homoródkarácsonyfalva (Crăciunel)Unitarian Church – HomoródkarácsonyfalvaThe Unitarian church in Homoród was excavated in 2006, with seven scenes from the legend of Saint Ladislaus and a 18th-century painted cassette ceiling.Nagyajta (Aita Mare)Unitarian Fortified Church – NagyajtaSzékelyderzs (Dârjiu)Unitarian Fortified Church – Székelyderzs
