Egyfás-sziget

Two trees against the sky. That’s Egyfás-sziget. Its name, meaning “One-Tree Island,” is a playful deception. Egyfás-sziget actually boasts two trees. They rise from a tiny island in the Szentendre stretch of the Danube River. Egyfás-sziget sits near the Megyeri Bridge, nestled between Lupa-sziget and Szentendrei-sziget. It’s closer to the latter. Egyfás-sziget is so small that at normal water levels, its name almost holds true. Imagine the scene. During periods of low water, the surrounding shoal emerges, temporarily expanding the island’s footprint. Conversely, when the water levels rise, only the treetops peek above the surface. Egyfás-sziget is a popular rest stop for boaters setting out from Budapest. They often pair a visit here with a stop at the neighboring Lupa-sziget. Apart from the two prominent trees, the island is bare. You can only reach Egyfás-sziget by boat. The closest public transport, a ferry, only goes as far as Lupa-sziget. Here’s a fun fact. Egyfás-sziget graces the back of an old, green 10 forint banknote. It’s depicted in János Jankó’s “Riverside Landscape”. Administratively, Egyfás-sziget belongs to Szigetmonostor. These two trees, a willow and a white mulberry, are surprisingly significant. They stand defiant against the Danube’s currents. Egyfás-sziget seems like a transient formation, easily swept away by a flood or a strong wake. Yet, it has persisted since at least the 1960s.