Via Gastrocarpathia

11/05/2025

😍 Via Gastrocarpathia presents a new chapter in the Cultural Heritage of the Carpathian Euroregion.

👉 We invite you to discover Dranica.24 - a new road to promoting the wonderful story of wooden legacy, a way of learning about and better understanding our reagions.

🫶Vernacular architecture, gastronomy, installations, means of transportation and many other fields of wood usage can be discovered by following Dranica.24.

Read about László Czegle and find out how he became a woodworked and a folk artist. 👇

👉 Meet László Czegle is a 54-year-old woodworker and folk artist from the village of Erdőbénye (🇭ungary)🌳🪵, whose hands shape not only wood but stories and traditions rooted in his family’s past.

𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 🌲, László recalls, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅, 𝑰 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒗𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 🚛. His own path to woodworking was influenced deeply by his father 👨‍👦, who was also a man of many skills and passions. 𝑴𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒔𝒕, 𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆 🛠️, he shares. It was his father who, at the age of 26, returned to working with wood and began crafting in his spare time. He even built his own bandsaw and lathe—tools that became the foundation of László’s own creative journey 🛠️✨.

🏠 Inspired by that legacy, László eventually found his own place in the world of woodworking. In his self-built workshop in Erdőbénye (HU), he now crafts both everyday items like kitchen utensils 🍴 and wooden toys 🧸, as well as unique, scaled-down wooden vehicles 🚜✈️.
𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒗𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒅𝒐: 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒔, 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔, he says. These scaled models now make up around 80% of his work and are highly sought after by collectors 🧩.
His process is just as thoughtful as his products. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒘 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒚 🌲, 𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒂𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔. 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒄𝒎 𝒂 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓: 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒅!𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒘 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒚 🌲, 𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒂𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔. 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒄𝒎 𝒂 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓: 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒅! he explains.
🚖His models are designed with interchangeable parts and careful proportions: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓. ⚙️📏

László’s craftsmanship blends tradition, patience, and creativity into every piece 🎨. His work continues a family tradition as a love for nature 🌿, precision 🎯, a true storytelling through wood 📖. Discover more about his art at facebook.com/famindenit.
The interview was made by Faragó László, project researcher in Hungary.

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22/09/2022

🍇 Hey, it's autumn and It's time to think about wine! Goood wine! 😊
So, let us introduce you to the story of Zsadányi Vineyards which began with a trip to Tokaj in 2000. After selling the production of the graps, the owners became interested in the production of wine as well, so they started this activity. Since 2010 István Hudák is in charge of viticulture and winemaking at Zsadányi Vineyards and Winery.

🍷 We invite you to discover their story here:
https://viagastrocarpathia.com/laszlo-zsadanyi-organic-wine-maker-vineyard-and-winery-in-tallya-borsod-abauj-zemplen/

🔎 For more curiosities about the Via Gastrocarpathia route click the link bellow: https://viagastrocarpathia.com/

László Zsadányi organic wine maker – vineyard and winery in Tállya, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén by Horváth Dániel, horvathdaniel.eu Share: Location(s) mentioned in the article László Zsadányi organic wine maker

23/04/2022

For all celebrating this weekend, we wish HAPPY EASTER!
May Peace come between nations!

19/04/2022

💁‍♀️ Iuliana Filip is a very skilled artisan living in Remetea-Chiarului village, located in Maramures, Romania. Being a welcoming and kind person she will take you on an interesting journey of weaving, sewing, embroidery together with other crafts that she knows and does with great pleasure. She works at home and has multiple other household responsibilities, but always finds time for this. She thinks that crafting is like a therapy, a great way of detaching from all the worries and troubles in life.
🧶 🧵 As many women in the villages of Maramures, she learnt this craft in her childhood and still keeps the tradition of handworks. As a grandmother, she teaches her grandchildren the art of local crafts. It represents a passion to her, but also a moral responsibility: passing the local cultural values to the next generations.
Optimistic by nature, Iuliana is always looking at the bright side of life. Dare to cross her doorsteps as she will welcome any guest who wants to discover the art of sewing, weaving or hand-made embroidery with great pleasure.

💐 You can find her here: https://www.facebook.com/iuliana.filip.18

🔎 Discover more curiosities about the Via Gastrocarpathia route here: https://viagastrocarpathia.com/

18/02/2022

🏰 There are a lot of wonderful places in this world. Places full of history and culture. As the saying goes: “If the walls could talk…”, countless stories would come to light.
👍 Fortunately, is a storyteller for many places in the three neighboring countries, Romania, Ukraine and Hungary, part of this project. Because this route has a lot to offer, it’s best to take it step by step and discover it in a slow travel style.
🇺🇦 One proposal of a mini-route of ViaGastrocarpathia is a small part located in Ukraine. You can find out about crafts, an interesting local brewery, embroidery symbols transposed on wedding cakes or local musical instruments made in a small workshop.
Here’s a glimpse of what you can discover if you are curious enough to unveil the silent walls and “read” their stories.

https://viagastrocarpathia.com/ivan-hryniuk-traditional-music-instruments-workshop-in-rakhiv-zakarpattia/

🪕Discover more curiosities about the Via Gastrocarpathia route here: https://viagastrocarpathia.com/

Ivan Hryniuk – Traditional music instruments workshop in Rakhiv, Zakarpattia by Viktor Stinich, podorozhuy.com.ua Share: Location(s) mentioned in the article Гринюк Іван / Hryniuk Ivan

01/02/2022

🤓 Today we talk about Habán community and pottery in Sárospatak, Hungary. In the 16th century, the Habán community moved from Switzerland and migrated in Hungary. The community, which was made up mainly of artisans, was famous for its pottery. In the last decades of the 17th century the Habans’ art gradually merged into Hungarian and Slovakian folk culture.
🥣 The records from the 17th century show that there were 5 potters at that time in Sárospatak. Because soup started to appear as a new dish on middle class menus in the second half of the 17th century, a new type of tableware was required. As a result, the wide rimmed dish started to have a deeper depression.
✔️ The Habán people, who were persecuted because of their Anabaptist religion, used to make tin-glazed pots. They worked mainly for the Rákóczi family, who settled and protected them. The Habán ceramics was decorated using the so-called ribbed pattern and the colors blue, ochre, lemon yellow and violet (blackish purple). Classical Haban faience style is made up of several picture stripes that are edged with blue double lines and surrounded by decorative borders.
👉 The Habán potters renewed their guild after 1723 and operated until 1878. Only a few bunglers could work in the town. The style of the last period of the local pottery remained in the common knowledge. These pots were painted with black-dark brown and red earth colours and the motifs were huge (lilies of the valley, tulips, roses).

08/01/2022

🙋A new year has starded and it is time to plan new trips to discover the wonders of this world! Our recommendation is ViaGastrocarpathia – The Route of the Carpathian Crafts and Tastes. Three countries have paired to draw this route and it is time for everyone to know what wonderful places, people and stories are sometimes hidden in the hearts of these cultures.
👉We invite you to take a look at www.viagastrocarpathia.com and sketch your own trip in order to cover it on your own rhythm. Take you time to check all the materials gathered in the Resource Center of the website so that you can plan your visits knowingly.
✍️ Don’t be shy and send messages to all the locations you want to visit to book your stay, your meals or other activities and please don’t forget to call the craftsman first so they would know when to expect your visit.
We still have so much to offer in order for you to know more about the culture, traditions and gastronomy of these places.
Let yourself in on ViaGastrocarpathia!
🪕Discover more curiosities about the Via Gastrocarpathia route here: https://viagastrocarpathia.com/

23/12/2021

Christmas is known everywhere in the world as being a special event celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Directly related to this celebration one can find the tradition of caroling. But this custom dates back in time, long before Christ.
The first carols were sung in Europe thousands of years ago. They were pagan songs, evoked during the winter solstice, which people used to celebrate by dancing around fires and stone monuments. The carols originally had a ritual purpose, that of wishing for fertility and abundance. Another common purpose of carols was to drive away the evil spirits and invoking the souls of ones that passed away. In this way, the carols followed the function of the pagan holidays of the Saturnalia (worshipers of the god Saturn).
In Maramures, Romania, the custom of caroling is very well preserved even today. A combination of rituals that still keep a reminiscence of pagan tradition of driving away the evil spirits by using the masks can be seen in the villages and even in towns and cities of Maramures together with the Christian meaning of announcing the Birth of Christ.
A wonderful way of celebrating Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you all!

Pictures: Alexandra Lazar

30/11/2021

November 30 is full of meanings for Romanians. On this date, Saint Andrew is celebrated, who is also associated with the White Wolf. Being associated with this animal, in the popular tradition, St. Andrew's Day is also called the Wolf's Day.
The connection between St. Andrew and the wolves comes from far back in Dacian times. "In the myriad of customs and traditions, the name of the Apostle Andrew always appears related to that of wolves, animals that, more than any other, have gathered around them most legends, myths and stories. Make no mistake, we can say that the wolf is the only animal that can never be fully trained or tamed. Some scholars believe that he was a symbol of the Dacian sanctuaries, being worshiped with holiness, the mysterious White Wolf being considered the leader of the wolves. Some forgotten legends say that the White Wolf was with the Dacians at the fall of Sarmizegetusa. It is also said that the spirit of the White Wolf guarded the Apostle Andrew through the wilderness of Scythia to the cave that would provide shelter, "writes Dumitru Manolache, author of the book" Andrew, the Apostle of the Wolves".
The obvious attribute of the wolf is its nature of a predator, and correspondingly it is strongly associated with danger and destruction, making it the symbol of the warrior on one hand, and that of the devil on the other. Therefore, the wolf, taken as a symbol of the warrior, was used in magical-symbolic rituals through which men wore wolf skins to take from them strength, firmness and courage. On the other hand, trying to avoid the evil side of this animal, people think that this day should be celebrated everywhere with no work, so that wolves would not harm the cattle, the sheep and goats. But the danger is not only for the cattle, but also for the people who would dare to work and go on the roads on this day.
Thus, different customs and traditions are still alive nowadays as it is believed that on November 30 the poltergeist mix among people, harm the animals bringing a lot of damage to the household. To avoid this, people use garlic to protect the place. They hang it on thresholds, doors and windows as they represent important elements in the traditional culture, being considered to be at the boundary between good and evil.
In addition to the customs that are meant to protect animals, people and the house from evil spirits, this day is considered to have magical values, as it is believed that girls can see the one who is destined for love if they put basil under the pillow or follow various other rituals.
Saint Andrew, celebrated on November 30, is also considered the protector of the Romanians because he was the apostle who arrived on the territory of Dobrogea, Christianizing those who represent the ancestors of the Romanian people.
Much can be said about this holiday because popular traditions merge with Christian ones offering a wide and beautiful range of cultural traditions and customs.

18/11/2021

Today we are talking about an element without which we cannot live. It is about water and its importance both in everyday life and in terms of gastronomy.
If we carefully analyze the map of the Transcarpathian region, it is noteworthy that human life and settlements are concentrated along the riverbeds, in the valleys of the rivers Tisza, Uzh, Borzhava, Latorytsia and others. In the pre-industrial era, water mills were the safest way to turn cereals into flour. Some of them still operate today in Ukraine, especially in the village of Pryborzhavske. Another interesting aspect that denotes the importance of water is the fact that the wells were available not only for the family, but were located on the street, so that any passer-by could drink water.
In general, the local population of the region used water for cooking, quenching thirst and personal hygiene. Water was also essential for the preparation of various drinks, compotes or infusions of fresh fruit, dried fruit or plants such as shock flowers.
Both in this region of Ukraine and in Maramures, Romania is considered that pure water has healing properties and has been used as a basis for the preparation of many medicinal remedies, decoctions, tinctures or teas. For drinking or medicinal purposes, people often took water from sources rich in minerals and chemicals (hydrogen sulfide, selenium, etc.). Usually, this water is distinguished by smell, taste or other peculiarities and helps in problems related to rheumatism, sciatica, gastric disorders and heart disease. The locals call such mineral waters "kvasna" or "burkut" in Transcarpathia and "borcut" in Maramureș.
To date, 226 natural sources of mineral water with different chemical compositions and beneficial properties have been discovered in Transcarpathia. There are known mineral springs in the village of Velyka Roztoka, in the Duletyn and Kurtatske areas near the village of Berezynky in the Svaliava region, in the villages of Shaian, Kvasy, Velyka Kopania and others. This water is considered to be a source of health, a means to quench thirst even on the hottest days, as well as an indispensable component of the favorite drink of the people of Transcarpathia - "frych", wine diluted with mineral water.
In addition to medicinal and gastronomic purposes, water (sacred, enchanted and / or uninitiated) played an important role in the sphere of the ritual of baptism. For example, everywhere in Transcarpathia, Ukraine, but also in Maramures, Romania, babies were bathed in holy water, over which were added chamomile flowers, larch, stone flowers or Ivan's tea.
In Romania, water is also an essential ingredient when it comes to food. The most common dishes, such as bread, polenta, soups or pickles contain water. Maramureș is full of springs where locals and tourists can get water. Some of these springs are even famous for their properties and water qualities, such as the Ciontolan Spring at the foot of the Gutâi Mountains, used by the inhabitants of Baia Sprie and Baia Mare.
From borcut or salt water, to crystalline freshwater springs, Maramureș (Romania) offers a wide variety of water sources that locals use with confidence in various uses. For example, salt water is used as brine to preserve pieces of bacon after slaughtering pork, but also to prepare jars of cabbage and cucumbers for long winters in Maramureș.

Discover more curiosities about the Via Gastrocarpathia route here: https://viagastrocarpathia.com/
Pictures by Nadiia Keretsman

01/11/2021

Every year, at the beginning of November, the people from Maramureș, Romania, start celebrating the Day of the Dead, which they also call Lunimation. According to popular legends, on the first day of November, the gates between the two worlds open, making it possible for the living to meet the dead. It is interesting that regardless of religion, believers go out to greet passed relatives and friends with flowers and candles.
It is said that on this day you must not be stingy or selfish. Thus, people give alms for the souls of the dead. In some villages, the custom of taking fresh water to the graves until sunrise is also preserved. But only children are worthy to do so, for they are pure and have pure souls. It is said that the dead are still thirsty and should be given alms water in addition to food.
On the Day of the Dead, the cemeteries are beautifully lit from the thousands of candles brought to commemorate the loved ones who left us. It is an uplifting moment that offers each of us the opportunity to reconnect emotionally with our loved ones, even if they are no longer physically with us.
Light, Gift, Alms, but also Water, are complex symbols in popular culture and indispensable in important moments of the year, as is the Day of the Dead.

🔍 Discover more curiosities about the Via Gastrocarpathia route here: https://viagastrocarpathia.com/


📷 Photo Source: https://cluj24.ro

27/10/2021

Today we will present an interesting object used both for practical and artistic reasons. Talking about rural crafts in BAZ County, Hungary, growing fodder and animal breeding was characteristic along the river in the southern plains of this county. Thus, shepherding and shepherds’ arts are related to these two factors. The most necessary, but at the same time the most visible element of the equipment used by a shepherd it is the shepherd's staff. Even though the regional features in shepherds’ art are still unclear, a shepherd’s staff is not only a piece of equipment, it is considered to be a trade-sign. Shepherds usually have two kinds of staffs: one for weekdays and other one for holidays. The former one is thicker and stronger, while the latter one is more decorated. Beautiful and specific staffs from the Bükk mountains are displayed in Herman Ottó museum. They are about one meter high, crooked and are carved in relief. Their upper part is leaned at a right angle and their lower part is carved using the natural shape of the branch. In the north-east of Hungary staffs are called ’binkó’ and in Borsod county their name is ’fütykös’. The upper part of them is usually heavier and wider. There are also specific staffs which are covered with terne-plates. Other characteristic staffs have a shepherds’ crook at their ends to separate a sheep from the flock. Shepherds’ axes are outstanding relics the top of which was made by blacksmiths. They were decorated by shepherds. The shepherds used a bullwhip with a short handle. The inside of bullwhips was made of hemp-rope and the outside of them was knitted from a belt. They were used by cowmen, horse-herders, and swineherds. Wooden cups called ’csanak’ had a cylindric or oval cross section and their handle was carved decoratively. Shepherds carried them hanged on a belt or a haversack.

Photos - Fütykös, "F. K." jellel - Provenance/Rights: Herman Ottó Múzeum, Miskolc [CC BY-NC-SA]
Source: https://hu.museum-digital.org/index.php?t=objekt&oges=356138

🔍 Discover more curiosities about the Via Gastrocarpathia route here: https://viagastrocarpathia.com/