Gödöllő & the Puszta: the back story

About Gödöllő & the Puszta: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Budapest Editorial Team

East and south-east of Budapest begins the Great Hungarian Plain, the Alföld, whose open grasslands, the puszta, are the land of the csikós horsemen, grey cattle and long horizons. On the way lies Gödöllő, the baroque palace beloved by Empress Elisabeth.

Gödöllő

The Royal Palace of Gödöllő, one of the largest baroque palaces in Hungary, was given to Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth as a coronation gift. Sisi, who loved Hungary, spent long stays here, and her rooms are among the highlights of the restored palace.

The puszta

The Great Plain was once a sea of grassland grazed by herds of grey cattle, horses and racka sheep with corkscrew horns. Parts of it are protected in national parks, including Kiskunság, south of Budapest, and Hortobágy in the east, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On the puszta, a horseman can ride standing on five horses at once.

The horsemen

The csikós, the horse herders of the plain, are famous for their riding, whip-cracking and the “Puszta five”, in which a rider stands on the backs of two horses while driving three more. Equestrian parks near Gödöllő and on the plain stage shows.

Kecskemét

Kecskemét, the main town of the southern plain, is known for its Art Nouveau buildings, including the colourful Cifrapalota, and for apricot pálinka.

Our advice: combine the Gödöllő palace with a horse show at an equestrian park nearby for an easy day, or rent a car for Kecskemét and a puszta horse show in Kiskunság National Park. Check show times, which are seasonal.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Gödöllő & the Puszta: the back story before you go.