HORTOBGY

steppe region in east-central Hungary, lying between the Tisza River and the city of Debrecen. In the medieval period there were many flourishing villages in this formerly fertile region, but under Turkish rule the area became depopulated, agriculture declined, and the region became a grazing area known for its horses and horsemen. After the regulation of the Tisza River in the 1840s, the Hortobgy became dry and barren, and betyr (highwaymen) roamed the mostly deserted area. In recent years irrigation canals have made agriculture possible in a large part of the area. Herds of cattle and semiwild horses driven by herdsmen in traditional costumes roam the immense grassy plain, which is also the abode of many water birds including various types of herons, black storks, white spoonbills, geese, and ducks, as well as buzzards and falcons. Traditions and folk art still survive in the village of Hortobgy, which is the site of the Hortobgyi Nagycsrda (Great Inn of the Hortobgy), built in 1781. This village is the traditional centre of the region, where the road between Debrecen and Budapest crosses a stone bridge on the Hortobgy River. It has a folk art museum and an annual fair that includes horse shows. To preserve the disappearing steppe with its interesting flora and fauna, the Hortobgy National Park was created in 1973.