Fekete-hegy (Black Hill)

As the southernmost upland area of Hungary, the Villány Hills are definitely one of the richest areas in the country – wether in their geological, palaeontological, botanical and zoological and,- historical wealth or in the beauty of the landscape.

The Black Hill (341 metres above sea level) can be found on the eastern edge of the Villány Hills, almost hidden behind the Szársomlyó, which is approximately 100 metres higher. Its name comes from its location: at certain times of the day it is shadowed by the Szársomlyó and this might be where the name ‘Black Hill’ comes from.

If we look at the hill from the west, for instance from Siklós Fortress, we can see that the Black Hill is not a “small hill hidden in the background” but is actually an organic part of the Szársomlyó.
This is underlined by old documents: the labels indicating the discovered habitats of plants and animals (Nagyharsány – Dobogó, Szársomlyó - Dobogó) relate exactly to the Black Hill, so in many cases the Hill is not featured as a separate hill in the documents, but only as part of the Szársomlyó.

The hill is strictly protected!

The treasuresof the hill are concentrated on the partially surviving quasi-natural, open and closed rocky limestone grass-lands on the lime stones – on the southern slope and the hill's ridge –, the karst bush forests with downy oaks – on the north side –, undergrowths apron vegetation, ravine forests, limestone beech forests, the South Transdanubian silver linden and beech forests and the oak-hornbeam woodlands.
The register of its treasures has led to the recognition that it is an area of a great natural value, as a result of which the hill has been protected since 1997.

The nature conservation management tasks of the area are the responsibility of the directorate of the Danube-Dráva National Park.

Plant species whose existence has been verified on the hill:

• Southern adderstongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum L.)
• Yellow monkshood (Aconitum anthora L.)
• Pasque flower (Pulsatilla pratensis (L.) Mill. subsp. Nigricans)
• Trigonella gladiata Stev.
• Sedum neglectum subsp. sopianae Priszter
• Spring pheasant’s eye (Adonis vernalis L.)
• Buttercup (Ranunculus illyricus L.)
• Convolvulus cantabrica L.
• Burning bush (Dictamnus albus L.)
• Italian woodbine (Lonicera caprifolium L.)
• Golden flax (Linum flavum L.)
• Linum hirsutum L.
• Linum tenuifolium L.
• Gentiana cruciata L.
• Annual honesty (Lunaria annua L.)
• Smelly wallflower (Erysimum odoratum Ehrh.)
• Aster amellus L.
• Pink woodruff (Asperula taurina L. subsp. Leucanthera)
• Jurinea mollis (L.) Rchb.
• Kladovanus carnation (Dianthus giganteiformis Borb.)
• Allium sphaerocephalon L.
• White-flowered ornithogalum (Ornithogalum sphaerocarpum Kern.)
• Common grape hyacinth (Muscari botryoides (L.) Mill.)
• Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus K.)
• Lady’s seal (Tamus communis L.)
• Hungarian iris (Iris variegata L.)
• European large white Helleborine (Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce)
• Broadleaf helleborine (Epipactis helleborine Cr.)
• Violet Limodore (Limodorum abortivum (L.) Sw.)
• Bird’s-nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich.)
• Lesser butterfly-orchid (Platanthera bifolia (L.) Rich.)
• Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera Huds.)
• Three-toothed orchid (Orchis tridentata Scop.)
• Monkey orchid (Orchis simia Lam.)
• Military orchid (Orchis militaris L.)
• Lady orchid (Orchis purpurea Huds.)
• Monkey X Lady Orchid (Orchis angusticruris Franchet)
• Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis (L.) Rich.)
• Himatoglossum caprinum (M.-Bieb.) Spreng.
• Stipa pulcherrima C. Koch

Unfortunately we know less about the fauna, but the following vertebrates have been recorded in the area:

• green toad,
• agile frog,
• aesculapian snake,
• common wall lizard,
• green lizard,
• slow worm,
• marten,
• squirrel,
• European hare,
• badger,
• fox,
• roe deer,
• red deer,
• wild boar,

while the most interesting bird species is the tawny pipit, which nests in the vineyards at the foot of the hill.

Those who walk the National Blue Walking Trail at the foot of the Black Hill and see this elongated double hill should remember what treasures it possesses, even though it is tiny compared with the Szársomlyó.