The Treasure of Giants

According to Balázs Orbán, the unique describer of Szeklerland, the legend says that a giant lived there, who taking only a few steps reached Băile Bálványos in Turia and the castle in Boroșneu. But for all his greatness and power, he had to retreat from the region, but first, he made a huge cellar in the belly of the mountain and hid some of his treasure there. For a long time, the people of the countryside who lived by this belief were diligently digging for what they thought was treasure.

Although no one has found a cellar, the high plateau of the gentle foothills, the Órisápince Hill, 15 kilometres from Sfântu Gheorghe on the left side of the road towards the Oituz Strait, has been a sacral hilltop among the sights of Covasna County for some time. There is a special path leading to the roof through 12 gates, and at the end of this path, there is a stone altar under a structure made of beams, reminiscent of a yurt. Visitors can admire the panoramic view of the Târgu Secuiesc Depression at any time, but since 2011, a special event has been attracting visitors every summer: the Szekler Gallop, which is the preliminary round of the Hungarian National Gallop. The event, which has been held for two days in recent years, has everything to do with horses, horse breeding, and the relationship of the Szekler people with horses. At the same time, it is a rare occasion when, in addition to the racehorses and their riders, the boys - and sometimes girls - who, jumping on horses from Szekler village households, can show off their skills to each other like their ancestors.

Samu Csinta