Description

In 1332, the settlement was mentioned for the first time in a written document under the name Buduk. By the first half of the 14th century, the village was already a parish settlement with a Székely (Szekler) population.
In 1495 it appears under the name Bodog, and in 1508 and 1614 as Bodok.

Before 1440, the village was the property of the Bodoki family. From this period we find references to László Bodoki, János Bodoki, as well as György Bodoki, mentioned in a document as cantor of the church in Alba Iulia; also mentioned are Tamás Bodoki and magister Tamás, the administrator of the “Holy Cross” altar, who later became a canon – his name is also known in the form Szentkereszti.

In 1495, Antalné Cserjék of Bodog, Márta – daughter of Balázs Szentgyörgyi – divided the estate of her late father, Balázs Szentgyörgyi.

In 1597, the memoirist Mikó Miklós, secretary to Prince Bethlen Gábor (†1668), lived here.

In 1910, the village had 919 inhabitants, mostly Hungarian. Until the Treaty of Trianon, it belonged to the Sepsi district of Trei Scaune County.
In 2011, out of 2,553 inhabitants, 2,396 were Hungarian and 89 Romanian.

Tourist attractions

The fortified Reformed church, surrounded by defensive walls, dates back to the 15th century and was rebuilt in 1651. The tower had to be reconstructed in the 19th century. The fortification walls form a semicircle; the missing section was demolished in the 1920s, and the stones were used for the construction of the school.

On the Bodoc Mountains promontory, towards the Olt Valley, lie the extensive ruins of Kincsás Fortress. Its name comes from the local belief that treasures were once buried in the area. The origin and history of the fortress are unknown, but it most likely served as a refuge in the Middle Ages.

Further down, along the stream, on a gate-shaped ridge, one can see the earth ramparts of Leányka Fortress.

The village is renowned for its mineral spring (Salus Spring), which is also bottled, as well as for its therapeutic baths.

The Bodoc Mountains

The Bodoc Massif is framed by the valleys of the Olt and Negru (Black River). The main peaks are:

• Kömöge – 1241 m
  
  
  
• Henter mezeje – 1213 m
  
  
  
• Bodoc Peak – 1194 m
  
  
  

In spring, the snowdrop meadows on the ridge are a rare natural attraction.

Along the forest road that climbs from Bodoc, following the Talamér Stream, about 4 km from the village, lies the so-called “Kövest”, where the flow of the stream has shaped a surface resembling a cobblestone road, with a small basin formed at its edge.

On the secondary ridge, east of the Besenyő Stream valley, rises the prominent Emberhányás Peak, surrounded by other, smaller elevations. On clear days, the entire Trei Scaune Depression and the surrounding mountain ranges can be seen from the ridge.

Bodoc mineral waters

The commune has several carbonated and non-carbonated springs, known for their therapeutic effects – beneficial for vascular, locomotor and gynecological conditions.

Of the seven springs, three are bottled under the name Bodoc Matild: Lenke, Vilma and Matild.

The first concessionaire of the spring was the entrepreneur György József, who named the water after his fiancée, Matild. Tradition says that he was the one who made “Matild” mineral water famous abroad as well.

According to local lore, during his visits to Vienna, he would pour mineral water from the bottle he carried in his bag into the fine wines served with his lunch in elegant restaurants, then invite the waiters to taste the sparkling mixture. After praising it aloud, the staff and guests alike were impressed, and the owners were persuaded to sign large-scale supply contracts with him. The popularity of “Matild” water grew rapidly, soon conquering Europe and even reaching overseas markets, once it became clear that its bound carbon dioxide content made sea transport possible.

Fortresses

There are no fully preserved fortresses remaining in the area today, only ruins whose exact construction dates cannot be precisely determined.
The fortresses that once existed include: Kincsás, Herecz, Leányka and Pince.

The area surrounding the fortresses Kincsás, Herecz and Leányka, located on the left bank of the Olt, has been declared an archaeological reserve.

Kincsás Fortress in Bodoc was archaeologically investigated in 1950. Stone walls, Iron Age pottery fragments and a medieval sword were discovered, indicating a medieval date. In earlier times, a vaulted underground passage led under the fortress, serving as a secret exit. The name “Kincsás” (“rich in treasure”) comes from the local legends about hidden treasures.
A tourist trail marked with a red circle leads to the fortress, starting from Olteni and passing through Bodoc.

Herecz Fortress, also known as Mikó Fortress, lies within the boundaries of Oltszem. In 1827, Count Mikó Miklós had the ruins demolished and used the stone to build his castle. The older stone houses in Oltszem and Mălnăș were also built from the fortress’s stone.

Legends say the fortress was built and inhabited by giants, who could reach Kincsás in just a few strides along the ridge. According to tradition, the giant who lived here ruled over nine villages: Olteni, Bodoc, Zoltan, Etfalău, Martonosi, Fotos, Ghidfalău, Angheluș and Pădureni. It is possible that the story relates to the ancestors of the Mikó family, present in the region since at least the 14th century.

Leányka Fortress stands northeast of Olteni, on the left bank of the Olt, on one of the ridges of the Bodoc Massif. Legend has it that the beautiful daughters of the Kincsás and Herecz fortresses were hidden here to keep them safe. A connecting road, known as the “Carriage Road”, is still accessible today as a marked tourist trail. It is said that the fortress was connected by a tunnel to Herecz/Mikó Fortress.

Pince Fortress once stood on a peak of 851 m above Zălan. Archaeologists classify it among the fortifications of the feudal period. No artefacts were found during the excavations, but tradition holds that a tunnel once connected the fortress to the village.

Tourist trails

• Red dot marking – to Leányka Fortress
  
  
  
• Yellow dot marking – to Kincsás Fortress (1–2 hours’ walking)

Did you know?

• The village of Olteni has been designated a bird-friendly village by the Ministry of the Environment. Ornithologists say that in the Oltfej area, within the village boundaries, lives the corncrake (Crex crex).
  This is depicted on the beautifully carved village signs at the entrances to the settlement and on the symbolic bird feeders in the village centre.

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