Southern Great Plain

Although the great river is not the only landscape-shaping force around here, the Southern Great Plain is definitely the land of the Tisza. The river is not a dividing line but rather the common thread of three larger areas: the settlements of Bács-Kiskun, Békés, and Csongrád Counties.

1,365,000 people live in the 42 cities and 211 villages of this region that covers one fifth of Hungary.

Those on the trail of history will find agricultural, religious and artistic artefacts going as far back as 7,000 years. Among the relics from the past thousand years, most are a mere 200-300 years old due to destruction suffered during the 150 years of Turkish occupation. Examples of the few surviving beautiful Romanesque and Gothic heritage buildings are in Kiszombor, Óföldeák and Szeged. However, having been reconstructed, refurbished, used as the base for more recent buildings, or in a garden of ruins many relics serve as a historic frame.

The Baroque period may be tracked primarily through church architecture, but there are also neo-Renaissance and Eclectic episcopal and aristocratic mansions, such as those in Kalocsa and Szabadkígyós. The only Classical county hall is that in Makó, although there are lovely residential buildings in Baja or Szeged that demonstrate the ambition and good taste of the residents of the region. Civic life flourished during the turn of the 19th and 20th century which explains the Eclectic aspect of the older city centres.

Ornamental Palace of Kecskemét The natural aspect of the region is varied. Its three national parks (Duna-Dráva, Kiskunság, and Körös-Maros) take care of the strictly protected assets, as well as those which visitors may visit freely, or only with a guide. Hospitable villages and equestrian centres in the area welcome visitors for longer stays, while restaurants and inns provide the perfect opportunity to discover local flavours.

The treasures of the Southern Great Plain are the sunshine and thermal waters. At over 2,000 per annum, these parts experience the highest number of hours of sunshine and no matter which direction you take, you will have arrived at a thermal bath within thirty minutes.

The region offers entertaining and culturally substantive programmes from spring to autumn. The famous Szeged Open-air Festival(Szabadtéri Játékok), Castle Tournament (Várjátékok) of Gyula, the Hunniális and St Stephen's Day in Ópusztaszer, and the 'Hírös' Festival in Kecskemét. Permanent theatres and music events in Békéscsaba, Kecskemét and Szeged offer pleasant entertainment in the winter too after a day at the museum or a visit to the thermal baths.

Travel destinations in Southern Great Plain