Sights - La Contessa Castle Hotel in Szilvásvárad

Pictures of Szilvasvarad and the surroundings          Events of Szilvasvarad

Szilvásvárad is situated in Heves county, only 25 km from Eger. The village can be best approached by leaving the M3 at the Füzesabony-Eger exit lane, traveling through Eger and Bélapátfalva.

Szilvásvárad is especially rich in natural and man-made sights.

The most remarkable building of historical importance in Szilvásvárad is the reformed round-shaped church, which is the biggest such building in all of Europe. According to reference dates, the building with its classicist facade was designed by József Hild in 1837. Next to the temple, a square-based wooden belfry reminds visitors of the XIX. century.

The village is especially proud of its world-famous lipizan stud stock. The stud stock was brought to Szilvásvárad in 1952. Guests can visit several venues in connection with the stud stock, for instance:

• The main stud stable
• Coach museum
• Exhibition on the history of horse riding and the lipizan stud
• The stud stock on the fields

Besides running the museum and the exhibition, the Stud owners provide stud stock visits on coaches, coach-riding courses, horse-riding trips, horse-performances and possibilities for horse-riding on the ranch.

Besides the lipizan stud farm, Szalajka-valley is one of the most popular sights of the Bükk National Park. It can be visited by bike, on foot, on horseback or with the help of the popular small-gauge rail train through the forest. The 558 hectare area of the Szalajka-Valley became a protected area in 1957.

Most important sights in the valley:

• Small-gauge rail train through the forest
• Game-park
• Forestry museum
• Trout-farm
• Open-air forestry museum
• Cave-spring
• Veil-waterfall
• The cave of Istállós-kő (cave stable)

The Millenium look-out tower that was built for 20 August 2000 millenium celebration of the first Hungarian King, Stephen, can be approached from Szalajka-valley by car, or on foot from the Jail Museum at the edge of the village along a study-path. From the terrace of the tower the visitor can admire a spectacular sight – the beautiful landscape of Bükk, the distant, apparently tiny, houses of the neighboring villages, or when the weather is clear, even the peaks of the Tatras can be seen.

Adventurous visitors, or lovers of active relaxation, can find their ideal destination in the Adventure park of Szalajka-valley, with its one-tube bob-lanes, that is unique in Hungary. With its 270 meter long, moderate grade, ski-slope, snowboard park and sleigh hill, the area offers opportunities for our visitors in wintertime too.

Surroundings

The most important and at the same time the most carefully guarded part of protected area of Lázbérc is the man-made but beautiful lake.

The lake is very popular with tourists and with fishermen, and is surrounded by numerous lay-bys and many study-paths.

The lake was created between 1967-69 by closing the flow of the Bán stream. It occupies an area of 77 hectares and with a capacity of 6,2 million cubic meters of water.

The village of Bélapátfalva is situated on the main public road from Eger to Szilvásvárad. It is famous for its roman-catholic parish church, vicarage, exhibition of hard tiles and the Cistern parish temple. The popular study path that starts at the Parish temple stretches till the peak of the Bél-Stone mountain with its look-out.

Szarvaskő is a small village with not more than 400 inhabitants is situated only 10 km from Eger. The most remarkable attraction of the village are the ruins of the fort of Szarvaskő, that was built upon the rocks of Várhegy mountain in the second half of the XIII. century.