page_title: Balatonföldvár
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Balatonföldvár / History
caption_attribution_description: Magyar: gróf Széchényi György (1592–1695) esztergomi érsek portréja
context_page_description: Balatonföldvár is a popular resort town in Somogy, Hungary, on the southern side of Lake Balaton, approximately 120 km southwest from Budapest and about 23 km southwest from Siófok, the "capital of Balaton". Balatonföldvár is a frequently visited tourist destination among Hungarians and foreign guests because of its natural beauties, historical heritages or its countless leisure opportunities. The town offer several water sport and mainland sport activities.
context_section_description: 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 Lake Balaton was occupied in around 180 AD by the Romans and was situated on a military road from Aquincum (part of present-day Budapest) to the Italian peninsula. This road was considered an important road of the Roman province of Pannonia. Pannonia incorporates the area occupied by modern-day Hungary west of the Danube.
  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, located about three kilometers south of the lake.
  The entire region surrounding Kőröshegy 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, Kálmán Kandó, László Németh, Jenő and Szidi Rákosi, Jenő Kvassay, Lőrinc Szabó, and György Ránki.
  Following the Second World War, 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.
caption: György Széchényi de Saár et Felsővidék (1605/1606-1695) bought Balatonföldvár and the surrounding villages in 1677.
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