Discover Neuburg: Fossils, Basalt and Living History

Neuburg combines striking evidence of the Earth’s history with a vibrant culture and fascinating glimpses into the past. The story ranges from fossils preserving a prehistoric world, through rocks shaped by volcanic activity, to a village that vividly brings rural life in earlier times to life. If you would like to combine nature experiences with culture on your trip, you can take these different highlights into account when choosing which places to visit.

Fossils and Basalt Landscapes

Ipolytarnóc Fossils Nature Reserve is home to fossils from a prehistoric world destroyed by a volcanic catastrophe 17 million years ago. Preserved remains include shark teeth, petrified trees, leaf impressions and fossilised animal tracks. The site has been protected since 1944 and is a gateway to the cross-border UNESCO Global Geopark Novohrad-Nógrád. It offers a distinct focus for anyone who wants to explore natural history through actual finds, not just in exhibitions.

In the Karancs-Medves Landscape Protection Area, the Boszorkány-kő geological trail illustrates basalt volcanism dating back 2.4 to 5.2 million years. Established in 1989, the protected area currently covers 6,928.6 ha. Along the trail, you can see the varied rock formations of a small fissure volcano: inclusions of sediment torn up from deep underground, curved lava sheets and basalt columns formed by weathering. Those who would like to explore geological formations in greater detail can visit the Geocsodák House in Salgótarján, with its interactive exhibitions and talks on geology. The area also has more than 30 accessible walking trails with information boards, which you can explore independently or with a hiking guide.

The Petőfi sétány offers another way to connect landscape and history: this walking trail runs between Somoskő Castle and Salgó Castle. The Eresztvényi Visitor Centre is in a woodland beside a playground, and also offers panoramic views of Salgó Castle.

Village Life, Literature and Regional History

The old village of Hollókő is a Palóc settlement in Nógrád County in northern Hungary. Carefully preserved as a living example, it offers a glimpse of rural life before the 20th-century agricultural revolution. For a trip focused on tradition and everyday history, Hollókő offers a different experience from the geological sites and trails.

Literary themes can be found in several places. The Madách Imre Memorial House in Csesztve devotes its permanent exhibition to the history of the Madách family, with a focus on “Az ember tragédiája”. The permanent literary history exhibition at the Mikszáth Kálmán Memorial Museum in Horpács is titled “MIKSZÁTH”. Visitors can also stroll and relax in a protected natural area in the park of the Madách manor house in Csesztve.

The Pásztó Museum is housed in a Baroque Cistercian monastery building rebuilt in 1717–1718. Alongside permanent and temporary exhibitions, the museum presents a medieval glassworks and blacksmith’s workshop as an open-air exhibition. This is considered a unique industrial heritage monument in Hungary. The Kubinyi Ferenc Museum is located in Castle Park in Szécsény. Its permanent exhibitions cover archaeology and natural history, the history of Szécsény Castle, and Körösi Csoma.

Mining history has its own destination, too: the underground mining museum in Salgótarján is located in the preserved tunnels of the József-Lejtenschacht, which was established in 1937. It opened to the public in 1965 as Europe’s second museum in an original mine.

Pilgrimage and Special Visits

Mátraverebély-Szentkút was solemnly declared a national shrine by Cardinal Primate Erdő Péter in 2006, during the pilgrimage for the Assumption of Mary. From Route 21, reach Szentkút via Mátraverebély and then take the 5 km access road into the Szentkút Valley. Those interested in religious history can also visit the Franciscan church and monastery in Szécsény on a guided tour. According to tradition, the Rákóczi Hall is associated with Francis II Rákóczi having slept there during the 1705 Diet.

At Ipolytarnóc Fossils Nature Reserve, guided tours along the geological trail are scheduled every hour from 9:30 am. A ticket for a set departure time is required. Keep this fixed schedule in mind when planning your day; other activities—such as visiting a village, seeing literary exhibitions or walking between two castles—can be arranged differently.

Explore More Places Nearby

For further orientation within the region: Pásztó, Bátonyterenye, Salgótarján, Balassagyarmat, Rétság and Szécsény. Other destinations at this level include Székesfehérvár and Esztergom.

For the broader travel overview: Hungary.