The Lions of Arcuș

Located just three kilometres north-west of Sfântu Gheorghe, the village of Arcuș is the closest to the county capital, almost an amalgamation of the two, but has always proudly preserved its identity. The town's proximity has never had a significant absorbing effect, and the short commute, both in time and distance, has never been a problem for those working in Sfântu Gheorghe.

It is an old historical municipality with rich archaeological finds. During the Ottoman-Tatar invasions, the inhabitants found shelter in the extensive forests of the area, in the place called Várhegy (Castle Hill), and in the Unitarian fortress church. It is the oldest surviving listed fortress church in the region, dated 1639, based on the date written on the eastern side of the castle wall. A special feature is that each family in Arcuș had its own chest and hook in the bastions, where food was stored in preparation for any possible Turkish raids. Today, one of the bastions houses a museum of local history.

The most famous sight of the village, the neo-Baroque castle of the Baron Szentkereszti family, built in 1870, with its gates decorated with resting lions, is located in the middle of an arboretum with valuable rare tree species. During the decades of communism, the building was home to the Arcuș Cultural Centre, where important concerts and other events were held. The castle, which was reclaimed and repossessed by the family, is still partly at the service of the community, and an annual youth festival is held in its garden.

Samu Csinta