Look just ahead-rising from a natural lookout at one of the highest points of Szamárhegy, you’ll spot an ornate, wrought iron cross with swirling vine designs set atop a sturdy stone base, its silhouette standing boldly against the sky-yep, that’s the Cross of the tobacco people.
Let’s travel back to the late 1700s when Szentendre’s hills weren’t just for tourists and selfies, but bursting with rows of grapevines and echoing with the laughter of grape-pickers. Tucked above the town, this striking baroque cross wasn’t just for show-it was a centerpiece for ritual, celebration, and blessing, especially just before harvest time. Imagine the grape-growers, the so-called “tobacco people”-no, they didn’t smoke all day, they were actually guild members with a quirky nickname-gathering here with their families. Picture the August sun, a gentle breeze, and the air alive with festivities, singing, and delicious smells from the busy market down by the church below. At this very spot, their precious grape harvest would be blessed, each year, in hopes of a bountiful yield (and maybe, excellent wine). The cross and the nearby church were built by Serbian immigrants, who managed to pick the steepest, wildest side of Szamárhegy for their neighborhood-maybe they liked a challenge! Over the years, the cross stood firm, watching as times changed, but if you look closely at the back of the base, you’ll spot a carved Serbian word-OBNOVЉEN-“renewed” in 1901, proof that the spirit of celebration and togetherness lives on in Szentendre, one joyful gathering at a time.
