The natural wonders of the Carpathian Basin

Many think that the 300 thousand m² big Carpathian Basin is an unmatched geographical region. According to nlcafe.hu, the Equator and the North Pole are almost the same distance afar from here. It starts with the Danube breaking through the Carpathians at the Dévény pass and ends with its exit at the Alduna pass. The Carpathian Basin is rich in natural wonders and even some records can be connected to the following places.

The world’s biggest helio-thermal lake: Bear Lake, Sovata

The lake found in the Transylvanian Maros County was formed by the obstruction of a swallet in 1875 after an abundant downpour. It got its name after its shape (it looks like a spread out bear skin). Due to the salt forming a deposit millions of years ago, the bottom water-bearing is salty, while the upper one is fresh. So the bottom layer of bigger density is able to keep the warmth from the sunrays. This is why the temperature of the 10 metre deep lake’s water can reach 35° Celsius on the surface (even 80 degrees has been measured once!).

An absolute curiosity in the world: the boxthorn tree in Debrecen

Anyone who’s been to the “Calvinist Rome” has probably visited the curiosity on the side of the church which could hardly be called a tree or a bush. According to tradition, the representatives of the old and new beliefs argued which one would finally triumph in the “city of endurance”. The Catholic priest broke down a branch angrily and stuck it into the ground saying that Calvinism would only find its home in Debrecen when the branch grew into a tree. Since then, the unique plant didn’t only root in the city, but also has been flourishing ever since.

The unrivalled Cave Bath of Miskolctapolca

The lake cave turned into a cave bath is a true curiosity in the Carpathian Basin. The water graved its way through the limestone rocks in thousand years, and they are now filled with pleasant thermal water and curing cave air. You can stay in the 30° Celsius water for as long as you desire as its salinity is lower than medical water’s, but you can also try the outdoors pools, sauna park or the floating cabin. Europe’s only beach built according to Green City principles can also be found in Miskolctapolca.

The mysterious hive rocks in Bükkalja

The volcano tufa formations of the Bükk Mountains were formed by the joined work of wind and water. Out of these, the cone-shaped ones are the most interesting because someone carved small chambers into them sometime. Certain scientists believe that these 60 cm tall, 30 cm wide and 25-30 cm deep chambers once guarded the urines of the deceased, while other think that the chambers were used for beekeeping around the time of the Settlement of the Magyars in Hungary.

Europe’s biggest coherent grassy plain: the Hortobágy

Why is this seemingly monotonously plain Hortobágy so special on our continent? Its secret is that it wasn’t formed after a deforestation as it is a cultural landscape cultivated by herdsmen’s communities, which was able to keep its biological diversity. The N°1 Hungarian national park is now more than 82 thousand hectares big. Its must-see sights include draw wells, taverns, sepulchral mounds and the famous Nine-holed Bridge.