Fifty watermills once stood proudly on the Danube. That’s how Molnár-sziget got its name. Molnár means miller in Hungarian. These mills ground the rye grown on Molnár-sziget itself. The island supplied Budapest with its rye bread.
Molnár-sziget a small island in the Ráckeve branch of the Danube. It belongs to Soroksár. Csepel and Csepel Island surround it. Its low-lying position and the unpredictable Danube made it flood at least once a year. Soroksár residents transported their rye bread to Budapest by boat.
The island played a significant role in the economy of Soroksár and the former Soroksár-Puszta. In the 19th century Molnár-sziget was much smaller. The regulation of the Ráckeve branch of the Danube in the early 20th century significantly altered its shape. The former riverbed shrank. Molnár-sziget became the only island in this section of the Danube. Silting gradually increased its size.
Today nearly five hundred privately owned properties are located on Molnár-sziget. 190 are classified as residential the rest are agricultural. A day camp for youth once stood on the southern part of the island. Electricity arrived in the 1970s. Piped gas came in the 2000s.
A small reinforced concrete bridge connects Molnár-sziget to Soroksár. A long wooden bridge stood here before. The D14 ferry connects the island to Csepel.
Molnár-sziget offers a peaceful escape from the city’s hustle. It’s a place to hike bike or simply relax by the water. It’s a hidden treasure in the heart of Budapest. A true escape.