Szalkszentmárton

Szalkszentmárton can be found along route 51, at a distance of 60 km from Budapest, between Tass and Dunavecse. Dunaújváros lying on the other bank of the river is accessible through the Pentele Bridge built in 2008. The capital and the surrounding settlements, such as Kalocsa, Kecskemét and Kunszentmiklós, are easy to access by the bus lines of Kunság Volán.

The settlement can be proud of a unique extremely closed village centre. Medieval, baroque, late baroque and classicist buildings are standing here close to each other, what is considered to be rarity Europe wide. The most characteristic buildings of the village are those porched peasant houses, from which nearly half thousand were built in the period between the end of the 17th and the beginning of 20th century. The most imposing building is the Village Hall wearing the marks of rural classicism, which was awarded to Európa Nostra prize, and which is under monument protection. In 1998 the village was awarded to the Village Centre of the Year Prize, then in 2000 the European Prize of Village Renewal. The Petőfi Sándor Emlékmúzeum (Memorial Museum of Sándor Petőfi) is standing in its main square; it is the greatest memorial site of Petőfi in Hungary with literary, ethnographical and local historical exhibition in it. Between 1844 and 1846 the father of the poet leased the inn and slaughter-house of the village, and Petőfi himself lived here nearly for one year. The statue of the poet can also be found on the main square opposite to the reformed church.

Going towards the Danube from Szalkszentmárton, we can find two mining lakes; on the coast of which camping sites are established. The lakes facilitate bathing, boating and water cycling, and in addition the use of watercrafts, e.g. jet skis brought here is also allowed. A diving centre is also operating along the 120-hectare lake system, where training and examination is also possible. The area is very popular among fishermen, since the water is so clear here that the corpulent fishes of the lake can be seen also from the surface. The Main Channel of Kiskunság (Kiskunsági Főcsatorna) flowing to the east of the village is also suitable for bathing and fishing. Its holiday zone established on its shady coast surrounded by trees is so popular that the population of the settlement doubles in summer. There is a hunting-party operating on the area, whose hunting lodge can be found in the Homoki forest. Small games are the most characteristic to the hunting area.

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