Gyenesdiás

Gyenesdiás, with its more than 3000 inhabitants on an area of 18,5 square kilometres, is situated 100 kms from the western border of Hungary, at the foot of Keszthely Hills in the West-Balaton Region. The town of Keszthely, a cultural centre famous for the fascinating Festetics Palace and the world-famous spa, Hévíz are only a few kms far.

History of the Village

The area was inhabited as early as the neolithic age (about 3500 B.C.) and an increasing number of archeological items, dating from the Roman Era and onwards, found here gives evidence of a rich past.

A populous colony used to live in the area reaching as far as the village of Fenékpuszta ('Valcum') nearby. A significant archeological finding, i.e. a 1400 year-old necropolis with 301 graves, has been uncovered which used to be related with the so called 'Keszthely culture' (a population of Roman origin). A burial-place dating back to the time of the Hungarian settlement has also been excavated in the village.

Three villages existed in the area of Gyenesdiás consecutively, with Falud being the earliest during the age of the Arpads. The first mention of the Saint Elizabeth's Church was made in 1333, but according to archeological findings, the village was populated as early as the 11th century. In the 19th century, the ruins of the church were demolished by the inhabitants of Gyenes (to use scraps to build a church of their own). Until 40 years ago, the place of the former church was marked by a hillock, which was subsequently removed during the construction works of Faludi Street. On the occasion of the 1100th Anniversary of the Hungarian Settlement, the Municipality of Gyenesdiás had a commemorative column erected near the former church in the place of the medieval cemetery to the memory of the ruined village of Falud.

Gyenes, the western part of today's Gyenesdiás, was first mentioned in 1696 as a vineyard belonging to the village of Falud. This name derives from the first name 'Dénes'. A seal from 1766 carries the name in the form of 'Gyenes'.

In 1807, vineyard-owners of Gyenes decided to erect a chapel on the top of the hill planted with vines and removed the ruins, still standing erect, of the Saint Elizabeth's Church of the former village of Falud to gain building material. The plans miscarried as György Festetics "did not allow it to be built on his estate". Finally, the church was erected in classical style in a matter of a year in 1826, under the sponsorship of László Festetics. In honour of his daughter's patron saint, the church was given the name of Saint Helen.

The name of Diás, that is the eastern part of the present-day village, is likely to have derived from the word 'dió' (='walnuts'), which is native in the area. The first mention of Diás was made in 1341 as an estate, already populated, belonging to the Lôrinte clan. It was consecutively owned by several families until it was finally bought by the Festetics's in the middle of the 18th century.

Gyenes and Diás united to form a single village in 1840. According to the first national census taken subsequently, it had a population of 948 in 1869. The village developed slowly up to the end of the century, followed by an increasing growth of the population from 1890. It was mainly attributable to a vine-pest epidemic in 1889 which destroyed complete vineyards and attracted a wave of new settlers to buy former press-houses and cellars cheap and add kitchens and rooms to turn them into homes.

The building of the former tithe-house, later pub, built in 1763, was used as a school from 1871 (now it accommodates a children's nursery).

Finely situated (near to the side of Lake Balaton, Keszthely Hills, towns of Keszthely and Hévíz, a rich choice of places of interest locally and in neighbouring villages) and having an excellent climate (830 sunny hours in the summer season, water temperatures often as high as 25° C in Lake Balaton, mild and long autumns), diverse tourist attractions (such as bathing, water sports, angling, horse-riding, hitch-hiking, successful sports and cultural events, folklore, gastronomy, wines, shooting, archery, etc.) and outstanding hospitality of its community, Gyenesdiás is now an ideal tourist target for any age group or class in a seek after careless and substantial quality holiday-making at favourable costs.