Zempléni Tájvédelmi Körzet

The area of the Zemplén Landscape Protection District is 26 496 hectares, of which 2 395 hectares are intensively protected. The Landscape Protection District falls under the administration of the Aggtelek National Park.

Location

The protection district encompasses the two central parts of the areas of the Zemplén Mountains lying north of the line from Makkoshotyka to Boldogkőváralja.

Characteristics

The volcanically originated Zemplén Mountains consist of smaller and larger softened volcanic cones, narrow valleys, and lower ridges covered by sedimentary rocks, forming a varied landscape. The protection district was established on the two less disturbed areas of the three well‑defined parts of the mountain range (in the north, around Nagy‑Milic, and in the central, three‑peak part of the range).

Further geological curiosities of the range are the extensive stone piles occurring in several places, which were formed by the millennial disintegration of andesite and are still developing today. Visitors can also encounter wind‑ and rain‑shaped “stone sculptures” that have been destroyed and reshaped, some of which have even been given names (e.g., the Rákóczi Stone). Geologically, the Zemplén Mountains belong to the inner arc of the northern Carpathian belt. The Carpathians are evoked by the steep ridges, deep gorge‑like valleys, and volcanic cone rows, as well as by the still extensive, continuous forests that cover almost ninety percent of the area.

Flora and Fauna

The dominant forest types in Zemplén are beech‑oak forests, beech‑oak mixtures, and beech stands. Between the forests run mountain pastures and fresh meadows maintained for centuries by continuous mowing and grazing. In areas with thinner soil layers, linden‑ash‑birch rock forests occur, while the steeper, more exposed parts have treeless communities formed by rock outcrops. Unfortunately, relatively large areas at several points of the range are occupied by planted, non‑native pine forests. The rich vegetation is based on the cool, rainy climate preceding the Carpathians; in the water‑rich valley bottoms one can find swampy meadow patches (e.g., on Mogyoróstető), alder‑meadow spots, beautiful mixed meadow‑beech forests, and peat‑moss meadows (the most beautiful of which lie in the Kemence Stream valley).

The medieval meadow meadows' extremely valuable herbaceous flora is marked by more than ten species of gentian, meadow swordleaf, and Siberian lady's mantle. In the extensive forests, several species of dwarf pine, bog rosemary, and twin-flowered spurge blossom. In the wetter parts, rare moss grass species often form a continuous carpet. The narrow valleys, gorge-forest associations, and swamp meadows are inhabited by the rare ostrich fern, woolly thistle, swamp lady's tresses, and peat mosses where peat fern lives in the peat fens. The opposite side of the ridge, the dry rock ledges, is characterized by mountain stonecrop, Hungarian stonecrop, and on the rocks, the rock thyme blooms.

The richest part of the fauna is naturally the insects, with common stag beetle, rhinoceros beetle, and several large species of click beetle (e.g., mountain click beetle). In Zemplén it is relatively often to see the otherwise rare, very beautiful, sparkling deep‑blue blue damselfly. The bird life of the area, thanks to the lack of disturbance, is very valuable. In addition to the common black woodpecker, green woodpecker, and tawny owl, the imperial eagle and black stork also regularly breed, and the endangered water rail nests in several places in the stream valleys. Among the protected raptor birds, the inner, closed forests of the mountain host the lesser spotted eagle, Eurasian eagle‑owl, peregrine falcon, and rock buzzard.

Cultural values

The mountain's cultural and social‑historical values are also noteworthy. In several places in the mountain, stone‑age tools made of well‑flaked obsidian have been found. The ethnographic values of the people who have perfectly adapted to the landscape with their culture and way of life can be recognized in almost every settlement (it is worthwhile to visit Regéc, Háromhuta, or Mogyoróska in order). In addition to the folk culture values, near the border of the protected landscape area, in the Hernád valley, lies Vizsoly, where the Bible translated by Gáspár Károli was printed. On the mountain is Hollóháza, famous for its porcelain production, where a porcelain museum introduces visitors to the secrets of its manufacture. The mountain's Árpád‑age castles are famous: Füzér Castle, Regéc Rákóczi Castle, and Boldogkő Castle. A few kilometres from the border of the protected landscape area, on the Bodrog bank, the historically rich Sárospatak Castle welcomes visitors.