Kékes
Hungary's highest mountain
title: "Kékes" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mountains-of-hungary", "tourist-attractions-in-hungary", "mountains-of-the-western-carpathians", "geography-of-heves-county", "tourist-attractions-in-heves-county", "highest-points-of-countries"] description: "Hungary's highest mountain" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kékes" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Hungary's highest mountain ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox mountain"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Kékes |
| photo | Kékestető, tévétorony 2.jpg |
| photo_size | 250 |
| elevation_m | 1014 |
| elevation_ref | |
| prominence_m | 774 |
| prominence_ref | |
| map | Hungary |
| map_size | 250 |
| label_position | left |
| listing | Country high point |
| translation | Bluish |
| language | Hungarian |
| range | Mátra, Western Carpathians |
| coordinates | |
| :: |
| name = Kékes | photo = Kékestető, tévétorony 2.jpg | photo_caption = | photo_size = 250 | elevation_m = 1014 | elevation_ref = | prominence_m = 774 | prominence_ref = | map = Hungary | map_size = 250 | label_position = left | listing = Country high point | translation = Bluish | language = Hungarian | location = | range = Mátra, Western Carpathians | coordinates = | coordinates_ref = | topo = | type = | age = | first_ascent = | easiest_route =
Kékes is Hungary's highest mountain, at 1014 m above sea level The resort is reachable by bus from Budapest.
History
The built a 20 m high wooden watchtower at east of the summit in 1889. With the Treaty of Trianon, Kékes became the highest mountain in the country in 1920. Before that, the Gerlachovský štít was the highest peak of the Kingdom of Hungary. The watchtower was rebuilt and named after József Vass in 1926. The Kékes luxury hotel, the meteorological station and the road to Mátraháza were built in 1934. The watchtower was demolished in 1938. The luxury hotel was converted into a sanatorium in 1951 and the trade union resort was built. The skiers' houses were built in 1953. A 65-meter TV tower, made of andesite, was handed over in 1960. A new 178-meter-high TV tower was built in 1980, and the older one was converted into a hotel. The new TV tower also functions as a lookout point. Two ski pistes were built beside of the TV tower. Since 1990, the former trade union resort was demolished, and a parking lot was created in its place. The hotel operating in the old TV tower is also closed.
Climate
Kékes Peak is the highest altitude region in Hungary, so it has the highest altitude weather station in the country. Although the mountain is still classified as a temperate humid continental climate (Dfb) according to the Köppen climate classification, it is very close to a subarctic climate (Dfc). Unlike cities in the plains such as Miskolc, which is also classified as a humid continental climate (Dfb), it is closer to an oceanic climate (Cfb) and may even be subtropical humid (Cfa). The annual average temperature of Kékes is 6.4 C, which is about 5 C-change lower than that of Budapest or Miskolc. August is the warmest month with an average temperature of 16.4 C; January is the coldest month with -3.4 C. Temperature extremes ranged from -22.6 C in 1987 to 31.4 C on July 20, 2007. |location = Kékestető (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1973−present) |single line = Y |metric first = Y |Jan high C = -1.4 |Feb high C = -0.2 |Mar high C = 3.4 |Apr high C = 10.1 |May high C = 14.6 |Jun high C = 18.0 |Jul high C = 20.0 |Aug high C = 19.9 |Sep high C = 14.5 |Oct high C = 9.3 |Nov high C = 4.0 |Dec high C = -0.7 |year high C= 9.3 |Jan mean C = -3.4 |Feb mean C = -2.7 |Mar mean C = 0.6 |Apr mean C = 6.3 |May mean C = 10.9 |Jun mean C = 14.5 |Jul mean C = 16.3 |Aug mean C = 16.4 |Sep mean C = 11.3 |Oct mean C = 6.6 |Nov mean C = 1.9 |Dec mean C = -2.5 |year mean C= 6.4 |Jan low C = -5.3 |Feb low C = -4.7 |Mar low C = -1.8 |Apr low C = 3.7 |May low C = 8.0 |Jun low C = 11.5 |Jul low C = 13.4 |Aug low C = 13.9 |Sep low C = 9.1 |Oct low C = 4.6 |Nov low C = 0.1 |Dec low C = -4.3 |year low C = 4.0 |Jan record high C = 12.2 |Feb record high C = 13.9 |Mar record high C = 21.0 |Apr record high C = 22.4 |May record high C = 25.6 |Jun record high C = 29.7 |Jul record high C = 31.4 |Aug record high C = 30.4 |Sep record high C = 25.8 |Oct record high C = 22.0 |Nov record high C = 17.4 |Dec record high C = 12.5 |Jan record low C = -22.6 |Feb record low C = -19.8 |Mar record low C = -19.4 |Apr record low C = -9.7 |May record low C = -4.0 |Jun record low C = 1.0 |Jul record low C = 4.5 |Aug record low C = 1.0 |Sep record low C = -3.0 |Oct record low C = -8.0 |Nov record low C = -13.0 |Dec record low C = -18.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 41.5 |Feb precipitation mm = 50.0 |Mar precipitation mm = 47.9 |Apr precipitation mm = 58.9 |May precipitation mm = 94.3 |Jun precipitation mm = 82.2 |Jul precipitation mm = 105.7 |Aug precipitation mm = 80.5 |Sep precipitation mm = 67.6 |Oct precipitation mm = 66.2 |Nov precipitation mm = 67.2 |Dec precipitation mm = 52.0 |year precipitation mm = 814.0 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 6.9 |Feb precipitation days = 7.6 |Mar precipitation days = 7.5 |Apr precipitation days = 8.2 |May precipitation days = 10.3 |Jun precipitation days = 9.5 |Jul precipitation days = 9.6 |Aug precipitation days = 7.5 |Sep precipitation days = 7.3 |Oct precipitation days = 7.4 |Nov precipitation days = 8.0 |Dec precipitation days = 8.0 |year precipitation days = 97.8 |Jan snow days = 10.8 |Feb snow days = 10.8 |Mar snow days = 8.6 |Apr snow days = 5.4 |May snow days = 0.6 |Jun snow days = 0.0 |Jul snow days = 0.0 |Aug snow days = 0.0 |Sep snow days = 0.2 |Oct snow days = 1.7 |Nov snow days = 6.9 |Dec snow days = 10.8 |year snow days = 55.9 |Jan humidity = 84.1 |Feb humidity = 82.0 |Mar humidity = 77.0 |Apr humidity = 68.1 |May humidity = 73.0 |Jun humidity = 74.3 |Jul humidity = 72.2 |Aug humidity = 70.3 |Sep humidity = 75.9 |Oct humidity = 81.6 |Nov humidity = 84.7 |Dec humidity = 82.7 |year humidity = 77.2 |Jan sun = 89.8 |Feb sun = 100.1 |Mar sun = 144.2 |Apr sun = 174.7 |May sun = 221.0 |Jun sun = 238.9 |Jul sun = 268.0 |Aug sun = 237.9 |Sep sun = 189.4 |Oct sun = 166.7 |Nov sun = 97.4 |Dec sun = 77.4 |year sun = 2005.4 |Jan percentsun = 33 |Feb percentsun = 36 |Mar percentsun = 40 |Apr percentsun = 43 |May percentsun = 48 |Jun percentsun = 51 |Jul percentsun = 56 |Aug percentsun = 55 |Sep percentsun = 51 |Oct percentsun = 51 |Nov percentsun = 36 |Dec percentsun = 30 |year percentsun = 46 |source 1 = NOAA (snow days and sunshine 1967-1994){{cite web |url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Hungary/CSV/Kekesteto_12851.csv |title = Kekesteto Climate Normals 1991-2020 |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = August 27, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230827073658/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Hungary/CSV/Kekesteto_12851.csv |archive-date = 2023-08-27}}{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=global-summary-of-the-day&stations=12851099999&startDate=1700-01-01&endDate=2023-12-31&dataTypes=MAX,MIN,PRCP |title = Global Surface Summary of the Day - GSOD |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |accessdate = January 23, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230827073120/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=global-summary-of-the-day&stations=12851099999&startDate=1700-01-01&endDate=2023-12-31&dataTypes=MAX,MIN,PRCP |archive-date = 2023-08-27}}{{cite web |url = https://library.noaa.gov/Collections/Digital-Docs/Foreign-Climate-Data/Hungary-Climate-Data#o08958322 |title = Időjárási napijelentés = Ezhemesiachnyi meteorologicheskii biulleten = Monthly weather report = Bulletin mensuel de temps = Monatlicher Witterungsbericht |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |accessdate = January 24, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230827073436/https://libguides.library.noaa.gov/weather-climate/foreign-climate |archive-date = 2023-08-27}}
Road cycling
For road bicycle racing enthusiasts, the mountain can be climbed by two main routes.
- South from Gyöngyös: 839 m over 17.8 km. This is the most famous and difficult ascent.
- North from Parád: 775 m over 16.9 km. About equal in difficulty as the ascent from Gyöngyös, but better sheltered against the sun and the wind.
Tour de Hongrie stage finishes
Kékes is the most difficult climb of the Tour de Hongrie professional road bicycle stage race. From 2001, a stage finish at the summit is usually part of the route each year the race is held. ::data[format=table]
| Year | Stage | Start of stage | Distance (km) | Category | Stage winner | General leadership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 3 | Tiszaújváros | 174 | 1 | SCG Mikoš Rnjaković | SCG Mikoš Rnjaković |
| 2003 | 4 | Miskolc | 127.3 | 1 | CRO Matija Kvasina | SVK Zoltán Remák |
| 5 | Mátraháza | 3.4 | ITT | HUN Tamás Lengyel | SVK Zoltán Remák | |
| 2004 | 5 | Mezőkövesd | 148 | 1 | UKR Anatoliy Varvaruk | SVK Zoltán Remák |
| 2005 | 5 | Mezőkövesd | 93 | 1 | NZL Glen Chadwick | HUN Tamás Lengyel |
| 6 | Mátraháza | 3.4 | ITT | HUN Tamás Lengyel | HUN Tamás Lengyel | |
| 2015 | 4 | Karcag | 146 | 1 | SLO Andi Bajc | LUX Tom Thill |
| 2016 | 4 | Karcag | 144 | 1 | USA Chris Butler | EST Mihkel Räim |
| 2019 | 4 | Karcag | 138.1 | 1 | LAT Krists Neilands | LAT Krists Neilands |
| 2020 | 4 | Miskolc | 187.8 | 1 | HUN Attila Valter | HUN Attila Valter |
| 2021 | 4 | Balassagyarmat | 202.2 | 1 | AUS Damien Howson | AUS Damien Howson |
| 2022 | 5 | Miskolc | 183.7 | 1 | ITA Antonio Tiberi | IRL Edward Dunbar |
| 2024 | 3 | Kazincbarcika | 182.7 | 1 | BEL Thibau Nys | BEL Thibau Nys |
| 2025 | 3 | Gödöllő | 162.8 | 1 | ECU Harold Martín López | ECU Harold Martín López |
| :: |
References
References
- {{cite pb
- "Gyöngyös". [[Hungarian Central Statistical Office]].
- "Budapest-Kékestető". [[Volánbusz]].
- Berki, Zoltán. (2015). "The resort places of the mountain range: Kékestető. In.: Mátra tursitakaluz". Cartographia.
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