National and historical symbols of Hungary

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Fülöp

(County Hajdú-Bihar)

Shield erect, the base curved to a point. It bears: azure, a tobacco leaf or on the dexter side and a sword in pale argent on the sinister side. Across the top a five-pointed coronet verdured or lined gules, adorned with gems azure and gules; and for the mantling raspberry leaves enfiling the shield, with a respberry gules on both sides.

The sword symbolises that the village was given to Chief Fülöp for his services rendered, while the tobacco leaf refers to the fact that the villagers grew tobacco in the past and they do this in our days as well.

Fülöp is the county's easternmost settlement, neighbouring on the Romanian border. Situated at 40 kms east of Debrecen, it is accessible from trunk road 48.

The village is located in the southern part of the Nyírség region, in an area of picturesque paraboloid sand dunes. Many thousand years ago, the wind had carried the sand and shaped it into dunes. Since then, the motion of the sand happened only rarely, as a result of human interference. The height of the dunes is 15-18 metres, and some of them are as long as two kilometres. The settlement was built on the heath between the one-time river beds. Thus it does not have a major stream; it is only the brooklet Fülöp-ér that runs across it. Prior to the regulation of waters, the area had been covered with oak forests intermittent with swampy spots. Since then most of the swamps have been drained and replaced by pastures and hayfields.

The name Fülöp was first mentioned in writing in the 13th century, for it was then that a warrior called Fülöp, a member of the Zóvárd family, obtained this area of 5,500 hectares as a reward for his valour in battles. Following this, the settlement was referred to as a part of Nyírábrány until 1946, when it got separated.

The local cultural centre gives home to various amateur groups, which organise exhibitions and give performances on a regular basis. The library has 8,000 volumes.

For a long time, in the village the agricultural co-operative used to be the major employer. Since its liquidation and still today, the village fields have been cultivated by agricultural entrepreneurs and smallholders. Because sandy soil is generally not of the best quality, the dwellers of Fülöp grow raspberry and tobacco.

At the eastern edge of the village called Bánháza, one can find the 200-year-old listed building of the chapel. Next to the pulled-down and then rebuilt Catholic church there stands an old wooden bell cage.

Pictures:

1. The mayor's office

2. Roman Catholic church