History of Siofok Balaton Hungary part II

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History of Siofok Balaton Hungary part II. In 1858 started the construction of the railway between Buda and Nagykanizsa which was opened to the public in 1861....

In 1858 started the construction of the railway between Buda and Nagykanizsa which was opened to the public in 1861.The railway embankment having started in 1858 also contributed to the stabilization of the southern shore as filling up the banks of the railway formed a real dam against the spring inundations. The construction of the Southern railway started with an extremely low water-level. It was thought that a bank of 88 cm high would offer safety against inundation. The higher water levels in the years to come damaged the banks several times: this is the way how the "Southern Railway Sociatey" got a leading part in regulating the lake.On June 16, 1862, Janos Michel director on behalf of the railway offered to accomplish the regulation works with his own engineers in compliance with the projects of the Draining Association at the meeting on Fured presided by Earl Zichy jr., government commissioner. The chancellary gave instructions even in the same year to construct Sio-Dike that was opened on October 25, 1863. The plans of the construction were provided by George Turk, engineer of Kethely. The main goal with the dike was to lower the water level by at least one metre as compared to the minimum level of December, 1862. (104.096 m A.F. It is the "0" point of Siofok water measure even today.)The dike was in operation with larger and smaller reparations by 1891 when the Board of Agriculture made a new, iron dike constructed instead of the old, decayed wooden dike in 1893.At Siofok the railway station got finished in 1863 and by 1864 the harbour defended by breakwaters was also completed. The year of 1863 is considered to be the year of birth of Siofok as a holiday resort.The year of 1865 is a remarkable anniversary in the history of Siofok as the settlement of not more than 200 houses and 1500 inhabitants was permitted to make country market thus it got the rank of market-town.In 1866 was published the first announcement titled "Siofok, Bathing Resort of Balaton" in Zala-Somogy Gazette. Ignac Vegh leaseholder concluded an agreement with the collegiate church of Veszprem on a 12-year rent of bathing-place which was extended for another 12 years.The Bathing-house titled "Hungarian Sea" was constructed in 1878 according to the plans of Neuschlass constructing company, in the Swiss style. The bathing-house had a richly ornamented facade, a parlour for 100 persons, 80 bathing-boxes, a storied belvedere and large windows opening to the water.The collegiate church of Veszprem started dividing the "estates of ebbing" into lots. That is how the present holiday resort started developing. It marks the fascinating and inspiring beauty of the landscape that the majority of the first villa-owners were painters, like Mor Than, Pal Vago, Tivadar Feledi-Flesch (Mihaly Zichy's son-in-low), Arthur Tolgyessy.In 1888 it was Gabor Baross who granted a state loan to the reorganization of the Steamboating Incorporation of Balaton. Steamboat Kelen was launched on water in 1889 and renamed Baross in 1891. Helka and the new Kelen got finished also that year.The concern called Siofok, Resort on Balaton established in April, 1891, bought up the bathing licence from the collegiate church as well as a 60-acre moorland necessary for constructing buildings and parks. The soggy and shrubby land was backfilled with earth. The head of the concern, Henrik Glatz (1884-1905) was the founder of Franklin Literature and Press Incorporation.Some major hotels were constructed at that time: Sio and Hullam and later the Central Hotel. The new resort was opened with a gala ceremony on July 18, 1893. It was on that occasion that the Minister of Inner Affairs gave permission to use the name of "spa". Part of this soothing atmosphere was the theatre life of Siofok starting in 1875 that attracted great personalities of the time.The hyppodrome was constructed in 1900 with its grand-stands for 1500 people and the targets of the Balaton cross-swimming race were also set here. The swimming and tennis concours held each year also added to the richness of the summer events at Siofok. Due to its busy resort life, Siofok became a popular spa for artists, actors and the upper-middle class of Budapest (Karinthy, Krudy, Latabar).At the end of the World War II the settlement was badly damaged. The front-line lasting here for two months destroyed or damaged a number of buildings, villas, hotels, family houses, the ship-yard. By destroying the road and railway bridge it made the reconstruction works extremely difficult. After 1948 the settlement started to develop in another direction.Siofok became the centre for holidays organized by companies and trade unions. Its reconstructed summer houses, hotels and the new canalization, sewage system the new water works have made the site the biggest and most important resort receiving crowds of people every summer.Since 1950 the settlement has been belonging to Somogy County and has become a seat of district rank.It was in 1955 when the cult of Imre Kalman started. the Tourism Office placed a memorial tablet on the house of the district's great composer.Tourism started to develop in 1958 since when foreigners have been returning. In 1962 started the construction of the hotel line and by the mid-sixties the pride of "Silver Coast", the Hotel for International Journalists was completed too. Services meeting with the demands of the site have also been organized.On December 29, 1968, Ferenc Janko, president of the town committee took over the deed of town rank set forth in the decision No. 20/1968 NET by the Presidential Council.The 400-bed hospital was inaugurated. The education started developing.The 70s were the years of rapid development. The construction of the infrastructure of town was almost finished. The Cultural Centre and the library was opened to the public in 1976. At the beginning of the 80s the town started to build up its international relationships and to improve its connections with fraternal towns.In 1988 the local paper "Siofok News" was established.New bridges were built across Sio for the traffic. In 1989 Sio TV started to transmit its programmes. This institute is the first local television with open transmission.The "Society for Preserving and Decorating the Town of Siofok" was given the Water Tower, symbol of town for three years on the ground-floor of which an exhibition has been installed.As a result of the local elections in 1990, an 18-member board of representatives governed the town. The Mayor was Arpad Molnar and the Notary was Dr. Tamas Pongor.The town keeps developing. BALATEL has settled a long-lasting problem of the inhabitants and visitors by setting up a new telephone network.In 1994 as a result of the second local elections a 17-member board of directors started to rule the town. The Mayor is Dr. Arpad Balazs. From 1995 to 1997 the Notary was Dr. Ildiko M. Horvath.Owing to the management profiting well from the endowments of the site, today it is one of the towns the operation of which is not threatened, on the contrary, it shows steady development.The school network has been enlarged. Besides the basic requirements, education is also supported: in addition to the 8 kinder-gardens, 4 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools and the music school in 1996 the local faculty of tourism economy of the College Janos Kodolanyi was launched here.Today Siofok is one of the most important tourist centre, as it is said: "Siofok is the capital of Lake Balaton." It has been made capital by its public transport of high level and its shallow shore offering safe bathing to holiday-makers. Besides the mild water of the lake visitors coming here may enjoy the organized programmes and the Hungarian hospitality as well.The town itself is an open-air exhibition with its sculptures and monuments on public squares. (Among others one of the greatest Hungarian contemporary sculptor, Imre Varga who was born at Siofok, exhibited his sculpture of Imre Kalman, titled "Vanishing Time".In addition to the historic buildings,some modern churches offer an exciting sight by their queer architecture. Due to the development in recent years the town has become a site of flowers and parks. An outstanding park in town is the Millenium Park in front of the railway station. The town 106 kms far from Budapest can be easily reached by rail, road or air from every direction.

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History of Siofok Balaton Hungary part II

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