Egyek: Marshes, Water and Local History

Egyek brings together protected landscapes and waterways with distinctive buildings and places of remembrance. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Egyek, you can first consider whether nature, outdoor activities or local history will be the focus of your stay. Themes range from marshes and forest conservation to a church on the main square and a school building with a distinctive façade depiction.

Landscape and Water in Egyek

Most of the Ohat-erdő TVT lies within Egyek’s administrative boundaries. The area is strictly protected and may be visited only with permission. Obtain permission before planning a visit. The remaining parts of the Pusztakócsi marshes have been protected since 1973. In the Egyek-Pusztakócsi marshes presentation area, you can explore on foot or by bicycle; check in advance for any restrictions on the specific route.

Another landscape feature is the 173-hectare Göbe-erdő, also called Göbe-morotva. It lies mostly in Tiszadorogma and, to a lesser extent, within Egyek’s territory. Waterways are also part of the local landscape: part of the Ohati fishponds is fed by the Nyugati-főcsatorna, and the Ohat IV fishing lake is also located in Egyek. You can therefore encounter different natural and water features, although they do not all have the same visiting conditions.

Buildings and Places of Remembrance

On Egyek’s main square stands a late Baroque, Empire-style Roman Catholic church with stone statues of Saints Peter and Paul. On the green in front of the church is a First World War memorial created by Horváth Béla. It depicts Christ holding a fallen soldier in his arms.

The school building of the Újtelepi általános iskola, built in 1925, offers a different architectural accent. It is designed in the Székler style. Its façade depicts the scene of the Blood Oath with Árpád; the Hungarian coat of arms is shown in the centre. The church and school building thus offer different perspectives on the town’s architectural history.

The Kálváriás Cemetery on Bartók-Béla Street is another of Egyek’s distinctive historical landmarks. It lies on a double kurgan and is the only exclusively Catholic cemetery in Hajdú-Bihar County.

More Nature and Culture in Hajdú-Bihar

The wider destination of Hajdú-Bihar offers distinctive regional experiences. The Hortobágyi Nemzeti Park – the Puszta World Heritage property covers nearly 75,000 hectares in the Great Hungarian Plain in eastern Hungary. As a cultural landscape, it preserves visible evidence of more than 2,000 years of traditional pastoralism.

The Hortobágyi-halastó nature trail offers routes of 3.6, 5.4 and 10 kilometres, with no difficult sections. This makes it easy to choose your preferred distance. The Shepherd Museum offers a different perspective on the world of shepherds: it presents their lives, as well as handcrafted clothing, tools and decorated personal items. The museum is housed in a former coach house that belonged to the Hortobágyi Csárda complex.

For a guided nature experience, the Hortobágy Wildlife Park offers a bookable Land Rover safari to see wild horses and aurochs. An expert guide is included. The region offers a range of ways to explore: walking routes, insights into shepherd culture and a guided safari.

Discover More Destinations

Tiszacsege, Balmazújváros, Hortobágy

Return to the broader travel overview: Balmazújvárosi.