The region of Gyékényes
General information:
The village of Gyékényes has a population of 1208 and is located close to the Hungarian-Croatian border (in bee-line it is only 800 metres). In the surroundings there are several lakes which are very clear and clean. Originally these are gravel-pits since it was a mining ground once. The lakes cover a total area of more than 400 hectar. Meanwhile nearly 300 holiday- and summer-houses have been built at the shores of the lakes. The lake of Gyékényes offers numerous possible sports activities and is often used for sports competitions due to its unique surrounding and the superb quality of the water. Diving competitions and an annually organized international triatlon for example are held at the site. You might even find crayfish and rare aquatic snakes in the lake. The purity of the water and the lakes biodiversity is unique worldwide. And if you are interested in fishing and you are looking for real big fish you are at the right place since the lake presented a number of record breaking fishes, like 32-35 kg carp, 23,5 kg zander and 60-70 kg catfish. These are just a few examples of the real big results. Our village is very easyly to attain by road. We are said to be very hospital and open-minded. Consequently several people from Germany, Austria and other countries bought estates and built up their own summer-houses. This proves that we have not only a national but also an excellent international repution. Restauration work at the beach on the lake of Gyékényes is completed and most of the village´s bicycle roads are constructed as well.
The history of Gyékényes:
The area was settled already during the primitve state. Excavations presented bones of mammoth, humans and deer.
The first official note of the village goes back to the year 1380, by then it was called Gykynes. According to this document the place was settled at the Roman Empire´s era. Between Gyékényes and Gola (Croatia) archeologists found 10 tamulus (graves) from the second century A.D. Scientists say that there was propably a fort or a roman castellum located.
Up from 1476 the village was an important location for deliveries of goods from Hungary to Croatia. This function remained and even increased since there was a regular ferry on the river which guaranteed steady income for the people. The situation changed when the Turkish troops entered the country. After they conquered the city of Kanizsa the Turkish troops occupied the village of Gyékényes in 1600 and destroyed the middle-age Szent-Margit-Church. The church was completely dismantled, up to its ground level. Later they used the stones to build the castle at Kapronca. In 1625 the Ágoston congregation erected a new evangelical church. The still existing gothic church was built in 1887 only. Besides there used to be an evangelical school.
Gyékényes consisted of two separate disctricts for a very long time: Upper- and Lower-Gyékényes. The people of Lower-Gyékényes were mainly catholics, while in Upper-Gyékényes they were evangelists. The catholic church in the style of a classicistic monument was built around 1830-35. The great values of the church, which was modernized and enlarged in 1900, are 4 fresks and the altar piece, painted by the famous artist Károly Jakobey in 1886. On the catholic churchyard you can find the graves of Duke Jellasics and his companions, who were murdered in the civil war and the revolution of 1848.
The sights of Gyékényes:
Danube-Dráva-National Park
Lankóczi Forest, which is a branch of the Berzence-Somogyudvarhely-Forests, has beautiful elm, elder-tree, oak and ash-tree areas and an unusual swamp land. The forest is the perfect place for a long walk, since you will see lots of fantastic plants and can watch animals in their natural surrounding. A floristic attraction of the forest is the so called angular lily (Fritillaria meleagris Liliaceae), which is flowering in April and May in large amounts when it covers the whole ground and turns it into a huge red-brown chessboard. Especially in the north-western part of the forest you will find these places. Besides lilies you should see the swamp lands with their vast diversity of animals and plants. Mainly the birds are of great interest. Therefore biological scientists, ornithologists and natural scientists come here every year.
Events:
The lakes are also suitable for tiny motor ship models. There are regular ship model construction competitions at the lake. In addition European and world diving competitions take place in Gyékényes often. For the world diving championship of 2003-2004 the orientation competition was held here. Furthermore there is an annual international triatlon, which is taking place around the lake of Gyékényes. And if you just want to relax and recreate, you can do some sports on and around the beautiful lake yourself. The beach and the water are a real paradise for water sports. You will find numerous possible sports activities, can swim or just lie in the sun.
Our house, the "Castle Residence" in Gyékényes is a regular host for diverse cultural events and sports competitions. To mention some of them: beachvolleyball, beach soccer, waterball and every weekend there are garden parties with live music and disco in the evening. We will also organize individual tours and sightseeing by bus to places in the near and far surrounding.
We receive our wines from the best wine growers of all western Hungary, so you always have a wide range of really exclusive wines. Please let us know if you want to participate in wine tasting of the local wine growers. We will contact the growers and arrange a meeting for you.
Further information can be found here, at the event schedule.