Budafok
Encyclopedia
Budafok is a neighbourhood in Budapest
, Hungary
. It is situated in the southwestern part of Buda
, near the Danube
, and belongs to District XXII. Budafok was an independent municipality before 1950. The village was known for wine
and champagne making.
Promontorium, meaning headland, but in 1886, the name was changed to its Hungarian equivalent, Budafok. In 1950 Budafok was merged into Budapest
together with Nagytétény and Budatétény, forming Budapest’s district XXII. Budafok-Tétény is the official name of the district which covers 43 square kilometers and contains Budafok proper.
. Budafok was home to what used to be the most important vineyard
of the greater Budapest
area as well as Central Hungary
. In 1880, with increasing commercial wine production underway, a union of wine producing and bottling industries created a cellar network hollowed out of the limestone
beneath Budafok. The cellar system, 25 kilometers in length and the largest in all of Europe
, is still extant today. As such, Budafok is commonly referred to as “Cellar Town.” Today, there is still a huge wine-cellar system with hundred-year old casks; among them the second largest cask in Hungary
. The leading historical oenological
site in Budafok is the wine cellars of József Törley & Co
which can still be visited. Other wine producers still operating there are Hungarovin Rt, Promontorvin Rt and Budafokvin Kft.
In 1899, Budafok was electrified by the Tiszántúli Áramszolgáltató Rt. (East-Hungarian Power Supply Company Ltd.).
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...
, Hungary
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...
. It is situated in the southwestern part of Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
, near the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, and belongs to District XXII. Budafok was an independent municipality before 1950. The village was known for wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
and champagne making.
Name
Budafok was for many years known as ‘Promontor’ from the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
Promontorium, meaning headland, but in 1886, the name was changed to its Hungarian equivalent, Budafok. In 1950 Budafok was merged into 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...
together with Nagytétény and Budatétény, forming Budapest’s district XXII. Budafok-Tétény is the official name of the district which covers 43 square kilometers and contains Budafok proper.
Location
The borders of Budafok are: Ringló út from Horogszegi határsor - Méhész utca - railway line towards Érd - Hosszúréti patak - the Danube (including the islands) - Háros utca - Vöröskúti határsor - Horogszegi határsor.History
Historically, Budafok was ideal for wine production because of the Tétényi plateau and its slopes along the DanubeDanube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. Budafok was home to what used to be the most important vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
of the greater 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...
area as well as Central Hungary
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...
. In 1880, with increasing commercial wine production underway, a union of wine producing and bottling industries created a cellar network hollowed out of the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
beneath Budafok. The cellar system, 25 kilometers in length and the largest in all of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, is still extant today. As such, Budafok is commonly referred to as “Cellar Town.” Today, there is still a huge wine-cellar system with hundred-year old casks; among them the second largest cask in Hungary
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...
. The leading historical oenological
Oenology
Oenology,[p] œnology , or enology is the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking except vine-growing and grape-harvesting, which is a subfield called viticulture. “Viticulture & oenology” is a common designation for training programmes and research centres that include both the...
site in Budafok is the wine cellars of József Törley & Co
József Törley
József Törley is credited as having established one of the most successful brands of sparkling wine outside of the champagne region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
which can still be visited. Other wine producers still operating there are Hungarovin Rt, Promontorvin Rt and Budafokvin Kft.
In 1899, Budafok was electrified by the Tiszántúli Áramszolgáltató Rt. (East-Hungarian Power Supply Company Ltd.).
Landmarks
- Budafok wine-cellars, 220-hectolitres Seybold-cask (Péter Pál utca 39.)
- Czuba-Durozier Mansion, Sacellary Mansion, Törley Mansion, György Villa
- Saint Leopold Church, St Peter and Paul Chapel, St. Michael ChapelSt. Michael ChapelThe St. Michael Chapel is a Gothic Chapel in Košice, Slovakia.It was probably erected in the first half of the 14th century. It was built as a cemetery chapel inside the town walls in the place of the present-day park at Hlavná ulica...
- Nagyboldogasszony Parsonage
- Törley Champagne Factory Museum (1221 Budapest, Anna utca 5-7).
- Törley Mausoleum (Sarló utca)
- Cave-dwelling Museum (Veréb utca 4)
- St. Christoph Jazz Gallery (Kossuth Lajos utca 88.)