Mezőhegyes: Horse History and Stud Farm

Mezőhegyes is considered the birthplace of the three historic Hungarian horse breeds Nonius, Gidrán, and Furioso. The history of the National Stud Farm provides a concrete theme for your stay. If you are looking for hotels in Mezőhegyes, the group policy for stud farm visits is an important planning consideration; the local highlights also include protected historic buildings and a protected plane tree.

Guided Visits to the National Stud Farm

During a guided visit to the Mezőhegyes Stud Farm, groups can tour the central stud farm courtyard, including the riding hall and the commander's house. A bookable program at Stud Farm Courtyard No. 20 offers insights into the traditional keeping of Nonius and Gidrán broodmares; it also includes a visit to renovated buildings with a history of more than 230 years. The stud farm regularly welcomes groups from spring to late autumn. Bookable guided program packages are intended for groups of at least ten people; confirm the date and group size when booking.

The history of the breeds’ origins encompasses all three breeds; the insights into traditional broodmare keeping in the program specifically concern Nonius and Gidrán. This means you encounter all three breeds as part of Mezőhegyes’ history, while two of them also feature in the program itself.

Protected Historic Buildings and a Plane Tree

Mezőhegyes is still home to the protected historic buildings Centrál, Kantár, and bolondtornyok. A plane tree of Indian origin, planted in 1819, also stands in the stud farm courtyard and is protected. The buildings and the tree offer different perspectives on the town: protected architecture and a protected tree with a known planting year sit alongside the horse-breeding group program.

More Nature Destinations in the Wider Békés Destination

In the wider Békés destination, there are other nature-related attractions in addition to Mezőhegyes’ horse history. Körösvölgyi Animal Park is located in a 26-hectare grove. A walking trail about two kilometers long passes bird aviaries, animal houses, wetlands, and spacious enclosures.

Unlike this walking trail, the Jégmadár Water Nature Trail is a water route: it starts at the park’s jetty and follows a one-kilometer stretch along the Szarvas–Békésszentandrás oxbow lake. Eight floating buoy stations introduce visitors to the oxbow lake and its wildlife, particularly canoeists and rowboat users without an expert guide; the trail is accessible only by canoe or boat.

At the Sterbetz István Bustard Conservation Visitor Centre in Réhely, near Dévaványa, visitors can see great bustards up close only here in Hungary. Expert-led guided tours, birdwatching, nature photography, thematic programs, and astronomy presentations can be requested. Another route is the Mágor-pusztai Trail: it is slightly more than 500 meters long and presents the natural and cultural-historical values of the protected area. The three routes differ in length: the walking trail at Körösvölgyi Animal Park is about two kilometers long, the Jégmadár stretch is one kilometer, and the Mágor-pusztai Trail is slightly more than 500 meters long.

Discover more destinations: Füzesgyarmat.

Go to the wider destination overview: Békés.