Érsekcsanád: Danube history and Veránka Island

Érsekcsanád reveals itself through its Danube history and a landscape shaped in part by the river. Veránka Island and the history of Csanád and Ófalu tell of changes along the river. There is also an ensemble of a flood-protection levee keeper’s house, a pumping station, mighty oak trees and ornamental trees. These features give a trip to Érsekcsanád a distinct focus between riverside scenery and history.

Veránka Island and traces of the river

Veránka Island covers 1,345 hectares; about 612 hectares of it are considered a strictly protected area. Its formation also explains its distinctive shape: the island was formed when a bend in the Danube was cut off. The old, meandering river branch and the new, straight river branch enclose it. Thus, two different river courses are directly linked to the formation of the island. The figures distinguish the size of the entire island from the area considered strictly protected.

The history of Csanád also leads to the changes along the river. The former settlement was in the Ófalu area, at the site of today’s Danube riverbed and about five kilometres west of the present-day settlement. As a result of river regulation, the Danube washed away a large part of Ófalu. Only a small area around Révcsárda remained between the Vajas and the Danube. This makes the local history tangible: Csanád and present-day Érsekcsanád are not simply in the same historical settlement location.

Another local impression comes from the combination of the Érsekcsanád levee keeper’s house, the pumping station, the mighty oaks and the ornamental trees. This ensemble can leave visitors exploring Érsekcsanád with a lasting memory. The building, technical installation and trees together offer a different way to experience the place than the history of the river branches and former settlement.

Bács-Kiskun: nature and culture across the wider travel region

Gemenc is also part of the wider Bács-Kiskun travel region. It is home to a particularly dense breeding population of black storks. Other characteristic birds of the area include the white-tailed eagle, listed in the Red List, and the imperial eagle.

In Tiszaalpár, the Tiszaalpár, Földvár educational trail introduces the history of the Bronze Age fortification of Tiszaalpári Földvár and the way of life of people of that period. The archaeological site is a specially protected area in Bács-Kiskun; it was designated as such under Regulation 3/2003. (I. 25.) NKÖM. A reconstruction of an Árpád-era village, built to mark the millennium, represents the settlement layout discovered during local excavations.

A distinct cultural highlight awaits you at the Kiskunhalasi Csipkeház and Csipkemúzeum. Visitors can learn about the history of Halas lace, which began in 1902, admire lacework that is centuries old and watch the lace-embroidery process. Thus, archaeology and textile crafts feature as distinct themes across Bács-Kiskun.

The landscape and its interpretation also add to the regional picture. The Boróka educational trail in Bugac is 1,100 metres long and has information boards and interactive stations, including a forest xylophone and a play telescope. Lake Szelid is a natural oxbow lake that developed from a branch of the Danube after the Ice Age. The educational trail about the lake’s blue-green algae is accessible on foot and by bicycle year-round. Its twelve information stations cover the lake’s development, the properties of its water, the organisms that live there and the wildlife in the surrounding area.

Choosing the right place for your holiday apartment

When looking for a holiday apartment in Érsekcsanád, consider whether the local river history, Veránka Island and the ensemble described here match the focus you’re looking for. The regional examples in Bács-Kiskun offer further topics: from Gemenc and its characteristic birds to the Bronze Age, lace, educational trails and waterscapes.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Nemesnádudvar, Baja / Frankenstadt, Csátalja, Dávod, Nagybaracska, Érsekhalma.

Return to the main travel overview: Bajai.