Ipolytarnóc fossils (Ipolytarnóc Hungary)

Description

The Ipolytarnóci Ősmaradványok Nature Reserve is a world-renowned paleontological site in Ipolytarnóc. This Europa-awarded location is a ‘Pompeii from the primeval time’, which was buried 20 million years ago during a volcanic disaster. The scientific research began in 1836 and the area has been under protection since 1944. The 510 hectare area, which is owned by the Hungarian state and managed by the Bükki National Park, presents its geological heritage to visitors in a special way and is a popular destination for geotourism.

The main fossils in the area: a sandy beach dotted with shark teeth, giant petrified trees from a subtropical forest, prints of exotic plants, footprints of prehistoric creatures and remains that have been compressed into a stream of volcanic tuff. In the Ipolytarnóc nature reserve, several thematic educational hiking trails have been constructed. These include the Gesteenteparkpad, the Biological Educational Path, the Rock Path and the Geological Path.

The 700-meter-long path through the rock park shows traces from the geological past; the signposts are formed by inscriptions on witness stones that mark a period every 2 million years, and by rock samples that fit into the timeline. The biological educational path shows the fauna and flora of the area, via forest paths of 2 km and 4 km long. On the 4 km long Kőszikla path you can see gully formations, farm ruins, rock formations and abandoned quarries. The main fossils on the geological path are shark teeth, petrified trees, leaf prints and footprints of prehistoric animals. The sandstone with footprints is exhibited in two halls and a protective basement.