Hortobagy National Park

The puszta (grasslands) of Hortobáy have been used as pasture for centuries.

White storks are one of the hundreds of bird species in the park.

The 19th century bridge on the Hortobágy River is a main symbol of the area.

Hortobágy National Park preserves a grassy plain shaped by the floods of the Tisa River. The park covers 200,000 acres, most of it grassland. Approximately 40 percent of the park is marshland, and there are also large fishponds.

The park offers some of the best bird watching in Europe, with more than 310 species recorded in the past 20 years. Among the wetlands, marshes and saline grasslands are many types of herons, egrets, spoonbills, storks, warblers and eagles.

The park is also home to the great bustard, one of the world's largest birds, which stands three feet high and weighs 44 pounds.

The puszta, or grassland, of the park is known for supporting centuries of sheep herding. The use of the land for pasturing has preserved the grass-dominated landscape for hundreds of years.

The park was recently placed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's World Heritage List because of its unique flora and fauna, and its role as an important cultural region.

To reach the most interesting parts of the park requires a guide, and you must go by horse, carriage or on foot. Some walking and cycling trails are available, along with limited park access, from the Pusztainform Office or the western welcome house.

There are three visitor centers in the park. The park is located near the city of Debrecen, in the northeastern corner of Hungary.