The richest botanic garden of Hungary, having more than 12 000 species in it and presenting them in the frame of a beautiful landscape garden, was founded in the first half of the last century, in the style of the English gardens of Georgian age. In 1870 the garden came into the possession of Count Sándor Vigyázó, devotee of science, who, together with Vilmos Jámbor, famous landscape gardener of his age, have it transformed into a rich botanic garden. In the early years of this century the garden was famous for the richness of its tree-species, rock-gardens, greenhouses. The Vigyázó family passed his estate to the Academy of Sciences, but the botanic garden in Vácrátót got, after many mishaps, into the administration of the Museum of Natural Sciences only in the May of 1946, and laying the foundations of the botanic garden was started in 1950. In 1952, when the Hungarian Academy of Sciences took possession of the estate and in this place the Research Institute for Botany was established the garden began to develop rapidly. The war damages having been reconstructed and the ruins and bush cleared away, the garden was started to be restored to its original beauty according to the original plans but with a lot more species. In 1961 it opened its doors to the public and since then has been an organic part of the Research Institute for Botany, a live laboratory, experimental area of the researches.
The climate and soil conditions of the botanic garden are rather adverse. The annual precipitation is somewhat more than 500 mm, characteristic to the dry areas of the Great Hungarian Plains, with rather extreme climate, caracterized by long summer-droughts, and the maximum temperature approaches 40 °C in extreme cases, while the winter minimum can drop even to -30 °C . There is a scattered snow cover, early and late frosts and, in the low-lying areas of the garden, fogs are frequent. The soil of the garden is calcareous windblown sand, bound sand and clay. The natural vegetation in the closer environs of the botanic garden reflects well these extreme conditions, as on the natural sandy lands at the end of the garden leather grasses are fluttering in the wind and the near-by hills are covered with oakwood of dry loess-land. A fresh dash of colour is represented only by the narrow strips of riverside forests along the streams and by the bogs to be still found here and there the remains of which can be observed also along the garden lake and stream in the huge specimens of the Hungarian ash (Fraxinus angustifolia .ssp. pannonica) and the robur (Quercus robur). The tree-vegetation of the garden also provides a home for a rich animal world, 53 bird species nest in this area.
The extreme factors preclude growing several plants well-known from botanic gardens of more favourable climate (e.g. Rhododendrons, Azaleas), and the plant growth of the garden can be maintained only by regular careful watering. At the same time the visitor can see almost a thousand characteristic species of the Hungarian flora here, not to mention the interesting plants of the Russian steppes, Central-Asian mountains or those of the Rocky Mountains in America, and the trees and shrubs from the Far East.
Dr. Miklós Ujvárosi, late leader of the garden, Deputy Director of the Institute gained imperishable distinction in collecting the present plant stand of the garden. His name is associated with the greenhouse collections and formation of the section demonstrating Soós phylogenetical system, the most up-to-date at that time. But the dendrological collection with its 2800 species has also increased very much.
We issue our Index Seminum (seed catalogue) annually. You can offer your seed for exchange.
The garden (map) with its lawn, trees, lakes, interesting and beautiful plants is waiting in an area of 29 hectares for those wishing to refresh away from the harms of civilization or the interested tourists, students wishing to study, in a distance 35 kms away from the capital.
The botanic garden in Vácrátót can be reached by road from Budapest via the villages Fót - Csomád - Őrbottyan, from the North via the villages Vác and Csörög, while from the East, leaving Route 3 via Gödöllő and Veresegyháza. The garden can be approached by bus from the station of Metro 3. in Városháza. You can tavel by train from the railwaystation Budapest-Nyugati to Vácrátót. From here buses usually go to botanical garden (3 km).
(hungarian railway guide)
Opening hours: 8-18 from April 1st - October 31 st, 8-16 from November 1st - March 31st. On Mondays the glass-hauses are closed.
Tickets have to be bought at the main gate, here postcards and guidebook can also be bought, while opposite the ticket-window pot plants are sold. Outside the garden a slap-bang shop and a restaurant are waiting for visitors during the above opening hours. The botanic garden is a nature conservation area, its plants, animals are of scientific value including also the species to be found wild here. Collection and impairment of plants or animals or damage of the equipment in the garden are prohibited, and there are dustbins for rubbish, placed near the benches. In maintaining the condition of the garden the sympathy and support of the welcome visitors are relied upon.
Institute of Ecology and Botany, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
The Botanical Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS) was established in 1952. In 1977, the Hungarian Danube Research Station joined the Institute, which contributed to the enlargement of its scope.
The widening of the activities towards the ecological aspect of nature and environment protection in accordance with scientific and social expectancies, was reflected by change of Ecology and Botany, in 1984. Part of the research and experimental activities of the Botanical Garden serves similar purposes.
Scope of activities
Basic and applied studies in different fields of ecology and botany at a high scientific level
— Management, improvement and publication of available ecological and botanical information associated with the flora and fauna of Hungary.
— Maintenance and further development of plant collections in the Botanical Garden, as a national wealth, bequeathed to the Academy by count S. Vigyázó.
— Participation in graduate training, encouragement of public environmental resposibility.
Main research objectives
1. Studies on the organization and dynamics of terrestrial plant communities and populations Research on the causes and mechanisms of grassland and rangeland degradation, in order to elaborate the methodology of their restoration.
— Investigation of spontaneous revegetation on dumps originating from strip coal mining from promoting their restoration.
— Establishment and improvement of botanical and ecological data beses in order to maintain the diversity of the flora and fauna.
2. Hydrobiological studies in rivers and lakes. Assesment of the hydrobiological status, biodiversity, and long-term processes in different sections of the Danube, with special emphasis on the drinking-water supply for Budapest
— Limnological analysis of the peculiar waters of lake Fertő for planning appropriate protection measures to be taken in the Fertő National Park.
3. Conservation biology as a basis for nature protection.
Evaluation of the taxonomic variability and the competitive and reproductive ability of protected and endangered plant species.
— Developing strategies for artifical propagation and preservation of protected species.
4. Exploration and utilization of new plant resources.
Chemotaxonomy and measurement of active ingredients of plants either native to or potentially introduced into Hungary.
— Naturalization of new economic plants in order to increase the diversity of cultivated crops, with emphasis on requirement arising agricultural farms and global climate changes.
5. A specific task of the Institute is the preservation and improvement of plant collections in the Botanical Garden.
Research is supported partly by national and international grants. The scientific activities of the Institute are closely linked with the worldwide programs of the UNESCO and other international scientific organisations (ICSU, IUBS). As a result of our activities, more than 1300 publications, books and book chapters were published so far.
Organisation of the Institute
Ecological Centre,
Department of Plant Ecology,
Hungarian Danube Research Station,
Botanical Garden,
Finance Department.
Adresse:
Institute of Ecology and Botany of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
2-4 Alkotmány Street, Vácrátót, H - 2163. HUNGARY - Tel: 28-360 122; Fax: 28 - 360 110
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Webmaster: Zsilinszky Pál
