Bábolna: Stud Farm History, Horses and Arboretum
Accommodation in Bábolna
Bábolna tells its equestrian story in more than just an exhibition. A 20-hectare arboretum, memorials to horses and activities related to the stud farm give the town a variety of facets. Nature and cultural history shape Bábolna in their own way: you can explore the arboretum’s landscape, discover tributes to individual horses and learn about a stud farm tradition spanning more than two centuries. This makes the town particularly interesting if you would like to combine nature with historical equestrian culture.
File:Bábolna - A bábolnai ménesbirtok bejárata.jpg
Photo: Bahusz via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
Arboretum and memorial sites
The arboretum was established in 1965 and is located next to Csikótelep. It is a nature reserve of local importance. The Híres Lovak Emlékparkja, a memorial to the stud farm’s horses, is also located in the arboretum. The statue “Leghűségesebb bajtársnak” (“To the Most Faithful Comrade”) commemorates a particular horse: in 1809, it returned from the Battle of Győr without its rider, thereby revealing the defeat. The monument is thus associated with a specific event. The arboretum also has a petting zoo and separate enclosures with native domestic and wild animals, including wild boars, fallow deer, roe deer, alpacas, Mangalica pigs, various sheep and a donkey.
Stud farm tradition in exhibitions and everyday life
The exhibition on the history of the stud farm is housed in the former officers’ casino. It covers more than two centuries of stud farm history, reaching back to the farm’s founding in 1789. Documents, maps, sculptures, paintings and items from everyday life with horses offer different perspectives on this history. Written and visual sources are presented alongside objects from daily work with horses.
The riding arena is also part of the town’s history in a practical sense: it is 15 metres wide and 44 metres long and, in addition to daily work, serves as a venue for horse demonstrations. Another way to combine the stud farm with an outing in the countryside is to travel from Ménesudvar to the nearby arboretum. Guests ride in a carriage drawn by two Shagya Arabian mares. Advance booking is required for activities.
Summer water and play activities
In summer, Bábolna Strand- és Termálfürdő offers an outdoor leisure pool, a paddling pool, a water playground, bouncy castles, water bumper cars and an outdoor playhouse. These activities add a seasonal highlight alongside the nature and stud farm attractions. Check the pool’s current opening status before your trip. Admission to the arboretum is free; it is also worth checking the latest visitor information before your visit.
Which holiday apartment suits your travel plans?
The town’s different attractions can help you start choosing a holiday apartment in Bábolna: would you like to make time for the stud farm’s history, the monuments and the animal enclosures, or are summer water activities also part of your holiday plans? The pool is specifically a summer attraction, while the arboretum and exhibition appeal to other interests. Consider which of these themes you would like to shape your stay, and take the season and the pool’s current opening status into account when planning water activities.
Discover more destinations: Ács, Csém, Komárom.
Go to the overarching travel guide: Komáromi.
