The Scientific Collection of the Reformed College - Sarospatak

This town of monuments was for many generations an important cultural centre due to its Reformed Church College, which was one of the strongest "fortresses" of education in Hungary from the mid-16th century.
Between 1650 and 1654 the Czech Johannes Amos Comenius, who was an eminent figure in the history of teaching, taught in this institution. He wrote his work entitled "Orbis sensualium pictus" ("The Visible World") in Patak; this book is a pioneer work on the field of education based on visual aids.
During the long history of the College many personalities of Hungarian literary and political life were among the students. The statues put in the garden of the school keep the memories of these personalities and of the sponsors of the school alive.
The classical main building, which can be seen today, was built at the beginning of the 19th century. In the library of rare beauty there are around 2000 volumes left from the stock of the old College library, founded in 1531. Most of these books are real masterpieces of fine workmanship, with ornamented parchment bindings.
The leaders of the College considered gymnastics to be as important as the training of the mind. This idea is embodied in the oldest palaestra/gymnasium ("Testgyakorda") of Hungary that was built in 1878.
The only side-wing of the College existing today is the so called Berna row and it acquired its Baroque character in 1773; nowadays it is home to scientific collections and there is an exhibition on religious art and the history of the schools of the East Tisza Reformed Church District.