Ipolytarnóc Fossils Protected Area

The Ipolytarnóc Fossils Protected Area is a world‑famous paleontological site in Ipolytarnóc. The European‑diploma showcase is a “Pompeii of the ancient world” buried during a volcanic disaster 20 million years ago. Scientific investigations began in 1836, and it has been protected since 1944. The 510‑hectare geological heritage, owned by the Hungarian state and managed by the Bükki National Park Directorate, is presented to visitors in a special interpretation, a popular geotourism destination. Its website contains multilingual tourist information and downloadable professional material.

It lies about 120 kilometres northeast of Budapest by road, near the border of Hungary, between Mucsény (Mučín) in Slovakia and Ipolytarnóc in Nógrád County. The park can be reached via road 2205 serving Ipolytarnóc, or by the Aszód–Balassagyarmat–Ipolytarnóc railway line.

Presented fossils

The most important fossils of the area: a coastal cliff covered with shark teeth, huge petrified trees of a subtropical forest, exotic plant imprints, footprints of ancient world organisms, and remains fused in volcanic tuff flows.

Shark‑tooth limestone

In the Paratethys shoreline zone, the limestone that welcomes visitors at the beginning of the geological trail accumulated 23 million years ago. Its characteristic green colour is caused by more than 5 % of the mineral glauconite. Thus the “shark‑tooth layer” formed in the shoreline environment, containing the teeth of sharks and the bones of rays, dolphins, sea turtles, and crocodiles. So far, the remains of 25 shark species have been displayed from the mixed, compacted material.

Footprints of ancient animals

On the site, a footprint‑bearing limestone emerges, covering an area of two thousand square metres and containing three thousand footprints of eleven vertebrate species. Among them are footprints of ancient bovids, deer, cervids, predators and birds, as well as other trace fossils in the petrified mud.

Petrified trees

The world's largest known petrified pine (Pinuxylon tarnocziense) was found on the side of the Borókás stream, with a circumference of 8 metres and a length of nearly 100 metres. The petrification of the trunk was caused by the sulfuric acid released from volcanic layers, which permeated the wood. Scientific investigation of the area began in 1836 through the work of Ferenc Kubinyi.

Leaf imprints

The footprint-bearing surface is also dotted with plant remains. More than 15 thousand leaf imprints are found in the area, mainly from ferns, palm, laurel, magnolia, plane trees and gigantic prominent pines that composed the former tropical‑subtropical rainforest vegetation.

The volcanic disaster

The volcanic disaster preserved the area's animal and plant life. Sulfuric acid solutions leaking from the rhyolite tuff permeated the lower layers, providing a binding material for the footprint sandstones and the tree trunks. According to the dating of the volcanic material, the footprints found here are 17 million years old.

Educational trails

Several thematic educational trails have been created in the Ipolytarnóc Fossils Protected Area. These include the Rock Park Trail, the Biological Trail, the Rock Cliff Trail and the Geological Trail.

The Rock Park Trail, 700 metres long, presents the remnants of geological history, with orientation aided by milestone inscriptions every 2 million years and rock samples fitting the chronological sequence. The Biological Trail describes the area's living world, on forest paths two and four kilometres long. The 4 km long Rock Cliff Trail shows water washes, tuff deposits, rock outcrops and abandoned stone quarries. The most important fossils on the Geological Trail are shark teeth, petrified trees, leaf imprints and animal footprints. Two halls and a protective cellar exhibit the footprint-bearing sandstone.

The Novohrad–Nógrád Geopark

The Novohrad–Nógrád Geopark was established in 2008, becoming the world's first transboundary international geopark. In 2010 it became a member of the European Geoparks and Global Geoparks Networks. Its area covers part of the historic Nógrád County, aiming to promote cross‑border cooperation and to reunite historical traditions and communities.

Europe Diploma

Since 1965 the Europe Diploma award title has been granted by the Council of Europe. “Protected areas that possess outstanding scientific, natural, cultural or aesthetic values and are also under appropriate protection with exemplary management may qualify.” In Hungary three areas have the Europe Diploma, the world‑famous Ipolytarnóc Fossils earned the title in 1995. On 16 September 2010 the Ministerial Committee of the Council of Europe extended the Europe Diploma of the Ipolytarnóc Fossils nature protection area until 11 September 2020, thereby recognizing the outstanding quality of the work of the Bükki National Park Directorate, which played a significant role in the development of geotourism in the region.