The general idea of the Visitors’ Centre in the Gyulavári Castle was based on the concept that we would like to present the ethnographical, cultural and natural-environmental values and the possibilities of economic development in the Southern-Plain Region in this castle residence in a new way. This means that the visitors get to know the region’s past and present, while also facing its future - a future, which can only be correctly planned if the development can be sustained. Our major aim has been to contribute to spread the fame of the Southern-Plain in Hungary and internationally as well, and to strengthen the local people’s identity, and through these to develop the local economy and decrease migration.

We organized the exhibitions’ thematics in the castle, the future programs and events based on these aims, and we tried to locate this facility in the region’s touristic supply according to these principles.

The Castle covers three major topics: traditions, culture and sustainable development. These three terms are logically linked to each other: traditions determine culture, while the wider concept of culture highly influences our future.

The traditions are revived through a local history exhibition and an exhibition of the folk art products of the ethnicities, who have been living in the Southern-Plain Region for hundreds of years. Besides the exhibitions we are planning to make these old professions “alive” with the help of local folk artists, and this way our visitors could see the values of folk art with their own eyes. The region’s fine arts will play a major role in the cultural part of the castle, and other branches of art will also be presented at the planned programs and other events.

Within the topic of sustainable development we are going to present the region’s natural resources, the natural life of local waters and forests, and we would like to draw attention to the importance of organic bio-farming, which could be a possible way of achieving economic success for the traditionally agriculture-oriented Southern-Plain Region. The conference room could make the Castle an intellectual center of Békés County, making organic farming even more popular.

We believe that besides all the above mentioned, the Castle of Gyulavári will also be an information center, an important role of which will be to present the eco-touristic values of the Southern-Plain and to support the development of this branch of tourism.

We are planning to operate the facility in a way that considering the above mentioned aspects, we will organize exciting exhibitions, programs and events for all age groups. We hope that both young students and elders will find something interesting here. We hope that the Castle could provide good experiences for the tourists visiting the Spa of Gyula as well. And we also believe that within a few years, our facility will be an acknowledged member of the organizations spreading sustainable development.