The Chapel of Rám and its cemetery hill have been given a separate, peaceful location within the Open-Air Museum for good reason. Every village once had its own cemetery, where local people could pay their respects to those who had gone before them.
Take a moment to pause in this quiet, natural setting and remember your loved ones who have passed away.
Chapel of Rám
The chapel built within the Village Museum is an exact replica of the chapel that still stands today in the village of Rám. On the adjacent cemetery hill are carved wooden grave markers, stone headstones and crosses, recreating the atmosphere of a traditional Göcsej village cemetery.
First World War Memorial Cross
Roadside crosses were erected not by the Church but by local communities as acts of personal devotion or gratitude, often at places associated with tragedy or hardship. This cross, erected in memory of the victims of the First World War, was a place where passers-by would stop to make the sign of the cross and offer a prayer. Men would remove their hats as a sign of respect, women brought fresh flowers, and on All Souls’ Day villagers lit candles and prayed for the fallen soldiers.
Marsh Forager’s Hut
Beyond the cemetery hill, beside the former channel of the Zala River, stands a traditional marsh forager’s hut. Before rivers were regulated and wetlands drained, marsh foragers also lived in the extensive wetlands of the Göcsej region.
During the 18th century, spring was the busiest season for marsh foraging, when melting snow flooded the meadows and marshlands. Marsh foragers gathered edible wetland plants, medicinal herbs, cattail fluff, bird eggs, feathers and leeches. During the winter, basket weaving became an important source of income, and they exchanged their handmade goods with villagers for food. This way of life – combining plant gathering, hunting and fishing – was primarily adopted by poor, landless peasants who depended on the natural resources of the wetlands for their livelihood.
