On a small rise on the southern edge of the village of Rakacaszend stands one of Hungary's most beautiful village churches - a building that hid its true medieval identity behind an unassuming 19th-century exterior for generations. It wasn't until the 1970s that archaeologists uncovered the remarkable story beneath the plaster: the foundations of a rare twin church and fragments of Gothic frescoes.

The atmosphere here is quiet and intimate, with a painted wooden ceiling from 1657 (the second oldest of its kind in Hungary) and surviving medieval frescoes depicting apostles and a bishop. The surrounding countryside of Rakacaszend is peaceful and rural, making this a lovely stop that combines history with a gentle walk through the village, especially charming in spring and autumn when the light plays beautifully on the old stone walls.

How to get there

• Village center of Rakacaszend, Rózsadomb road - a few minutes on foot, easy route, suitable for everyone

Practical information

• The key can be collected three houses down, at Rózsadomb út 14
• The church is a protected historic monument (heritage registration number: 998)
• Inside you can admire a 17th-century Moses chair and the painted ceiling from 1657 and 1821

Until the 19th century this was one of Hungary's extremely rare twin churches - a smaller 12th-century Romanesque chapel stood alongside a larger 13th-century stone church, until the older one was demolished in 1820.