Hortobágy National Park

Hortobágy, Hungary’s first national park, encompasses the largest continuous native grassland in Europe. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and Biosphere Reserve, and a Ramsar Convention site. Largely untouched since the last ice age, Hortobágy’s ancient marshland and alkaline flats provide a haven for wildlife, especially birds. The lighting management plan focuses on avian protection. Lighting retrofits within the 10,000 hectares designated as Hortobágy Starry Sky Park minimize impact to avian wildlife. However, astronomical interests are not neglected. The park offers nighttime walks and interpretive programs that include light pollution education, and the park plans to open an observatory.