Őrség National Park, National park in southwestern Hungary
Őrség National Park is a protected area in southwestern Hungary that spreads across gentle hills near the Austrian and Slovenian borders. Forests alternate with open meadows, and numerous streams wind through the terrain, which covers roughly 440 square kilometers (170 square miles).
Parliament granted the area national park status in 2002 to protect habitats for wildlife and plants. The settlements in the region trace back to Magyar border guards from the 10th century who established their homesteads here.
This region takes its name from the border guards, or őrök, who once watched over the western frontier of medieval Hungary. Visitors can still see the distinctive settlement pattern in several villages, where individual farmsteads sit scattered across the countryside rather than clustering together.
The visitor center in Őriszentpéter provides maps, information, and organizes guided tours through the protected area. Roughly 15 marked hiking trails cross the terrain and pass springs, streams, and forest clearings that can be explored on foot or by bicycle.
The stretch of the Rába River within the park still meanders naturally through the countryside, without straightening or dams altering its original course. This free-flowing pattern has become rare in Hungary and provides habitat for many waterbirds and fish.
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