I visited the oak bell tower of Nyírbátor on my way back from my road trip in Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria.

Near the southwest corner of the Calvinist Church in the medieval Hungarian market-town of Nyírbátor, there is a unique 17th century late Renaissance wooden masterpiece of Transylvanian joinery. My visit was a pleasant continuation of the similar wooden architecture in Maramures and in Transylvania. I parked my car near a small synthetic futsal pitch for free just next to the belfry.

The standalone wooden bell tower of Nyírbátor is the oldest and the largest of its kind in Hungary. Its shingled skirting and gallery give the impression of a bastion. With its artistic carvings it is a majestic piece of early 17th century folk architecture. I was lucky that there was a local council outing when I visited so I simply asked politely whether I could climb the belfry to the top and they were more than happy to add another happy visitor.

A steep wooden staircase made up of three straight sections leads up to the bell tower gallery, interrupted by resting floors. The bell house contains two bells hanging on separate belfries. The steep square based roof tops in an octagonal cap. There are four dainty circular turrets on the four corners of the roof structure showing the different restoration years: 1778, 1841, 1889 and 1928. The contemporary bell bears reliefs of the four evangelists. According to the engraved script, it was cast by George Weird of Eperjes in 1640 and it was commissioned by Stephen and Peter Bethlen.

I don't know if these seven bell towers will ever get inscribed as there already a number of similar wooden structures inscribed on the list. That said, on my next (almost yearly) trip to Tokaj, or when it is safer to visit all of Ukraine's WHS, I hope to be able to visit a couple of more locations of this tWHS.

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