The Western part of the Lowland Plain, which belongs for the greater part to the Pest County, contains numerous towns whose formerly provincial character has been much modified in the last few years. Three of these towns, which rival each other, lie close together: Czegled, Nagykoros, and Kecskemet. All three are purely Magyar and for the most part inhabited by an agricultural population. In the last decade, however, they have progressed rapidly, and Kecskemet especially is far advanced in its intellectual and material culture. This town is well-known even abroad, for its great production of fruit and wine. It was devastated by a severe earthquake in 1910, but the valiant population has rapidly overcome this catastrophe, and is making great strides to a new prosperity.

It is at Czegled that the traveller sees for the first time the "tanya", so characteristic of the great Hungarian plain; the rural houses of the small landed-proprietors, with their thatched roofs and white-washed walls, which rise up amidst the fields. Most of the "tanya" are only inhabited during the time of agricultural labour, but often also, they serve for habitation during the whole year. These houses represent the genuine type of the Magyar dwelling; each one is composed of two rooms; the front room intended for guests, and the back one reserved for the family; then the vestibule and the kitchen.

Products of the rural industry, are also to be found there; embroideries in silk and gold, wooden gourds, covered with horse-skin, carved whips, exceedingly curious tobacco-pouches, wooden furniture embellished with roses and tulips, penknives in the form of fish, etc. Let us add that the popular costumes are preserved on the "tanya" of the Alfold, in all their primitive purity; the wide woollen capes (szur), and the heavy cloaks (suba) which the peasants wear in winter, are the most characteristic and the most luxurious garments. The "suba" is made of sheepskin and profusely ornamented with gaudy-coloured pieces of leather; the "szur" of rough cloth, sometimes white, sometimes black, the sleeves of which, closed at the wrists, form pockets, is still more abundantly decorated with embroidery in striking colours. The women wear several skirts, one over the other, reaching almost to the ankles, a sort of waistcoat forming corsets, a coloured neckerchief crossed on the bosom, and curious, embroidered slippers.

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Adapted from Illustrated Description of Hungary and its Capital