Márianosztra circular route with majestic views of Kopasz Hill

Itinerary

• We start from the village center on the Z trail heading northeast along Miklós Street.
• Staying on the Z trail, we ascend to the Sarok and Galambos meadows, then further to the saddle of Lőrinc Hill.
• At the right-hand branching Z▲ trail we climb up to Kopasz Hill, then descend back down.
• From the junction we continue northward on the Z trail until the next branch.
• At the junction following the Lengyel meadow we switch to the Z+ trail leading into the Bükkös valley.
• Reaching the Bezina Valley we turn left onto the P+ trail.
• Arriving at the border of Márianosztra, we continue straight on an unmarked path (approx. 250 meters) along Szőlő Street.
• Continuing along Ady Endre Street, we join the Pᵯ trail to the right-forward direction.
• Following the Pᵯ trail, we reach the Calvary Chapel, then loop back to the edge of the village.
• On the street turning left onto the P trail, we return to the village center.

Detailed description of the route

Village embraced by mountains

At the beginning of our hike, it is important to say a few words about the history and present of Márianosztra. The Márianosztra prison located in the village significantly defines the landscape and history of the community, as does the Pauline monastery and the pilgrimage church as well as the bald Csák Hill standing at the village border. Less is said about the latter, although all three "symbols" of Márianosztra are closely connected. The history of Nosztra goes back to the 13th century when it was first mentioned in documents. In 1352, King Louis I the Great built a monastery and church for the Pauline order from the stones of a nearby ruined castle (likely the Zuvár), dedicated to Our Lady of Hungarians. Since then, the name "Maria Nostra," meaning "Our Mary," has been used.

We start the hike from the village center, heading along Miklós Street on the Z trail. Following one branching street, Mária Street, we can visit the building complex used both as a prison and a pilgrimage site, where Louis the Great spent time, along with his younger daughter, St. Hedwig, crowned Polish queen at age ten in 1384. (Few know that since 2006, St. Hedwig is the patron saint of the Danube Bend.) The Pauline monastery and church were destroyed during the Turkish age and were rebuilt starting in 1711 with the return of the monks. Construction lasted decades and shortly after completion, Emperor Joseph II dissolved the religious orders. The empty state buildings, unused for a long time, were converted into a women's prison after the War of Independence, and since 1950 have operated as a men's prison. The Pauline order was returned the church after the regime change, which later received the title of minor basilica. The monastery still operates as a prison.

We reach the forest on the Z trail, where the ascent intensifies until the Sarok and Galambos meadows offer more gentle slopes for easier walking. Heading to the saddle of Lőrinc Hill, a wide dirt road is accompanied by oak-hornbeam forest and pleasant clearings. Gradually the terrain gets more rocky as we climb toward the saddle where turning right on the Z▲ trail brings us to a steeper and sometimes quite slippery ascent to the characteristic hilltop, Kopasz Hill.

The panoramic Kopasz Hill

It is called "bald" for a reason: at the summit, there is only grass, rocky terrain, and a cross. The summit offers magnificent views over the small basin of Márianosztra, the southwestern part of the Börzsöny mountains, the Danube Bend, the stretching ridges of the Visegrád Mountains opposite, as well as parts of the Pilis and Gerecse ranges. Among the vast panorama, the most eye-catching is the small basin of Márianosztra below, easily recognizable by the prison and basilica.

Kopasz Hill rises sharply and island-like over its surroundings, standing on the heavily eroded remains of a former volcanic dome: once an independent volcanic center, it still preserves some of its original shape despite erosion. Its baldness is due to human intervention: grazing and mowing prevented reforestation after the forest was cleared, and rainwater has washed soil down to the bedrock in places.

Back to Márianosztra

We return on the Z▲ trail to the junction, then continue north on the Z trail. Soon, at the junction following the Lengyel meadows, we turn onto the Z+ trail leading through shady beech forest down to the Bezina Valley. We cross the narrow gauge railway tracks and after a few steps reach the P+ trail where we turn left. This trail leads back to the border of Márianosztra, where we walk a stretch without markings (about 250 meters) along Szőlő Street and then join the Pᵯ trail on Ady Endre Street, which leads to the Calvary Chapel.

View from the Calvary Chapel

At the eastern edge of the village is the splendid Calvary Hill, topped by a sanctuary built in 1777, which has since become a pilgrimage site and part of the Mary pilgrimage route. We can admire a lime tree avenue over 200 years old planted on the slopes, enhancing the overall scene alongside the Stations of the Cross. From this height, there is a great view of surrounding volcanic cones, the characteristic Kopasz Hill, the steep crest of Nagy-Galla, the ruins hidden in Zuvár Hill, and the partly leached Csák Hill at the village border.

Sights around the former monastery

From the Calvary, we follow the Pᵯ mark to the edge of the village. From there, turning left onto the P trail, we return to the starting point. It's worth making a detour to see the magnificent basilica from the inside and also to get some insight into the prison nearby. The area enclosed by barbed wire and bars is naturally not accessible, but the exhibition area opposite the church offers some glimpse into prison life within the walls and the past and present of the Pauline monks. In the prison parking lot, it is even possible to sit in some of the no longer used transport vehicles.

Next to the former monastery building, which now houses the penitentiary, is a unique prisoner cemetery. Interestingly, in the past, guards and prisoners were buried in the same place. Additionally, children of pregnant inmates who died, and supposedly unwanted or mentally challenged children of wealthier families once held within the walls were also buried here. The cemetery is now open to everyone but only a few graves remain visible.