Cozmeni village with Lăzăreşti village forms an autonomous commune.
Cozmeni village
Cozmeni village is located in the south-eastern part Harghita County, at an altitude of 650 m and is crossed by DN12 between the Sânmartin and Tușnad communes on a flat relief, consisting of wide meadows, accompanied by low terraces and strips of piemontane plains forming passage towards the surrounding mountainous areas, creating the most favorable conditions for human settlements to development economically. Like many places in Seklerland the first official document of the village dates back to the 1332, year in which existence of an autonomous parish is mentioned and that its priest Imre payed 3,, banalis “to the tithe. The name of the village comes from Saint Cozma, martyr killed during the persecutions against the Christians ordered by the Emperor Diocletian in the third century B.C. The evolution Cozmeni village in the Middle Age was slow, as attested a document from 1567 showing that in the village there were only 17 “gates” (houses). Cozmeni village is famous because of its legislation which was drafted and adopted still in 1608. The oldest and yet most representative building Cozmeni commune is the fortified church (Roman Catholic), located in the center of the village. It dates back to the late 15th century and was originally built in Gothic style. During the 18th century it suffered a series of renovations. In the spirit of counterreformation, these renovations were made in Baroque style. The one who initiated these work was Péter Tompos, a Catholic priest, whose name is linked to the raising of the chapel on the bank of Lake Saint Anne. The representative monument of the village is the Roman Catholic Church, dedicated to Saint Kozma and Damján, built on the location of the old Roman style church. Near the church, the stone cross from 1710, respectively the manor-style parish, are monuments of art. Beside the Roman Catholic Church in the register of historical monuments is mentioned the parish building, after renovation in 1883 it acquired the character of a veritable manor, as well as and the wooden house of Lajos Szőcs (built in 1882). Over the 17th and 18th centuries Cozmeni village has encountered a series of unfortunate events. In 1661 the Habsburg policy of the Prince of Transylvania, János Kemény drew immediate reaction of the Turks. Ottoman troops led by Ali Pasha of Buda ravaged besides other places the Ciuc Basin Cozmeni village too. In 1719 the village had to face an epidemic of plague, to which 826 were victims. In remembrance of the victims in 1720 was placed a memorial tablet on the wall that surrounds the Roman Catholic Church. Sószék popular bath is in the territory of the commune.
GPS coordinate: 46°13′35″N 25°56′28″E
Lăzăreşti village
Lăzăreşti is at a distance of 4 km from Cozmeni village. The first official data of the village are recorded from 1365 and the name of the village comes from the founding family name Lázár (the family later moved to Lăzarea). Later, the village became the property Béldi, Petki and Apor families, being mentioned by the voivode of Transylvania Dénes in a letter to Péter vice-voivode. On the village territory supposedly were 48 mineral springs. The village boundaries stretch to the top of the Ciomad Mountain and to Lake Saint Anne. The Roman Catholic Church from Lăzăreşti was built in 1883 in Neobaroque style and it was dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. The altar was built by József Miklós with András Antal master carpenter and the church organ is the work of József Boda. Among village residents were more stone sculptors, which is confirmed by the numerous crosses, houses, stone gate pillars. The best known is the cross stone that indicates where the Roman Catholic chapel was destroyed by fire in 1882. Greek Catholic Church was built in 1742. In 1914 the Greek-Catholic believers were converted to Roman Catholic religion and the church remained without believers. Miklóssy mansion was purchased by residents of the commune from the former owner in the interwar period, after which it was transformed into house communal culture. The historical monument and memorial stone erected in memory of the soldiers who died in World Wars is in the village cemetery. Also here we find the gravestone of Captain National Defence Miklóssy József reminding us of the revolution of 1848-1849. Nyír popular bath is at the exit of the village. Lăzăreşti village is considered the richest in mineral waters in the region, on the territory of the village being located more than 40 mineral springs, in the area of the village called “Borvíztető” coming to the surface several springs.
GPS coordinate: 46°11′30″N 25°56′36″E
TORIST TRAIL:
Cozmeni village- Lăzăreşti village (650 m) – Chapel Field –Balvanyos Fortress (950 m)
Marking: red cross
Duration: 5-6 h
Length: 15.5 km
Level difference: 385 m
The only tourist route which connects the Lower Ciuc with the fortress of Balvanyos.