Harta

Harta is situated on the left bank of the Danube, between Solt és Dunapataj, 100 km southwards of  Budapest. By car it is accessible by long-distance road 51 passing across the settlement,  and by train on the Kunszentmiklós-Dunapataj line. Harta and its neighbourhood are excellent destinations for those who are interested in nature, folk traditions and the traditions of the various minorities.

The settlement, that was populated from the Neolithic age died out twice in the course of history: for the first time, during the Mongol invasion of Hungary, and then, during the Turkish conquest.  The history of the village started in the modern age, more specifically, in 1723, when the first German families arrived to the estate of Ráday Pál from the Rhone area. Their isolated community insisted to keep their folk traditions and maintained only limited contacts with the neighbouring Hungarian and Slav population. The Village Museum of the German Nationality gives an authentic picture of the  furnishing and flat culture of the German population. The famous Harta furniture, having a unique combination of colours were made by German cabinetmakers, and the various pieces were painted by the German peasant women. The backs of the chairs were of baroque shapes, and on the top of the cupboards and on the corners of the beds woodcarvings of various animals were made. You can see in the village museum examples of local weavings and  embroidery, and the folk costumes of Harta, unique in the German speaking areas. A special event of the settlement is the so-called Bodza Fesztivál (Elder Fest), the goal of which is to keep the tradition of preparing various products from elder, and to introduce the wide range of possible uses. The central element of the event is the cooking of elder jam.

The bank of the Danube belonging to the settlement and Felsőzátonyi Island (or Duna Island, by its other name) accessible by bridge, are territories under environmental protection. Miklapuszta, laying eastwards of Harta is also part of the Kiskunsági Nemzeti Park (Kiskunság National Park). In the spring it hosts vast number of migrants and, among them rare species.  Böddi-szék Lake is a salt lake which is a nesting-resting place and meeting point of Central European importance of bird species under protection or increased protection. If you want to get more thoroughly acquainted with the salt lake and its fauna, you sould visit the nature trail.

Sources: dr. Dusek László: Az Alföld. Cartographia, Budapest. 2000, http://www.harta.hu/, http://hu.wikipedia.org/, http://www.vendegvaro.hu/