Mágor-puszta

Mágor-puszta (also known as Vésztő-Mágor) is a protected area of the Körös–Maros National Park located six kilometres west of Vésztő, towards Szeghalom, on the western edge of the Kis-Sárrét. It is bordered by the dead arm of the Sebes-Körös. Its area is 947 hectares, and it can be visited without a guide. In addition to its wildlife, its attraction is the Neolithic copper-age burial mound opened here and turned into a museum, which contains internationally rare finds.

The Mágor hill and its 13‑hectare surroundings were placed under dual (archaeological and nature‑conservation) protection in 1978.

Surface, wildlife

Before river regulation, Mágor-puszta was the floodplain of the Sebes-Körös, whose traces are still preserved today (loess meadows, sheep‑grazed salt‑marshes, dead‑arm valleys, wet meadows, willow forests). In the dead arm, the European red‑booked pike‑gudgeon grows abundantly, and on the salty, grassy areas the Transylvanian plantain and the meadow autumn rose are found.

Among its protected plants are the endemic Transylvanian plantain (Plantago schwarzenbergiana), the hare‑like star‑flower (Ornithogalum pyramidale), and the meadow autumn rose (Aster sedifolius).

In the sunny spots of the dead arm one often encounters the marsh turtle, the water’s edge hosts the water rail and the snipe, the reeds are habitats for the Eurasian bittern (Botaurus stellaris), and the brown meadow viper.

From the nearby Fáspuszta, grey herons (Ardea cinerea), night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) and little egrets (Egretta garzetta) pass through to Mágor-puszta in search of food. In the tall grasses the corn crake (Crex crex) and the quail (Coturnix coturnix) breed. Occasionally the steppe parts are also chosen as nesting sites by individuals of the bustard population (Otis tarda) living near Dévaványa.

Mágor-puszta archaeological site

In the barely raised burial mound, five‑thousand‑year‑old finds can be seen: a sanctuary with a goddess statue, a coffin, bowls, and pottery shards.

In the exhibition hall, which was arranged in the Wenckheim wine cellar built in 1810–1812, the later history of the site can also be followed. On the hill next to the burial mound, in the 11th century the Csolt clan descending from the Vat family built a pagan temple, which was destroyed in the wars sparked by the adoption of Christianity. In the following century, however, a Benedictine pagan temple was built in its place.

On the double hill, excavations were carried out between 1968 and 1988 under the direction of Irén Juhász, which brought to light Paleolithic, Iron Age, Bronze Age and Árpád Age finds.

Here the Vésztő-Mágor Historical Memorial was established, which, according to the government decision No. 1543/2012 (XII.4.) published, continues its previous activity within the organization of the Hungarian National Museum.

Near the Mágor mound a park was created with statues of Hungarian folk writers and poets connected to the Great Plain. In the sculpture park can be found the busts of László Németh, Pál Szabó, Géza Féja, Péter Veres, István Sinka, Imre Kovács.