Szentistvánbaksa

Szentistvánbaksa is a village in the middle of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County in northeastern Hungary.[1]

Szentistvánbaksa
Village
Country	Hungary
Regions	Northern Hungary
County	Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

In short it is called Baksa (the name "Szentistván" comes from the name of the king who founded the state of Hungary, St. Stephen[2]). It is a hilly area in the valley of the river Hernád.[3] Miskolc[4] is around 26 kilometres far, Szikszó[5] is 15 kilometres far from the village. From Main Road 37 one can see a wonderful panorama of the river as one travels through Megyaszó,[6] one can also see the church of the latter village from up the hill.

Approachability

Szentistvánbaksa can be approached by car on Main Road 3. It is connected to Miskolc[7] and surrounding villages via Volán buses. The Halmaj train station is situated only 5 kilometres from Szentistvánbaksa, so it can be approached this way as well. If one is very adventurous, they can reach the village through the river as well, as it is suitable for travelling via kayak and canoe(sportspeople use it for these activities). The bank of the river is very wild and picturesque, a perfect place for hiking, chilling, fishing, and one can also swim in the river during the hot season. In summer it is a popular venue for swimming.

The number of inhabitants in the village is between 200 and 300.[8]

History

Szentistvánbaksa is located in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County[9]], which used to be Abaúj-Torna County.[10] It was the oldest settlement of Abaúj County.[11]

Two etymological theories explain the village's name's origin. According to the first, in the oak and beech forests charcoal-burners settled down. They piled up the shredded wood in a hemispheric shape, these were the so-called boksas. According to the second, the name of the village is derived from a Hungarian term used for feeding salt to goats (hundreds of years earlier there were many goats in the territory, their milk and meat was used for nutrition before cows became widespread). This term is ’baksózó’ (bak is the Hungarian word for a male goat and ’sózás’ is giving salt to someone/something.

The name Baksa/Baxa can be found on an anonymous charter from 1262. The inhabitants were castle warriors at that time (this institution was disbanded in the 14th century).

Szentistvánbaksa is a significant archaeological site of Borsod-Abaúj-Zempén county. Multiple burial chambers were found in the fields over Baksa. They date to the 2nd or 3rd century BC and from the Avar culture. The largest of them is called the Avar-hill. in the 1930s people from the archaeological section of the Hermann Ottó Museum carried out research in the biggest hill – crypt – which still stands 10 meters above the field which it is surrounded by. (Most of the hills are already covered by the fields and they are not really visible by the naked eye, but one can make out their outlines using Google Earth). Ceramic dishes and Avar weapons were found. Still in the fields one can find many ceramic pieces. Sometimes ploughs uncover pieces of stone from the ground, which were carried there by the Avars from the mountains.

Szentistvánbaksa had a mill in 1320, which is the proof of grain production.

In 1576 the village's landlord is Imre Appony, with whom the village converted to the reformed religion. In 1608 Szentistvánbaksa belongs to the Reformed diocese of Abaúj. In 1627 in the country's record book its name is written as Lower-Baksa or Szent-István-Baksa. In 1635 the settlement was ravaged by the Turkish, and its inhabitants fled. The next centuries had been a struggle for the people. During the Rákóczi Insurrection barely anybody lived here.

In the 18th century the village was resettled with reformed Hungarians. 1833 it had a reformed church, a synagogue, 90 houses and 691 inhabitants, as well as one flour mill.

During the First World War, 11 people died a heroic death. Their memorial can be found at the beginning of the cemetery.

Activities

In the ”village house” one can see an exhibition of old household objects from the village. Occasional ceremonies are also held here, handcraft activities for children, singing or reading out poems on the Day of Poetry.

Around the 20th of August the inhabitants of the village usually celebrate the founding of the state by St. Stephen with singing and dancing performances and slicing and eating bread, which is the symbol of the founding of the state.[12]