Lake Tisza Region, Hungary Attractions

This town 60km (37mi.) southwest of Debrecen was once the main seat of the Cumans, a nomadic people from the steppes of southern Russia. Like the Jazygs, the Cumans reached Hungary in the 13th C. They agreed to serve in the armies of the Magyar king, and in return were given land and the right to self-government. In the 16th C, the Cuman language and culture tended to become swallowed up, but it was 1876 before their settlements finally lost their autonomy and were merged into the regional administration. The syllable "kun", which is still found in some place-names (Kiskunhalas, Kiskunfélegyháza), as well as in the regional names of Kiskunság ("Little Cumania") and Nagykunság ("Greater Cumania"), provides evidence of the earlier Cuman occupation.Two museums in Karcag will serve to acquaint the visitor with the way of life and culture of the Cuman people; these are the typical Cuman farmhouse in Jókai utca, with an exhibition of Cuman folk-art, and the Great Cuman Museum, housed in a neo-classical manor house (1830) at Kálvin utca 4 and named after the ethnologist István Györffy (1884-1939), a native of Karcag.In the house formerly owned by the potter Sándor Kántor (1894-1984) at Erkel Ferenc utca 4 some of his finest work is on display and there are also pottery-making demonstrations. Kántor was responsible for reviving pottery skills in this region and for developing them as an art form.

Nine km (51/2mi.) northeast of the town lie the Berekfürdo baths, where the warm water containing iodine and bromine leaves the ground at temperatures of 55-57°C (130-135°F).Berekfürdo has developed into a holiday resort and offers numerous open-air pools.

Tiszafüred is a popular holiday resort with opportunity for fishing, swimming, boating and water-skiing. Traditional houses and potteries are located in the southern part of the town.