Mezõkövesd with its 18.000 inhabitants is situated at the half-way line of two regions, in the north is the range of the Bükk mountains, in the south the river Tisza, at about the same distance.

We are in the southern corner of the county Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén which is the second largest county of Hungary, as for the territory and population, in 130 km from the capital, 50 km from the center of the county, Miskolc, and 20 km from the wonderful baroque town, Eger.

Matyó? Matyóland? 
The first word refers to a group of people, the second one to two more villages besides Mezõkövesd, Tard and Szentistván. The antropological research can not show a homogenous matyó type, and it is only the product of a romantic fancy that the name "matyó" comes from the great benefactor, king Mátyás, who gave the rank of a market-town and several privileges however to Mezew-Kevesd, but in fact this is a nickname and the people of the neighbouring villages being calvinists mostly, called so the strongly catholic ethnic group.

Both during the Turkish occupation of Hungary (in the 16th and 17th century) and later, the people of Mezõkövesd have suffered a great deal. But being very hard working citizens they have always reconstructed their town if it was destroyed. They lived in straitened circumstances, though theirs is the most ornamented Hungarian traditional costume. According to the legend, during the days of the skirmishing on the borders with the Turks, the enemy carried off a young lad, who was in love with a Matyó girl. The girl wanted him back, but the Sultan refused, unless she paid a special ransom. In the depth of winter she must gather in her apron all the flowers of the forest and field. The girl solved the problem by embroidering her linen apron with all the flowers of spring and summer. The Sultan was impressed and, being a man of his word, set the young man free.

Mezõkövesd got its home, then more and more increasing foreing fame at the turn of the century with its national costume and free drawn embroideries which are the products of an opulent imagination. The ends of bed-sheets, the flaming sleeves of the lads' shirts, the bottom part of aprons, the covers of decorative things and those of use, blouses, dolls dressed in small matyó dresses, and later on the painted matyó furniture have become world famous.
The unique variety of forms, dazzling matyó national costume in the forties of the century totally disappeared as a day wear but it can be seen in the local Matyó museum even today in its full glamour. And the folk, musical, dancing, playing, customs have come to life again in the performances of the Matyó Ensable having some great successes at home as well as abroad.

In the Matyó Museum you can see examples of the costumes once worn every day. Visitors can admire the long, bell-shaped skirts and richly coloured ornamental headdresses worn by the women and the long, loose-sleeved shirts, also highly embroidered, of the men. The traditions and way of life of the Matyó are also exhibited. At the entrance to the Museum there is a bust of Bori Kis Jankó (died in 1954), who established a school of this art and who is referred to as ''the writing woman of a hundred of roses". Her home, built around 1850, is today a museum dedicated to her. You can see the bright colours of her work and get an insight into the life of the poor peasantry of the old days.
In the district of Hadas, which is noted for preserving the old Mezõkövesd, there are many houses specific to the region. They are also used as activity and leisure centres. In these houses visitors may be introduced into the mysteries: how to make a doll, how to weave and spin, how to paint the furniture, how to embroider; or you can try your hand and pottery and glass-grinding. In the Town Gallery there is a permanent exhibition made of the pieces of the colourful world of Matyó embroidery.
An important architectural historical sight in Mezõkövesd is one of the capels, the Szent László parish church. The parish-church was given a Baroque appearance in 1770 and initially it was a sanctuary of a 15th century Gothic church. The frescos are made by István Takács, whose art was deeply influenced by the Matyó folk art. One can see this artist's frescos and altar-pieces in around 250 Hungarian Churches. The parsonage built in the 18th century is of interest in that the Hungarian Holy Crown spent a night in a boksz room here in 1806, during one of its rescues. The boksz room is now known as '' the room of the Crown".
The collectoin of the Agricultural Machine Museum of Mezõkövesd, with many thousands of exhibits, is well known for its unique collection. There are tractors, steamengines, horse-gins, water-wheels from water mills and turbines from the last century. There are also thresing-machines, grinders, hemp breakers, food-cutters, horse-drawn agricultural machines and means of transport. there is an important collection containing the work of blacksmiths.
Many Hungarians and foreigners know and enjoy the famous Zsóry thermal bath, which is open both winter and summer and is worth a visit. Its thermal water is applied succesfully both in the treatment (water therapy and drinking cure) of locomotor disorders and women's problems and in the after -treatment of injuries and orthopaedic operations. There are open-air and indoor medical pools and wave pools in the garden park, waiting to serve their guests.