Santovka's pavilion, then and now. (source: KPÚ Nitra and Village of Santovka)
Today it's a village, but in the Austro-Hungarian period it was a sought-after spa resort: Santovka was famed for the mineral water that was bottled here and delivered all over Europe.
The spa atmosphere was embodied by a filagory, or wooden pavilion, in the middle of the village's park. It covered the drinking stand from which the healing mineral water emerged.
The pavilion was made in 1885 and presented at a national exhibition held in Budapest under the auspices of Crown Prince Rudolph.
During its almost 140 years in Santovka, it has undergone just minor repairs. However, it is now ready for a major renovation. The municipality recently announced that it has become the owner of this cultural monument, which is the first step towards future restoration.
The skill of the carvers of the time, and also the location of the filagory in the historical park, predestined it for special use. The municipality is considering, for example, wedding ceremonies or chamber concerts.
When Santovka was in the limelight
At that time, it was a unique building, featuring oriental architecture. The impressiveness of the wooden pavilion was underlined by the carved ornamental and lattice fillings, columns with capitals, rosettes and colorful design.
