The Heart of the Sand Region
In the central part of one of Central Europe’s largest sand regions (7,400 km2) lies a carefully protected treasure of the Kiskunság National Park: the so-called Fülöpháza dune region. Of this, nearly 2,000 hectares belong to the Fülöpháza sand region. Long ago, the Danube–Tisza Interfluve in Hungary was similar to ancient Mesopotamia, made highly fertile by the floods of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The sand was deposited here by the ancient Danube, before river regulations existed. When the river later abandoned the area of the alluvial fans, the wind continued to move the sand, forming the characteristic ridges that mainly run in a NW–SE direction.
Wildlife and Natural Treasures
Its characteristic flora and fauna can be admired at every turn. The flowering of feather grass in June is at least as captivating as the tulip bloom in the Netherlands. Only here, dense tourist buses do not line up to admire it. Sand steppe grasslands, protected ancient juniper groves, as well as smaller poplar and pine forests are also typical of the area. The dyer’s alkanet is one of the most characteristic plants, once used by shepherds to mark their sheep. Sand lizard (royal lizard), Hungarian meadow viper, hares, roe deer and pheasants are characteristic figures of the local wildlife. A true scientific sensation of recent years is the discovery of a 16-eyed animal species found in Fülöpháza (although locals have not yet encountered it…
The Curious Village
Fülöpháza is one of the country’s truly peculiar small villages. It often appears in the news because of its semi-desert climate and the significant temperature fluctuations this causes. But perhaps its statistics are the most unusual: it covers nearly 50 km2 (Budapest 525 km2, Kecskemét 320 km2) and has only about 900 inhabitants including the surrounding farmsteads. This makes it one of the most sparsely populated areas of the country.
Lakes and Memories
Kondor Lake, Szappan-szék, Szívós-szék – places where locals went swimming in the 1970s and 1980s… and where, a few decades ago, ornithological training and bird rescue activities took place along the shore of Kondor Lake. Since then, the drainage ditches that used to fill the lakes during floods have been ploughed under. The lakes dried up, and animals now graze in the sandy, covered basins. The country spends enormous sums during Danube floods… even though it would be so simple to use what our ancestors once already knew well.