From a distance, it looks like nothing more than a barren hill, but if you enter the tightly-protected nature reserve, you can witness a real unspoilt paradise. For some wildlife residents, this is the only place they can be found in the whole of the country – and even in Europe!
According to legend, Sas-hegy ('Eagle Hill') got its name from the year 1686 when, after the recapture of Buda, eagles ascended from here in the direction of the Castle. According to another theory, the area was called Adelsberg (Noble Hill) by the German bourgeoisie, which became Sas-hegy by a mirror translation of what was being heard as Adlersberg ('Eagle Hill').
Today, Districts XI-XII around the plateau are almost completely built up, and it is hugely fortunate that the 30-hectare area has managed to preserve its original wildlife. This is due to the fact that for some time it operated as a military station, before Hungarian scientific authorities joined together to declare the area protected in 1958. The Buda Sas-hegy Nature Reserve (Budai Sas-hegy Természetvédelmi Területet) is fenced off and can only be visited during opening hours with prior registration, and with a professional guide.
In addition to all this, a nature conservation guide service is also needed, because often the fence alone is not enough to detract intruders. “They find a way in,” says Vazul Mocsári, one of the conservationists. “If the sensitive plants here are trampled, their regeneration will take at least 50 years.” Because the local flora is so delicate, a walking path is carefully laid out, measuring 850 metres with eight information stations along the way.
The trail winds around, below and above the captivating white rock formations which form the panoramic peak of Sas Hill. It’s clear why a guide is necessary for the journey: anyone without a solid knowledge of botany would be unable to spot the special plant species that make this area so unique. Some of the few we noted on our journey included Tartar maple, bellflower, star aster, rowan and St István carnations.
This windswept, lonely place is a true curiosity, a little pocket of untouched vegetation so close to the capital. Vazul points out rare plants and also explains the rocky dolomite grass, common in the Buda hills. It was formed in ancient seas, and can be home to valuable and extremely diverse micro-habitats. Rising 250 metres above Budapest, we reach what must, for these plants here, feel like the Alps.
Even the north and south faces of the mountain have something unique to offer. According to Vazul, it can be so hot on the south side that you can even fry an egg on the rock. A special habitat is formed here, where we find plants such as the round-leafed bellflower, sun rose, scorzonera and Hungarian gourd, which is a so-called remnant species, existing here since before the last Ice Age. Then, temperatures were even warmer here than they are today. Only in Hungary do we find this species, whose thin, dill-like leaves allow very little moisture to evaporate, and its white, cauliflower-like flowers has a celeriac scent. Also growing on the southern side is the common foal tail, which is dichotomous: the male plants life on Sas Hill, and the females live on Gellért Hill. The wind carries the pollen across the long distance to pollinate the flowers.
In contrast to the hot, dry southern side, the northern side shows a completely different picture, looking more like Alpine pastures. Here grows rabbit tailweed, a cold-loving remnant plant stuck here from the Ice Age, whose relatives live in the low-altitude shrubs of the Alps and Carpathians. On the green north side, we observe a typical Pannonian bush forest, dotted with low groups of trees found only here in the Carpathian Basin.
It’s a fascinating look at how the dolomite grasslands can support such a variety of plant life. “For us here in Hungary,” says Vazul, “grasslands have much more value than forests. In return, they are much more valuable, and more difficult to restore, so they must be taken care of”. Dolomite grasslands are also found in Budaörs, but afforded much less protection. In fact, Budapest itself was built on top of such grassland, this being the natural habitat of the area.
Sas Hill is home to many varieties of wildlife as well, including the Pannonian lizard, praying locust and saw-footed grasshopper, which is the largest insect species in Europe (up to ten centimetres). They reproduce through virgin breeding, meaning there are only female individuals. Furthermore, the haragos sikló, the Caspian whipsnake, is also indigenous here. And true to its name, it will attack and bite you if it sees fit!
An interactive exhibition at the reception centre helps summarise everything that has been seen and learned, and school groups are often brought here on educational field trips. Events are also organised for adults, with sunset walks and summer shooting-star watch parties. The full price for the guided tour is 1,400 forints. From town, take the 59 tram to Farkasréti cemetery, or bus 8 to Korompai utca, to reach to the visitor centre and nature trail.
