Cserszegtomaj
Encyclopedia
Cserszegtomaj is a village in Zala
county, Hungary
. It is located north of Keszthely, at the south-west foot of the Keszthely Hills.
words cser and szeg (meaning corner). Tomaj was originally used in the forms of Tolmay, Tolma, Tolmad, therefore, it is not likely to refer to the Tomaj genus who lived in that region in earlier times. Tomaj is rather originated from the Old Hungarian name Tulma, which comes from the Turkish language
and means filling.
and Eurasian Avars
were explored in that region.
The village was first mentioned as Tolmaj in 1357, when it was drafted together with Keszthely
. Its chapel was built in the 15th century, in the eastern part of the village. In 1564, the region was invaded by Turkish troops and gradually lost its inhabitants for the 1620's. Though, its vineyards were still cultivated by the villeins of surrounding areas.
Cserszeg appeared in the 17th century and might have belonged to Keszthely. Its main industry was also vine producing.
In the beginning of the 19th century, the vineyards of the region were in the focus of attention, which resulted in the quick develpoment of the area. In 1848, the two villages were united and Cserszegtomaj was born. Its population consisted of 1239 people in 1857, which was regarded high that time.
In the 20th century, the village did not develop significantly and its population began to decrease as its inhabitants migrated to Keszthely
and Hévíz
.
Then, from the 1990's more and more tourists have visited Cserszegtomaj, and the village began to develop again. It attracted an increasing number of people, even foreigners inhabited the region. According to the data of the Central Statistical Office, Cserszegtomaj has had the most dynamic increase in the number of inhabitants in the Balaton
region. Though, it is still a small settlement: the population consisted of 2700 people in the beginning of 2008.
Further sights:
In 1992, the Cserszegtomaj-born painter Ferdinand Takács founded the International Free Art Colony of Cserszegtomaj, and has been organizing summer art camps for international artists ever since then.
The participants of the art camp include artits from Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Ukraine, Austria, England, Argentina and Japan, just to mention a few.
Zala
Zala is the name of an administrative county in Hungary. Itlies in south-western Hungary. It is named after the Zala River. It shares borders with Croatia and Slovenia and the Hungarian counties Vas, Veszprém and Somogy. The capital of Zala county is Zalaegerszeg. Its area is 3784 km²...
county, 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 located north of Keszthely, at the south-west foot of the Keszthely Hills.
Etymology
The name Cserszeg comes from the compound of the two HungarianHungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
words cser and szeg (meaning corner). Tomaj was originally used in the forms of Tolmay, Tolma, Tolmad, therefore, it is not likely to refer to the Tomaj genus who lived in that region in earlier times. Tomaj is rather originated from the Old Hungarian name Tulma, which comes from the Turkish language
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
and means filling.
History
Cserszegtomaj is believed to have been inhabited since ancient times, as artefacts of RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and Eurasian Avars
Eurasian Avars
The Eurasian Avars or Ancient Avars were a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins. They were ruled by a khagan, who was surrounded by a tight-knit entourage of nomad warriors, an organization characteristic of Turko-Mongol groups...
were explored in that region.
The village was first mentioned as Tolmaj in 1357, when it was drafted together with Keszthely
Keszthely
Keszthely is a Hungarian city of 21,100 inhabitants located on the western shore of Lake Balaton. It's the second largest city by the lake after Siófok....
. Its chapel was built in the 15th century, in the eastern part of the village. In 1564, the region was invaded by Turkish troops and gradually lost its inhabitants for the 1620's. Though, its vineyards were still cultivated by the villeins of surrounding areas.
Cserszeg appeared in the 17th century and might have belonged to Keszthely. Its main industry was also vine producing.
In the beginning of the 19th century, the vineyards of the region were in the focus of attention, which resulted in the quick develpoment of the area. In 1848, the two villages were united and Cserszegtomaj was born. Its population consisted of 1239 people in 1857, which was regarded high that time.
In the 20th century, the village did not develop significantly and its population began to decrease as its inhabitants migrated to Keszthely
Keszthely
Keszthely is a Hungarian city of 21,100 inhabitants located on the western shore of Lake Balaton. It's the second largest city by the lake after Siófok....
and Hévíz
Hévíz
Hévíz is a town in Zala county, Hungary.- External links :* * * *...
.
Then, from the 1990's more and more tourists have visited Cserszegtomaj, and the village began to develop again. It attracted an increasing number of people, even foreigners inhabited the region. According to the data of the Central Statistical Office, Cserszegtomaj has had the most dynamic increase in the number of inhabitants in the 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"...
region. Though, it is still a small settlement: the population consisted of 2700 people in the beginning of 2008.
Main sights
The most fascinating sight of Cserszegtomaj is the so-called Fountain Cave, which was accidentally discovered by Lajos Tóth in 1930. It is a subtle cave system and consists of various halls and corridors. The Fountain Cave is a highly protected natural area.Further sights:
- Arboretum
- Ochre- and calcine mine
- Europe square
- Church of Cserszegtomaj
- Saint Ann Chapel
- Castle Theatre
- Margit Lookout Tower
Culture
Cserszegtomaj has inspired many artists due to its rich and fascinating sights and atmosphere.In 1992, the Cserszegtomaj-born painter Ferdinand Takács founded the International Free Art Colony of Cserszegtomaj, and has been organizing summer art camps for international artists ever since then.
The participants of the art camp include artits from Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Ukraine, Austria, England, Argentina and Japan, just to mention a few.