Balatonföldvár (, ) is a popular resort town in

Somogy County Somogy (, ; ; , ) is an administrative county (Counties of Hungary, comitatus or ''vármegye'') in present Hungary, and also in the former Kingdom of Hungary. Somogy County lies in south-western Hungary, on the border with Croatia's Koprivnica- ...

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

, on the southern side of

Lake Balaton Lake Balaton () is a freshwater rift lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the List of largest lakes of Europe, largest lake in Central Europe, and one of the region's foremost tourist destinations. The Zala River provides the larges ...

, approximately 120 km southwest from

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

and about 23 km southwest from

Siófok Siófok (; ; ) is a town in Somogy County, Hungary on the southern bank of Lake Balaton. It is the Somogy County#Municipalities, second largest municipality in Somogy County and the seat of Siófok District. It covers an area of about between Lak ...

, the "capital of Balaton". Balatonföldvár is a frequently visited tourist destination among

Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...

and foreign guests (especially

Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...

and

Austrians Austrians (, ) are the citizens and Nationality, nationals of Austria. The English term ''Austrians'' was applied to the population of Archduchy of Austria, Habsburg Austria from the 17th or 18th century. Subsequently, during the 19th century, ...

) because of its natural beauties (like the loess hill and the big flowery parks), historical heritages (such as the

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

path, the old mansions and villas) or its countless leisure opportunities. The town offer several

water sport Water sports or aquatic sports are sport, sports activities conducted on waterbodies and can be categorized according to the degree of immersion by the participants. On the water * Boat racing, the use of powerboats to participate in races * ...

(

sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, Windsurfing, windsurfer, or Kitesurfing, kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (Land sa ...

windsurfing Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...

etc.) and mainland sport (

beach volleyball Beach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two to four players each on a sand court divided by a net. Similar to indoor volleyball, the objective of the game is to send the ball over the net and to ground it on the opponent's side o ...

bicycle path A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. ...

es,

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

etc.) activities.

Etymology

The origin of the name ''Balatonföldvár'' is from

, the lake bordering the town, and the ''földvár'' (in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

''earth castle''). The ''földvár'' was built in the late

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

, during the occupation of the

Celts The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...

. The well-preserved trenches and mounds of this structure are clearly visible on the ''magaspart'' (in

''high shore'', the area above the cliff). The town is commonly referred to by locals simply as ''Földvár''.

History

In around the 4th century AD, the area was settled by Celts, who constructed the large Iron Age hill fort that gives Balatonföldvár its name, the remains of which are still visible today. The region around

was occupied in around 180 AD by the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

and was situated on a military road from

Aquincum Aquincum (, ) was an ancient city, situated on the northeastern borders of the province of Pannonia within the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city can be found in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. It is believed that Marcus Aurelius wrote ...

(part of present-day

) to the Italian peninsula. This road was considered an important road of the Roman province of

Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, on the west by Noricum and upper Roman Italy, Italy, and on the southward by Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia and upper Moesia. It ...

incorporates the area occupied by modern-day

west of the

Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...

. The earliest recorded use of the name 'Földvár' was in documents from the 11th century. The word appears again in written form in 1358. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the area of today's Balatonföldvár consisted mostly of pasture land. In terms of jurisdiction, it was attached to the settlement of

Kőröshegy Kőröshegy is a village directly south of Balatonföldvár in Siófok District, Somogy County, Hungary. The settlement is known in Hungary for being a holiday destination near to Lake Balaton attracting thousands of visitors yearly. Kőröshegy ...

, located about three kilometers south of the lake. The entire region surrounding

was purchased by Archbishop György Széchényi de Saár et Felsővidék in 1677. The town was referred to as 'Földvárpuszta' on maps between the 17th–19th centuries that recorded the land belonging to the Széchényi Family. The Széchényi family doctor, Professor Frigyes Korányi, first proposed creating a bathing resort in the area of Földvár. Adopting this suggestion, Earl Imre Széchényi had the land divided into sections in 1894. The construction was organized by István Spur, the engineer of the Széchényi estate, and József Schilán, the gardener. The Földvár bathing resort was officially opened in 1896, and received its present name, Balatonföldvár, that same year. Over 40 large villas were constructed for the wealthy and influential members of society, including the aristocracy, military officers, and politicians. Hungary's loss of the Adriatic Shore following the First World War caused a rekindling of interest in the bathing resorts around Lake Balaton such as Balatonföldvár. As a result, development of the town continued between the First and Second World Wars. During this time, number of renowned Hungarians enjoyed the facilities offered by the town. These included

Gizi Bajor Gizi Bajor, or Gizi Bayor (born Gizella Beyer;18 May 1893, Budapest - 12 February 1951, Budapest) was a Hungarian actress. Life Gizi Bajor born on 18 May 1893, in Budapest. Her father, a former mining engineer, and her mother of Italian ancest ...

Kálmán Kandó Kálmán Kandó de Egerfarmos et Sztregova (''egerfarmosi és sztregovai Kandó Kálmán''; July 10, 1869 – January 13, 1931) was a Hungary, Hungarian engineer, the inventor of phase converter and a pioneer in the development of AC electric rai ...

László Németh László Németh (18 April 1901 – 3 March 1975) was a Hungary, Hungarian writer, dramatist and essayist. Early life He was born in Baia Mare, Nagybánya, the son of József Németh (1873–1946) and Vilma Gaál (1879–1957). Over the ...

, Jenő and Szidi Rákosi, Jenő Kvassay,

Lőrinc Szabó Lőrinc Szabó de Gáborján ( ; Miskolc, 31 March 1900 – Budapest, 3 October 1957) was a Hungarian poet and literary translator. Biography He was born in Miskolc as the son of an engine driver, Lőrinc Szabó sr., and Ilona Panyiczky. T ...

, and György Ránki. Following the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, further development took place in Balatonföldvár. The town was deemed a 'township with independent administration' in 1949. Larger scale development took place along the areas bordering the lake. Hotels, corporate and private resorts, flats, restaurants and shops were built. An open-air stage was erected, as well as a cultural centre and an open-air cinema. In keeping with the philosophy of the time, Hotel Festival, a concrete hotel comprising two eight-storey blocks was constructed in 1976. In 1985, Balatonföldvár became a township, and later in 1992 it became a town. Balatonföldvár later became the centre of the Somogy region. The oldest known building in Balatonföldvár was said to be the Földvári Csárda (the 'Földvár Inn'). This inn was said to have existed from about the middle of the 18th century to the late 19th century. The old Földvár Inn was eventually demolished and a new one was built in its place. The Holovits family rented the building, enlarged it, and eventually established a modern restaurant and a small hotel. The design and management of the Balatonföldvár gardens was later adopted by the horticulturalist Ilona Jordanits. Her efforts helped Balatonföldvár win a European Competition for 'Towns and Villages in Bloom' in 1994 and the 'Entente Floral Europe' in 1995.

Main sights and attractions

The Iron Age Hill Fort

The large Celtic Iron Age Hill Fort after which Balatonföldvár was named was in use until around the 4th century BCE. The mounds and ditches of the fort are mostly well preserved, and are clearly visible on the high shore of the town. The fort forms an isosceles triangular structure viewed from the air, with two of the sides significantly longer than the third. The cliff between the high shore and the low shore parallel to and above Kemping Utca ('Camping Street') formed a natural defensive wall and was one of the long sides to the fort. The other long side to the fort consists of huge man made mounds and ditches, running for several hundred meters from the National Flag (1936) (corner of Kelta Stny and Kilátó Köz) roughly West to East as far as a point across the other side of the main Budapest road to where the Kínai Üzlet ('Chinese Shop') now stands. The mounds and ditches are particularly clearly visible at the higher end of Petőfi Sándor Utca next to the chapel (1897) on Kelta Sétány (literally 'Celtic Walk', named after the fort). The third, shorter, side, runs from the location of the current Kínai Üzlet to the cliff, approximately at the lower end of Petőfi Sándor Utca. Unfortunately, the lower end of the fort has not been well preserved, and many of the mounds and ditches that were visible and recorded on maps as late as the late 19th century have been destroyed though the construction of buildings. It seems that the preservation of the cultural history has not been a priority of the local municipality.

Petőfi Sándor Utca

Several notable buildings are situated on Petőfi Sándor Utca, which was previously known as Imre Street. Number 1 Petőfi Sándor Utca was formerly the mansion of Jenő Rákosi, and an established meeting point for poets and writers for many years. The wooden Székely Gate next door was given to Balatonföldvár by one of its twin towns Zetelaka in 1995. Number 9 Petőfi Sándor Utca is 'Kulpintyó', the former residence of Zsigmond Széchényi, a famous writer and hunter who was also a member of the famous Széchényi family. Number 11 Petőfi Sándor Utca was the residence of Gizi Bajor, a notable actress and member of the National Theatre. An avenue in the town and the community centre (1994) were named after her. Number 13 Petőfi Sándor Utca (1896) is one of the most notable buildings in town, given that it belonged to Professor Friges Korányi, doctor to the Széchényi family, whose idea it was to develop the area of Balatonföldvár as a bathing resort. This building is built in a Neo-Roman style.

Balatonföldvár Harbor

The port was opened in 1905 and is still one of the largest harbours around Lake Balaton. Two curved piers provide a protected harbor for yachts, boats and ships. The material dredged in order to create the harbour was used to build an artificial island. This artificial island is called Galamb Sziget ('Pigeon Island'). The name is derived from the decorative dovecotes mounted on pillars on the small bridge used to cross from the mainland to the island. The island has a number of poplar trees and footpaths and is home to the local sailing club. The western pier is accessible via a 102 m long reinforced concrete bridge, Hungary's only footbridge with multiple supports, and a listed industrial monument. After the Communist takeover of Hungary (1948), the area of the Galamb Sziget, the hotel close by and the eastern pier were made inaccessible to the general public. This area was reserved for Communist Party members who came there for the summer holidays. Because of the high security, the area acquired a special air of mystique. After the regime change in the early 1990s, the authorities opened up this area to the public. However, the eastern pier is not currently accessible to the public.

Balatonföldvár Promenade

Balatonföldvár was beautified with an impressive promenade bordered by a double row of plane trees along the western part of the town. The view of the north shore is breathtaking. Standing on the western pier, one can see a number of conical hills on the other side, and the flat, table like mountain of

Badacsony Badacsony () is the name of a region on the north shore of Lake Balaton in western Hungary, a mountain top and a town in that region. The nearby basalt mountains are unique geological relics, and the habitat of many rare plants and animals. The ...

, a famous wine-producing area. The hills of the

Tihany Tihany () is a village on the northern shore of Lake Balaton on the Tihany Peninsula (Hungary, Veszprém County). The whole peninsula is a historical district. The center of the district is the Benedictine Tihany Abbey, which was founded in 1055 ...

peninsula appear much closer. The lower slopes of these dark treed hills are covered with the purple haze of flowering lavender fields during the summer season.

Calvary of Balatonföldvár

Economy

The main income source of the town is tourism. Most tourists visit Balatonföldvár during the warmer summer time.

Railway Station

Balatonföldvár station is on the mainline between Budapest and Nagykanizsa. It is also situated on the main railway line to Zagreb, making it easily connected to a variety of international destinations. The station building was built in 1928. In the pre-war days it was an imposing building, well proportioned and symmetrical, painted in yellow and kept immaculately clean.

Present

Balatonföldvár is a major tourist destination, not only for Hungarians, but also for tourists from other European countries. There are close to eighty hotels and privately rented apartments available for the visitor. The town's infrastructure is modern, with water treatment and sewerage plant, cable TV, wireless service, good roads, walking paths, parks, medical service, restaurants, pharmacy and shops. Cultural life is prolific, with music recitals being offered in the Roman Catholic Church, open-air theatre and other venues. The town is often used as a venue for conferences.

Climate

Lake Balaton - winter in Balatonfoldvar panorama

The closest city to Balatonföldvár is

which has weather records and averages on Weatherbase

Notable residents

* Frigyes Korányi (1828-1913), Hungarian physician specializing in internal medicine, especially pulmonary medicine; father of Frigyes Korányi, Jr., a Hungarian politician and

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

. *

(1893-1951), Hungarian actress *

(1869-1931), Hungarian engineer and a pioneer in the development of

electric railway Railway electrification is the use of electric power for the propulsion of rail transport. Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling passengers or freight in separate cars), electric multiple units ( passenger cars with their own ...

traction *

(1901-1975), Hungarian dentist, writer, dramatist and essayist *

(1900-1957), Hungarian poet and literary translator * György Ránki (1907-1992), Hungarian composer *

Sándor Jemnitz Sándor Jemnitz, also known as Alexander Jemnitz (9 August 1890 in Budapest – 8 August 1963 in Balatonföldvár), was a Hungarian people, Hungarian composer, Conducting, conductor, Music journalism, music critic and author. Biography Jemnitz ...

(1890-1963), Hungarian composer, conductor, music critic and author died here *

Katalin Karády Katalin Karády (8 December 1910 – 8 February 1990) was a Hungary, Hungarian actress and singer. A leading actress in Hungarian movies made between 1939–1945, she is best known outside Hungary as an awardee of the Righteous among the Nati ...

(1910-1990), Hungarian actress and singer, an awardee of the

Righteous among the Nations Righteous Among the Nations ( ) is a title used by Yad Vashem to describe people who, for various reasons, made an effort to assist victims, mostly Jews, who were being persecuted and exterminated by Nazi Germany, Fascist Romania, Fascist Italy, ...

honorific for rescuing a number of

Hungarian Jews The history of the Jews in Hungary dates back to at least the Kingdom of Hungary, with some records even predating the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895 CE by over 600 years. Written sources prove that Jewish communities lived ...

Gyula Illyés Gyula Illyés born ''Gyula Illés'' (2 November 1902 – 15 April 1983) was a Hungarian poet and novelist. He was one of the so-called ''népi'' ("from the people") writers, named so because they aimed to show – propelled by strong so ...

(1902-1983), Hungarian poet and novelist * Alexander Voytovych (1971-), Ukrainian

contemporary artist Contemporary art is a term used to describe the art of today, generally referring to art produced from the 1970s onwards. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art i ...

* István Telegdy (1927-2013), Hungarian Olympian sailor and trainer, technical leader for the ''Spartacus Sailing Club of Balatonföldvár''

Relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Földvárs' Cooperation (2000)

Hungarian settlements bearing the word ''földvár'' in their name (listed below) signed a cultural cooperation agreement in 2000. In 2003, the cooperation was expanded by two new foreign towns (Bácsföldvár, Serbia and Melegföldvár, Romania). Within this framework, a meeting is held annually on various sites hosting the representatives of the member towns.Balatonföldvár - Testvérvárosok
/ref> *

Dunaföldvár Dunaföldvár is a town in Tolna County, Hungary. Its residents are Hungarian people, Hungarians, with minority of Serbs. History A Bronze Age gold hoard of jewellery was found between Paks and Dunaföldvár on the banks of the Danube in the n ...

, Tolna * Tiszaföldvár, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok *

Pusztaföldvár Pusztaföldvár is a village in Békés County, in the Southern Great Plain region of south-east Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slova ...

Békés Békés (; ; ) is a town in Békés County, Hungary. It lies about north of Békéscsaba and east of Budapest. History The area of the present town has been inhabited since ancient times, due to its good soil and proximity to rivers. After ...

* Balatonföldvár * Bácsföldvár (),

Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

* Melegföldvár (), part of the municipality of Katona (), in

Cluj County Cluj County () is a county () of Romania, in Transylvania. Its seat is Cluj-Napoca. Name In Hungarian language, Hungarian it is known as ''Kolozs megye''. Under the Kingdom of Hungary, a county with an identical name (Kolozs County, ) existed s ...

, Romania

Gallery

File:Holy Cross church, Balatonföldvár.jpg, Holy Cross church in Balatonföldvár (built in 1944 by László Irsy) File:Holy Cross, Balatonföldvár.jpg, Holy Cross in Balatonföldvár File:Millenial monument by József Seregi.jpg, Millennial monument by József Seregi in 2000 in Balatonföldvár File:Fisherman by István Bors.jpg, Fisherman by István Bors in Balatonföldvár File:Calvary of Balatonföldvár.jpg, Calvary of Balatonföldvár (erected in 2018) File:Calvary of Balatonföldvár1.jpg, Calvary of Balatonföldvár (erected in 2018) File:Calvary of Balatonföldvár2.jpg, Calvary of Balatonföldvár (erected in 2018) File:Saint Anthony statue and Kolping relief in Balatonföldvár.jpg, Statue of Adolph Kolping in Balatonföldvár erected in 2002 File:Villa in Balatonföldvár1.jpg, Villa in Balatonföldvár File:Petőfi Street 5, Villa in Balatonföldvár.jpg, Villa in Balatonföldvár File:Széchenyi bust by Pál Pátzay in Balatonföldvár.jpg, Széchenyi Statue in Balatonföldvár

References

* Berkesné Hegedűs Márta – Balatonföldvár Településtörténeti irások, visszaemlékezések. . * http://www.balatonfoldvar.info.hu/xslt/RouteDetails.php?RID=CAA1B42C8A64A7A53AEA1603F28DD781&viewRid=4295C8B6E020CAFB1936FF2196C159A2&siteDir=/peculiar2/bikenetwork/&Type=T&LngID=HU&sckey=113057b31ff56c0b156e07fc35553b1c&TB_iframe=true&width=975&height=570&modal=true * http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?refer=&s=53921&cityname=Siofok--United-States-of-America&refer=&cityname=Siofok- * :hu:Balatonföldvár

External links

Biketour around Balatonföldvár

Weather of Balatonföldvár

Balatonföldvár at 1hungary.com

Offician site of Balatonföldvár

Balatonföldvár at funiq.hu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balatonfoldvar Populated places in Somogy County Tourism in Hungary 1893 establishments in Hungary Populated places established in 1893