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folder includes detailed maps of the National Park and pics of it's Nature conservation areas with huge piles of informations.
Editing finished.

Bükk National Park

Size of protected area: 43.130 ha, out of this 3774 ha are protected to a greater extent.
Location: The territory of the Bükk mountains is approximately enclosed by the towns Eger, Szilvásvárad, Tardona, Diósgyőr and Cserépváralja.
Visiting: The national park, with the exception of a few highly protected areas, can be visited without restrictions. The highly protected areas are indicated by signboards.

The Bükk National Park is the only national park in Hungary formed in one block. It is situated in the east of the Nothern Mountains, enclosed by the Tarna- and Sajó valleys and by the Alföld in the south. Its purpose is to protect the unrivalled geological, natural and social, historical relics of this area from the evil minded intentions of humans.
The Bükk mountains, rising above the surroundings approximately by 800-1000 meters, are a unique gem in the Carpathian Basin. The history of the limestone range can be traced as long as the palaeozoic era, when the edge of today's Carpathian Basin sank in and there it was covered by sea for about 70 million years (from the carboniferous period till the Permian). All sorts of limestone sediments, dolomite and clay deposited onto the seabed. Rock formation was followed by heavy volcanic activities in the Triassic and several times again in later periods. As a result clay-slate was formed from the clay and basalt, rhyolite-tuff and other rocks of volcanic origin appeared. The Bükk rose above surroundings about 15 million years ago, then as a result of continuous weathering, erosion, it has received its present, characteristic form preserving traits of the history of the area. It is owing to this, that the geologic and geomorphologic picture of the mountains is so colourful and of complicated pattern.
Besides the karst formations of enchanting beauty - sink-holes, water-holes, dolinas - the the Bükk plateau (the largest karst plateau in Hungary) is lined by huge snow-white stones or 'horsts', from where one can have a view of the total geographic environment of the mountains (Tar-kő, Istállós-kő, Pes-kő, Őr-kő, Örvény-kő etc.). At the outer side of the foot of the horsts, cold, dark canyons provide habitat for invaluable wildlife.

Foltos szalamandra (Salamandra salamandra)

There are hundreds of caves hiding under the ground. So far 800 caves have been explored in the inside of the mountains, where waters in the depth flow like in a vast sponge. Out of the caves in the Bükk forty-five are protected to a greater extent. The caves of the prehistoric man are of international reputation (will be discussed later), and the deepest cave in Hungary called István-lápai (with depth of 250 meters, and length of 4,5 kms) is also located here. The most popular cave with tourists are situated at the eastern side of the mountains in Lillafüred. The István cave is located 500 meters from Palota Hotel, where lots of 'limestone creatures' live in its Portico and Dome. The entrance of the other cave is next to the hotel with amazing, even internationally unique formations, because they were shaped in limestone-tufa and not in limestone.
The limestone mountains have much less superficial waters. Except for two bigger springs on the karst plateau, there is hardly any water there, however at the side of the mountains there are smaller and bigger brooks running to the foot of the mountain. On the west side the most renowned is the Szalajka, on the north-east the Garadna and the nowadays only seasonal Szinva. The artificial lake Hámori was created on the Garadna brook at Lillafüred. In the picturesque Szalajka valley with an alpine atmosphere, the gauzy-like waterfall goes down on a limestone flight of steps with a 17 meter difference in level.
The climate of the mountains is very varied, positively extreme at some places. The climate of the plateau is rainy, humid and relatively well-balanced, with a yearly average temperature of 6°C, yet freezing is neither uncommon at the bottom of some sink-holes in the summer. The climate at the southern foot of the mountains is warm and dry, while it is typically humid and cool in the canyons even in the summer. This abounding diversity of landscape and climate generated an unparalleled richness of flora and fauna, which has been formed further on by man living here for thousands of years

Fátyol vízesés (Veil waterfall) Panorama pic & description

The development of plant associations was influenced by two basic factors in the Bükk Mountains: having zones according to north-south direction and height, and the great number of micro environments. In the south, south-east side of the mountains rising to almost 1000 meters from the Alföld, still thermophilous oak forests mixed with hornbeam groves, while higher up oak forests mixed with Austrian oak grow. Going further up they are substituted first by sub mountain- and then on the mountain top by mountain beeches (pine-woods are entirely artificial plantations without exception). There are spots – on the side of Sár mountain – where forestry was stopped more than a hundred years ago and visitors can walk around in a forest of some hundred year old giant trees. Some rare plant species of extremely high value hide in the forests.
The rare Carpathian monkshood (Aconitum moldavicum) thrives in the mountain beeches. Typical endangered species are the Carpathian ragwort (Senecio), the whorled Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum verticillatum and the rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes). The oxlip (Primula elatior) and the alpine rose (Rosa pendulina) are also typical alpine plants. It is beeches again that prevail in the vast 'plate' of the mountain top, on the plateau, but there are large unwooded areas as well. The most valuable, highly protected part of these areas are the Nagymező (Great meadow) and the Zsidórét (Jewish meadow). The broad-leaved grape-fern (Botrychium), which is rare in the whole of Europe, grow in mat-grass associations in sink-holes. One can come across dwarf carline-thistle (Carlina acaulis), gentians (Gentianella austriaca) and (Gentianella livonica), oranfe lily (Lilium bulbiferum) in the clearings of the beeches on the mountaintop and mountain sides, reminiscent of alpine atmosphere.

mountain top plateau

Ashes, hornbeams appear at the lower parts of beech forests and the underwood changes characteristically, as well: it consists of woodruff (Asperula odorata), ground-elder (Aegopodium podagraria), sedge (Carex pilosa), and stitchwort (Stellaria nemorum). A rocky beech plant association is predominant in the steeper, rocky areas, providing habitat for quite a few plant rarities and native plants living exclusively here, under the farinaceous sorb-apple shrub stratum: yellow melancholy-thistle (Cirsium erisithales), Balkan blue-grass (Sesleria), long-rooted onion (Allium victorialis). We might also miraculously come across the lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus), which is in extreme danger of extinction. The rare and valuable lime-ash and lime-mountain ash rocky forests are predominant on the southern warmer rocky, rubbly side of the Bükk. The gems of the underwood here are the sedge sp. (Carex brevicollis) and the dame's violet (Hesperis matronalis) with an exquisite bloom.
The morose plant associations of canyon forests in the deep cold canyons running from the mountain top to the foot of the mountain are rich in highland species. Typical species are the chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris) the hard shield-fern (Phyllitis scolopendrium) and the satin-flower or lunaria (Lunaria rediviva), while the yellow wood-violet (Viola biflora) blooms on the rubbly sides only here in Hungary.
There is a lot to see in the underwood of the Turkey/Austrian oak and hornbeam oak forests, too. The purple corydalis (Corydalis cava), the alpine squill are quite common here, as well as the hellebore (Helleborus). While in the acidic soil, the meadow-grass (Poa) and the wood-rush (Luzula) are typical. As a result of the earlier mentioned colourful types of rock and soil, rich varieties of arborescent plant associations can be found in the oak zone: acidophilous / basiphilous and calciphobic oak forests, mahaleb cherry, white oak forests, meadow-grass scrub forest, smoke tree karst forest and the list could be extended for long. Each is like an independent world of its own with characteristic forms, colours and scents. Beside the scrub forests, where the soil is unsuitable for arborescent plant associations, open and enclosed rocky lawns, sloping steppe meadows take over. Just a few species out of these: Pasque flower (Pulsatilla grandis), broom (Cytisus ciliatus), rusty cliff fern (Woodsia ilvensis), hare's tail grass, meadow-rue (Thalictrum foetidum), the species of maidenhair spleenwort, rustyback fern (Ceterach jávorkaeanum), garland flower (Daphne cneorum), out of orchids the fly-orchid and the fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopea) etc.

The fauna of the Bükk is just as rich as its flora. The number of species of animals is estimated to be about 22 000. Beyond the insect, mammal and bird species typical of mountains of medium height, there are several rare and valuable species as well. Insect species characteristic of dead trees, still exist in the large, old beech forests withdrawn from cultivation. Such as the already rare stag beetle and longhorn beetles and the nicest of the longhorn beetle species, the alpine longhorn beetle also live in the Bükk. The keeled slug sp. is at home in the canyon forests, and we can come across the endemic green spring snail in the water of karst springs. Watercress caddis flys, long-tailed mayflies, stone flies and dragonflies live in the still clean water of larger and smaller mountain brooks. One can also see alpine newt (Triturus alpestris) here. Great many species of butterflies live on the fringe of the forests, in hayfields and rocky lawns, and the precious gem of the sunny rocks is the pannonian lizard (Ablepharus Kitaibelli). The most renowned members of the avifauna in the Bükk are the predators. The saker falcon (Falco cherrug) nesting on the steepest cliffs, was once at the brink of extinction. As a result of active protection it is breeding well and can be caught sight of from time to time. The stock of eagle/stock owl (Bubo bubo) is increasing likewise. The honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), the short-toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus) nest regularly. The colourful rock thrush (Monticola axatilis) lives in rocky areas and in uncultivated stone-quarries, and the dipper (Cinclus cinclus) is still around along brooks. The only species of grouses nesting in Hungary, the hazel-grouse protected to a greater extent nests in out-of-the-way valleys. The caves in the Bükk provide habitat for colonies of thousands of bats, including several rare species or for ones which are extinct at other places. Finally, the famous Lipica herd of horses should be mentioned, which is one of the characteristic features of the Bükk.

Lipicai ménes (Lipica herd)

The historic and social historical significance of the Bükk is matched by its unique natural resources. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was Ottokár Kadic that started exploring the caves of the mountains and the Szeleta cave in the vicinity of the village Hámor, bringing about results of worldwide interest. During excavation thousands of palaeolithic and neolithic stone implements, chalcedony spear-heads, polished, or linear pattern flint implements, bits and pieces of earthenware were found. The shortly later explored cave, the Balla cave brought about sensation again: the bones of an about one and a half year old Stone Age child were found in the sediment of the cave. During the excavation of Istállóskő Cave, a Stone Age fireplace, as well as various implements made of bones, were found. More than two hundred broken and scorched human bones were found around the fireplace, which drove researchers to the conclusion that this ancestor of ours must have been cannibal. Similar prehistoric relics were found in all of the caves in the Bükk that were suitable for human residence. According to researchers they all belong to the same cultural community, which is referred to as 'szeleta' civilization in the international professional literature.
In terms of age, the next relic in line is the one from Stone Age on the top of the Odor mountain, which might be the remains of an ancient watch-post. Remains of a prehistoric settlement – vestiges of wooden frame buildings and those of an earthwork – were found on the Várhegy (Castle hill) near the village of Felsőtárkány. The forests might still hide earthworks from the Avar era , remains of strongholds at several places.
However, the origins of the beehive-stones or stone idols, at the southern foot of the mountain still remains unexplained. Niches size 60x30x25 cms were carved into the 3 to 10 meter tall rhyolite tufa cones by some people, in the past. Between Kács and Eger more than a hundred stones like these can be seen. Some people believe they are the beehives of some beekeeping tribes from the early middle ages, while others date them to a much earlier time and consider them to be the requisites of some cultic ritual.
Cistercians settled down in Bélapátfalva in the Bükk mountains as early as 1232, though only the ruins of their monastery can be seen, they still have their church. On the Kis-fennsík (Small plateau) near Szentlélek a monastery was built in 1240, while Cartesian monks lived in the Barát-rét (Monk- meadow).
The origins of industry in the mountains go back as long as the 18th century. First manufacturing of glass and iron was started in the Szalajka valley, then later it expanded to the vicinity of Bükkszentketeszt, Répáshuta on the eastern side of the mountains. It was in Répáshuta where manufacturing of iron was established by the Fazola family, by Henrik Fazola and son Frigyes. Henrik Fazola built an ancient iron furnace in Ómassa, and a wrought-iron workshop in the village of Hámor (one of the nicest industrial historic monument in Hungary is the iron furnace in Ómassa)

Őskohó (Ancient furnace) + pic credit and further images

The artificial lake called Hámori-lake was also created so as to provide enough water that is necessary for the manufacturing of iron. At the same time manufacturing of glass was also started. The vast amount of wood necessary for the two industries was provided by Slovakian woodcutters immigrated from the Felvidék (Highlands). It was the continuous wood cutting that shaped the bare open spaces of the plateau. In the Bükk the burning of potash (pearl-ash) indispensable in manufacturing of glass, was begun together with making glass, but it has come to en end by now. Whereas lime-burning starting in the middle ages still goes on. While walking in the forests one can see traces of lime burning or charcoal burners' smoking charcoal kilns reminiscent of ancient times. Out of the once existed narrow-gauge explorer railways, the Lillafüred, Szilvásvárad, Felsőtárkány branch-lines still run, as lovely and useful industrial historical monuments.
Unfortunately the one-time industry has changed into vast industrial plants. This is how the industrial zone extending between Kazincbarcika and Miskolc came into being. The effects of destroying the environment are affecting the Bükk, too. One can see a similarly awful wound of landscape in the already mentioned Bélapátfalva, where stone quarrying has practically demolished the nine hundred meter tall Sasbérc. Fortunately there are only two roads leading into the interior of the mountains and a permit must be obtained from the National Park for all kinds of industrial activities. Nowadays the biggest problem is caused by irresponsible tourists damaging the environment.
The Metallurgical Museum in Hámor, The Hermann Ottó Museum in Lillafüred, and the open air Forest Museum in Szalajka Valley all assist in getting to know the National Park.
all quoted from HERE

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