HORTOBÁGY

Village with 1,640 inhabitants 35 km west of Debrecen.

The environment is an alkaline, grassy plain between the Hajdúság and the river Tisza, which was controlled in the 1840s, making the area the biggest plain in Central-Europe. The region is part of the World Heritage. Its area is 80,000 hectares, it is a nature conservation area. Shepherding, horse breeding, fishing and breeeding of indigenous animals are typical of this region. There used to be 50 settlements here.

Sights of the village include the Baroque Hortobágy Inn (1781), rebuilt in 1830; the Nine-span Bridge (the longest stone bridge of Europe); the Animal Park, the Herdsmens Museum, Hortobágy Gallery, the Circular House and shepherds edifices.

The Hortobágy National Park is the first nature reserve in Hungary with more than 230 protected bird species. Several hundred thousand tourists are attracted by the sights of intact nature every year.