13 October 2018

Danubian Island of the year 2018


This is the sixth time the Donauinseln blog starts its poll for the Danubian Island of the year. You can vote for the three nominated islands between 13th October and 1st January 2019.

Blogul “Insule Dunarene” initiaza acum, deja a sasea oara, alegerea “Insulei Anului”. Alegerea se poate face dintre trei insule desemnate, si are loc intre 13 octombrie si 1 ianuarie.



The aim of this poll is to focus attention on the mostly unknown islands of the Danube. Most of you probably visited the Seychelle Islands before any Danubian Island. As we stated this is the fifth poll, and we hope we have started a tradition and more-and-more people will learn about these islands across the Globe.

Scopul principal al acestui demers este cunoasterea mai buna a insulelor ascunse (dar cu atat mai interesante) de pe cursul dunarii. Mai degraba au fost multi pe insulele Seyschelle decat pe oricare din insulele enumerate mai jos.  Cu cele cinci editii anterioare se pare ca am creeat traditie a.i. si acest demers a prins notorietate in randul algerilor de categoria “... Anului”.

The winners so far (you might noticed this is a Hungary-based blog):
2013. Kompkötő Island, Vác, Hungary
2014. Helemba Island, Esztergom, Hungary
2015. Kismarosi Island, Kismaros, Hungary
2016. Szalki Island, Dunaújváros, Hungary
2017. Zitny Ostrov, (Csallóköz) Slovakia

Insulele castigatoare de pana acum:
In 2013 insula Kompkötő din Vác (HU)
In 2014 insula Helemba-sziget din Esztergom (Strigoniu HU)
In 2015 insula Kismarosi din Kismaros (HU)
In 2016 insula Szalki din Dunaújváros (HU)
In 2017 insula Csallóköz (SK)

This year our readers have selected two islands in the qualifying rounds. This year with our nominee, the sunken Ada Kaleh in Romania we expect a real international competition. We start the introduction in alphabetical order, with the island we thought worthy enough to participate in the poll:

In acest an cititorii blogului au ales cateva preliminare. Insula Ada Kaleh ofera perspectiva unui adevarat concurs international. Enumeram in cele ce urmeaza, in ordine alfabetica, insulele care credem ca isi au locul in alegerea “Insulei Anului 2018”:


Ada Kaleh, Al-Duna - Romania

I do not think I have to introduce this island to you, let me ask Patrick Leigh Fermor for this favour. The legends of this sunken Turkish Island on the Danube was built and destroyed by human beings.  Once a Habsburg fortress, later a Turkish dominion isolated by hundreds of miles from the Homeland has disappeared in 1971 with the contruction of the Iron Gates hydroelectric plant. The Donauinseln blog did everything so far to keep the islands memory alive, now it is the time for our readers to do the same!

Cred ca insula Ada Kaleh nu mai are nevoie de prezentare. Aceasta insula turceasca, inundata, a fost deopotriva ridicata in nemurire si scufundata in uitare de aceeasi mana neobosita a omului. Se leaga de ea nenumarate legende. Amintesc aici de localizarea imprecisa a cititorilor lui Jókai, bunaoara acestia au plasat, eronat, aici actiunea romanului „Omul de aur” si asa zisa „insula a nimanui”. Blogul „Insule Dunarene” a facut multe lucruri in sensul pastrarii in amintire a acestei insule. Iata acum posibilitatea ca si cititorii nostrii sa ne ajute in acest demers.


Molnár Island, Budapest

This is a real urbanised island in the southern suburbs of Budapest. It is located on the Soroksári Danube, a huge oxbow which receives only 1% of the discharge of the main Danube. The decrease of the water level cused a four time increase in the size of the Molnár (Miller) Island. Once famous for the ship mills now it is a built up area swallowed by the suburbization. The nearby Danube is suffering from the sedimentation and the sewage, however there is a local community who cares about the future of the island and the Danube.

Timpul si-a lasat amprenta si pe insula din Soroksár. Se gaseste la partea de nord a bratului inchis al dunarii de la Soroksár. Incepand cu 1950 insula apartine de Budapesta si a crescut in ultimii 150 de ani cu 431%. In locul vestitului santier naval, in fosta albie colmatata, acum sunt case de vacanta si ansambluri rezidentiale permanente. Probeleme apar insa din cauza malului carat de raul Gyáli la confluenta cu bratul dunarii. Pe insula acum s-a dezvoltat o comunitate dispusa sa si faca ceva pentru insula, de asta a ajuns insula Mólnár in aceasta finala.


Süttői Island, Moča, Slovakia

Süttő is a town located in Hungary. It has an island on the Danube with the same name, belonging to the Slovakian community, Moča (Dunamocs). Moča is a community located in Slovakia. It has an island on the Danube with the same name, belonging to the Hungarian community Süttő. This is a real Danubian island surrounded by the river 365 days a year since the stone dyke was opened. It is a famous nesting place of migratory birds and a place for campers and kayakers.

Unde se gaseste insula Süttői? Insula poarta numele localitatii maghiare dar datorita lucrarilor de reglementare a fluviului a ajuns sa apartina de Slovacia, bunaoara este la sud de calea navigabila. Acum este in administratia localitatii Dunamocs, asadar teritoriu Slovac. Este o insula in adevaratul sens al cuvantului, adica este imbratisata de ape din toate partile, mai ales decand s-a demolat digul de piatra care facea legatura cu malul Slovac. Interesant mai este ca insula Dunamocs, care poarta numele localitatii din Slovacia, apartine de Ungaria, deci este remarcabila si datorita impartirii neobisnuite de teritorii.



The poll will be closed at midnight 1st January 2019. The results will be available in the first post of the year 2019.

Votul se incheie pe 1 ianuarie 2019, la miezul noptii. Publicarea rezultatului la postarea de final de an 2019!

01 October 2018

Qualifying round of the "Danubian Island of the year 2018" voting


Time has come again to cast your vote for the Danubian Island of the Year. This will be the sixth year we start this contest. As a tradition our readers can nominate their favourite islands, and then it is upon them which two Danubian Island will qualify for the finals. As usual there are 3 islands in the final the 3rd one is nominated by the Donauinseln blog. The qualifying round ends on the 12th October 2018. On the next day we start the finals which ends on the last day of 2018.

Last year's winner: Zitny Ostrov (Csallóköz in Slovakia)

All islands are from the middle (Hungarian) section of the Danube, from Győr to Rácalmás. This is because the blog has mostly Hungarian readers and writers. The Islands are in alphabetical order. Please check each island on the Hungarian language blog (titles on the right panel).

Please select your favourite Danubian Island (Island/Location):