Page 230 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Hungary
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228 HUNGAR Y REGION B Y REGION THE NOR THERN HIGHLANDS 229
0 Aggteleki centuries. It was the Rákóczis
National Park who built Szerencs Castle at
the beginning of the 16th
Aggteleki Nemzeti Park century, today the mostvisited
Tengerszem oldal 1, Jósvafő. attraction in the town.
Road Map E2. Tel (48) 50 60 00. Converted to domestic use
£ from Miskolc. @ from Budapest. after defeat against the Turks,
n Baradla oldal 1, Aggtelek (048) the castle houses the Zempléni
50 30 00. ∑ anp.hu Museum, which tells the story
of Rákóczi Zsigmond and the
First established in 1985, the castle’s military history, as well
Aggteleki National Park is one of as boasting the largest postcard
Hungary’s World Heritage Sites. collection in the world (over
It straddles the Slovak border, The Cave Baths in Miskolctapolca, unique in Europe 900,000). Exhibits also include
and officially also includes a vast period furniture, arms and the
area of the Slovak Karst National early humans thousands of years over centuries, the caves artistic works of goldsmiths.
Park. Large parts of the park are ago, all knowl edge of it was lost, contain water that is high in Szerencs’s main source of
The Fátyol Step-Waterfall in Szilvásvárad covered with deciduous forest, and its entrance was rediscovered calcium and magnesium, and wealth and employment was,
with clearings scattered liberally only in 1569. The cave was fully is particularly suited for treating until its closure some years
9 Szilvásvárad is known to have provided throughout the area. These mapped in 1839, and has been joint and back problems. The ago, a huge sugar factory –
shelter for prehistoric people rocky outcrops provide a open to the public ever since. water is a warm 30° C (86° F) the third largest in Europe.
30 km (19 miles) north of Eger. Road
Map E2. * 1,700. £ from Eger. @ as early as 7,000 years ago. perfect habitat for rare plants There are entrances in both all year round. The cave baths In the town’s Sugar Museum
from Budapest, Eger. _ Bükk Carriage and insects, including giant Aggtelek and Jósvafő. Many are surrounded by a large park one can see fascinating
Driving Trophy (last weekend in Jul). G Szilvásvárad Stud Farm swallow tail butterflies, as well caverns have been spectacularly with a rowing lake, and there details about the history
Egri út 16. Tel (36) 56 44 00. as 220 species of birds. Imperial lit. Parts of the cave are open is also a cave chapel nearby. and technology of sugar beet
Szilvásvárad is a leading centre Open 8am–7pm daily. & 7 eagles and woodpeckers are a to allcomers, but the best way While the 150m (492ft) long cultivation and sugar produc
of Hungarian equestri an ism, and common sight. There are to view it is on a tour. There cave baths are the primary tion, and displays some 800
white Lipizzaner horses – the E Lipizzaner Horse-Breeding marked nature trails, includ ing are several to choose from, attraction, the resort also offers sugar packages from around
Exhibition
same breed as those used at Park utca 8. Tel (36) 56 44 00. a 7-km (4-mile) trail from all beginning at the Aggtelek all the attractions of a conven the world.
the famous Spanish Riding School Open May–Oct: 9am–noon, 1–5pm Aggtelek to Jósvafő. entrance; one tour of 7 hours tional thermal bath com plex, The Gothic Reformed church
in Vienna – are bred at the Tue–Sun; Nov–Apr: 9am–noon & The park also has some takes in a part of the cave complete with sauna, massage on Kossuth tér dates from 1480,
Szilvásvárad Stud Farm (Állami 1–5pm Sat & Sun, or by appointment. 200 caves to explore, of which known as Domica under and other treatments, near and hosted the Hun gar ian
Ménesgazdaság Szilvásvárad). & 7 the longest system – both Slovakian terri tory. Occasionally freezingcold plunge pools and, parlia ment in 1605. Three
The farm is open for visitors, who in the park and in Hungary – the cave, which boasts splendid on the recreational side, water generations of the Rákóczi
can also book riding and even E Open-Air Forestry Museum is the Baradla Cave (Baradla acoustics, hosts classical and slides and children’s pools. family are buried in the crypt.
carriage-driving courses here. Szalajka-völgy. Tel (36) 35 55 05. Bar lang). At 25 km (16 miles), other music concerts. Szerencs also has an elaborate
In July an international carriage- Open Apr–Oct: 9am–4pm daily it extends into Slovakia. though badly weathered
driving race takes place here. (Oct: to 3pm); Nov–Mar: 9am–2pm While archaeol ogi cal evidence T Baradla Cave e Szerencs Baroque Greek Orthodox
The village itself has more daily. 7 suggests the cave was used by Baradla oldal 1, Aggtelek. Tel (48) 50 32 km (20 miles) east of Miskolc. Road church, built in 1799, on Ondi
information on the famous horses 30 00. Open (guided tours only) Apr– Map F2. * 11,000. £ from Miskolc, utca in the north of the town.
in its fascinating Lipizzaner Sep: 8am–5pm daily; Oct–Mar: 8am– Budapest. @ from Budapest.
Horse-Breeding Exhibition 3pm daily; Oct: 8am–5pm Sat. & E Zempléni Museum
(Lipicai Lóte nyésztés Történeti The little town of Szerencs is Rákóczivár. Tel (47) 77 77 70.
Kiállítás). Also on display here q Miskolc dominated by its historical links Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. 8 7
are a number of coaches and a with the Rákóczi family, who E Sugar Museum
complete working smithy. See pp230–31. owned the town and much Gyár út 1. Tel (47) 77 77 72.
But there is more to Szilvás várad of the surrounding area for Open 8am–4pm daily.
than horses – it is also the gateway w Miskolctapolca
to the beautiful Szalajka Valley.
A narrow-gauge steam railway Pazár sétány, Miskolctapolca.
runs the 5 km (3 miles) from the Road Map E2. Tel (46) 56 00 30. @
village to Szalajka-Fátyol-vizesés, from Búza tér, Miskolc. Open May–
site of the gentle but wide Fátyol Aug: 9am–7pm daily; Sep–Dec, Feb–
Step-Waterfall, as well as the Apr: 9am–6pm daily. & 7 0 -
Open-Air Forestry Museum = ∑ barlangfurdo.hu
(Szabadtéri Erdészeti Múzeum).
The exhibits of early people’s tiny The cave baths of Miskolctapolca,
huts, furnaces and ele mentary set amid the back drop of the
hunting tools are fascinating. Bükk Hills, are the most spec
At the head of the valley is the tacular in Hungary. A vast resort
Istállóskő Cave, which burrows has grown around the caves,
under Mount Istállóskő – at 959 m which, discovered in the 16th
(3,146 ft) the highest peak in the century, have been attracting
Bükk Mountain Range. The cave Spectacular rock formations in the Baradla Cave in Aggteleki National Park bathers ever since. Carved out Szerencs Castle, housing the Zempléni Museum
For hotels and restaurants see pp264–269 and pp276–285
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