Discover Bábolna: Stud Farm, Arboretum and Equestrian History

Bábolna: Stud Farm History and Arboretum

The 20-hectare grounds lie beside Csikótelep, were established in 1965, and are a nature reserve of local significance. They also feature a memorial to a horse from 1809, an exhibition on the history of the stud farm, and seasonal bathing facilities. For planning your visit, it is worth considering the main attractions: green spaces, equestrian history or summer recreation.

Equestrian History in a Memorial and Exhibition

In the castle courtyard, the statue “Leghűségesebb bajtársnak” (“To the Most Faithful Comrade”) commemorates the horse that returned without its rider from the Battle of Győr in 1809, thus making the defeat known.

The exhibition on the history of the stud farm is housed in the former officers’ casino. Through documents, maps, sculptures, paintings and objects from everyday life with horses, it presents more than two centuries of stud farm history and covers the period since the stud farm was founded in 1789. While the statue recalls a single event, the exhibition traces the development of the stud farm over a longer period.

Arboretum, Memorial Park and Animal Enclosures

The Híres Lovak Emlékparkja, a memorial to the stud farm’s horses, is located in the arboretum. The grounds also include a petting zoo and separate enclosures with domestic and wild animals. These include wild boar, fallow deer, roe deer, alpacas, Mangalica pigs, various breeds of sheep and a donkey. In this way, the arboretum combines remembrance of the stud farm’s horses with a look at its animal enclosures.

Admission to the arboretum is free. Check the latest access information before your visit.

Summer Baths and Equestrian Activities

In summer, Bábolna Strand- és Termálfürdő offers an outdoor leisure pool, a paddling pool, a water playground, bouncy castles, water bumper cars and an outdoor playhouse. The offer is seasonal; check current operating information before travelling. This means a visit to the baths is seasonal, unlike the stud farm history and arboretum attractions.

From the Ménesudvar, guests can ride in a carriage drawn by one of two Shagya Arabian mares to the nearby arboretum. Advance booking is required for this activity. The riding arena, 15 metres wide and 44 metres long, is used for daily work as well as for equestrian demonstrations. The carriage ride takes you to the arboretum, while the arena is the venue for the demonstrations.

Komorn-Gran in a Broader Context

The wider Komorn-Gran destination encompasses additional natural and cultural heritage attractions. Gerecsei Tájvédelmi Körzet is a nationally significant, individually designated landscape protection area in Komárom-Esztergom, covering 8,676 hectares. Triassic limestone predominates in the Gerecse, and particularly fossil-rich Jurassic limestone is also found there.

Majki Kamalduli Remeteség is a Baroque complex of historic monuments with seventeen hermit cells, a church tower and a monastery. An exhibition there covers the general and Hungarian history of the Camaldolese order. These regional attractions offer a different focus from Bábolna’s combination of stud farm, equestrian memorials and arboretum.

Discover more destinations: Ács, Csém, Komárom

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