Calvininist Church and School, Bábony

The buildings designed for the small Kalotaszeg community respond directly to local needs and economic possibilities. For this reason, the structure was intended not only as a church: the adjoining classroom also functioned as a school. In its modest scale and appearance, the building resembles a small chapel, characterized by its whitewashed façades and the small wooden turret rising from the gable.

Inside, the simplified coffered wooden ceiling and the restrained, plain furnishings typical of Reformed churches define the space. Several elements were salvaged from the earlier church, including the pulpit, the gallery, and details of the ceiling. Kós himself purchased the timber—specifically the dismantled bell tower—which was then re-erected at a nearby farmstead under construction.

“From the old church, the gallery, several fragments of the ceiling, and the pulpit dating from 1752–53 were transferred. The inscription on the gallery reads: ‘A.o. 1753. Made by János Asztalos Kövendi of Kolozsvár, together with his journeymen, namely Martinus Ridelli and György Árkosi.’”

“At Jód (Jódratosnya), he designed the first combined school–church–parsonage; this was followed by the similar project at Bábony. At Homoródfürdő, he placed the parsonage within the attic space.”

(Extracts from a letter by László Debreczeni to Dániel Borbáth.)