Folk Art
While in some places in the world, folk art is confined to a museum, in Hungary it is a living tradition. The spontaneous desire to delight and entertain, passed on from one generation to the next, is reflected in the diverse music, dance, crafts and costumes that can still be found all over the country today. What’s more, folk art is influenced by Serbian, Swabian, Slovakian, Romanian and Romany traditions from the waves of settlers that arrived in the region over the centuries.
Lace and embroidery are typical of Hungary, although techniques and designs vary from village to village. Halas lace, for example, from the Southern Puszta (Great Plain), is unique in its intricacy, and Kalocsa embroidered folk costumes bear an ancient motif commonly incorporated into wall paintings. When it comes to Hungarian pottery, decoration is as important as function – colourful plates often take the place of paintings on walls.
All of these traditional forms of folk art can be found in local markets and cottage workshops throughout Hungary. In addition, the Skanzen open-air village museum just outside Szentendre is a good place to start discovering traditional architecture, and there are several more dotted around the country. Souvenir hunters or antiques enthusiasts in Budapest should head for the Ecseri market, one of several market halls and the row of shops on Falk Miksa utca.