Balatonboglár
Encyclopedia
Balatonboglár, in Hungary
, is a resort town
situated on the south shore of Lake Balaton
. It is the professional centre of the Balatonboglár Wine Region, and is often called the "town of grapes and wine."
were unified as Boglárlelle from 1979 until October 1, 1991.
The Xantus look-out tower, the symbol of the city, resides on top of a hill and is well lit at night. It is named for John Xantus de Vesey.
, who was twice prime minister of Hungary. Teleki was regarded by some as a flawed hero and he remained a controversial person long after his death. This was reflected in a public dispute covered in the Hungarian media during early 2004 over a statue of him, marking the 63rd anniversary of his death. The statue by Sculptor Tibor Rieger was originally to be installed opposite the President's official residence in Budapest
. However, the Minister of Culture István Hiller
, following pressure from the Wiesenthal Center, canceled these plans. On 5 April 2004, the statue was finally placed in the courtyard of the Catholic Church in Balatonboglár. Balatonboglar had during World War II been host to thousands of Polish refugees who opened in that town one of only two secondary schools for Poles in Europe during 1939-1944. They credited Teleki with opening Hungary's borders to them and named a street in Warsaw
for him after the war ended.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, is a resort town
Resort town
A resort town, sometimes called a resort city or resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy...
situated on the south shore of Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of its foremost tourist destinations. As Hungary is landlocked , Lake Balaton is often affectionately called the "Hungarian Sea"...
. It is the professional centre of the Balatonboglár Wine Region, and is often called the "town of grapes and wine."
History
The region has been populated for more than six thousand years. The area was first documented in 1211. The first bathing association was established in 1904, and Balatonboglár was declared a medicinal bath in 1912. Balatonboglár and BalatonlelleBalatonlelle
Balatonlelle is a popular tourist town located on the southern shore of Lake Balaton, about 35 km west of Siófok. Attractions include a beach over 3 km long, an aqua-park, go-cart course, and annual wine festival. It is easily reached from Budapest by direct train . It is a family...
were unified as Boglárlelle from 1979 until October 1, 1991.
The Xantus look-out tower, the symbol of the city, resides on top of a hill and is well lit at night. It is named for John Xantus de Vesey.
Statue of Pál Teleki
The city is host to a statue honoring a controversial figure in Hungarian history, Pál TelekiPál Teleki
Pál Count Teleki de Szék was prime minister of Hungary from 19 July 1920 to 14 April 1921 and from 16 February 1939 to 3 April 1941. He was also a famous expert in geography, a university professor, a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and Chief Scout of the Hungarian Scout Association...
, who was twice prime minister of Hungary. Teleki was regarded by some as a flawed hero and he remained a controversial person long after his death. This was reflected in a public dispute covered in the Hungarian media during early 2004 over a statue of him, marking the 63rd anniversary of his death. The statue by Sculptor Tibor Rieger was originally to be installed opposite the President's official residence in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. However, the Minister of Culture István Hiller
István Hiller
Dr. István Hiller is a Hungarian politician and former chairman of the governing Hungarian Socialist Party between 16 October 2004 and 24 February 2007, succeeding László Kovács, succeeded by Ferenc Gyurcsány...
, following pressure from the Wiesenthal Center, canceled these plans. On 5 April 2004, the statue was finally placed in the courtyard of the Catholic Church in Balatonboglár. Balatonboglar had during World War II been host to thousands of Polish refugees who opened in that town one of only two secondary schools for Poles in Europe during 1939-1944. They credited Teleki with opening Hungary's borders to them and named a street in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
for him after the war ended.