Heves megyei aprónyomtatványok 19/E
EGER SI* Egervár - Felnémet - Almár - Szarvaskő From the railroad station of Eger you go through Tihamér, Egervár and Felnémet by a narrow-gauge train or a car to Szarvaskő. Full-day trips may also be taken to the glades of Margit-forrás and the beautiful forests of Szarvaskő. The spring, and the benches and facilities for bacon toasting nearby makes your stay unforgettably pleasant. Szarvaskő is located in a basin surrounded by forests. The ancient fortress of Szarvaskő, which is guarded by rock masses on three sides, stands on the top of a bluff called Keselyű-orom ('vultures' cliff). The fortress, which was an advance guard of the Castle of Eger, has totally fallen into ruins by now. It was called 'satchel fortress' from 1 564 on because it was the responsibility of the commander of Eger Castle at that time to guard the fortress, and the soldiers who were sent there carried satchels containing the food they needed for their one week stay. The former castleyard, which is now a plateau, offers a magnificent prospect to the wooded range of hills. The stairs that lead up to the fortress follow the Blue route sign. The origin of the name of the fortress and the village (Szarvaskőmeans 'deer stone' or 'deer rock') was explained by János Szegedi, a histo- rian/linguist. According to Mr. Szegedi a stag chased by hunters ran up to the peak of the cliff and fell down the precipice. ft Szarvaskő - Ruins of Cilitka House - Orosz-vár - Forester's Lodge of Rozsnak - Pap-kő - Siroki Vár (Fortress of Sirok) - Bükkszék You leave the village on a short and steep rise near Szarvaskő church. The next station is a farm with a shadoof, and then you are in the forest. (By walking down the forest path one may get to the Bakta lakes from there.) The hard rhyolitic tuff mass of Pap-kő rises 10-12 meters high. According to popular legends its two separate rock masses are a monk and a nun turned to stone. The beetling cliff at the beginning of the ridge is called 'Turkish Table' (Török-asztal), a name which calls up the memory of the days of Turkish rule in Hungary (16th and 17th centuries). The fortress of Sirok, which is only a fifteen minutes' distance from there, stands on the top of the rhyolitic tuff hill; although it is in ruins, the fortress is still an awe-inspiring sight. The weatherbeaten walls face floating clouds and bright sunlight. As a matter of curiosity, it is worth it mentioning that Ilona Zrínyi, Miklós Zrínyi's* daughter, lived with her husband Kristóf Országh in this fortress. The fortress, which has had a stormy life, was part of the system of fortifications guarding Upper Northern Hungary. The casemates of the fortress were cut into rhyolitic tuff that was easy to carve. When in Sirok, it is worth visiting the cave-dwellings that served as dwelling places in old times. Bükkszék is famous for its health-giving mineral water called 'Salvus Water'. Salvus Water may ease stomach and bowel complaints. Many families visit the village due to the beautiful site of the holiday resort which has a swimming pool with a water chute and a terrace for sun-bathing. Miklós Zrínyi is one of the greatest heroes of Hungarian history. His fortress Szigetvár was besieged by the Turkish army in 1 566. Realizing that they were no longer able to defend the fortress, Zrínyi and his soldiers broke out and a died a glorious death.
