HUNGARY

HUNGARY / MAGYARORSZÁG.

Landscapes of Lake Balaton. Szigligeti Bay.
Last stamp in a set of 4, issued on 24.06.1968.
Face value: 2 Hungarian forint.
Design: Légrády Sándor (1906-1987).
Printing: Offset lithography.
Size: 31 x 41 mm.

Catalogues
- Michel No. 2420A.
- Philatelia Hungarica No. 2463.
- Scott No. 1911.
- StampWorld No. 2443.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 2368.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 1991.

Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of the region's foremost tourist destinations. The Zala River provides the largest inflow of water to the lake, and the canalised Sió is the only outflow. The mountainous region of the northern shore is known both for its historic character and as a major wine region, while the flat southern shore is known for its resort towns. Balatonfüred, Hévíz and Siófok developed early as resorts for the wealthy, but it was not until the late 19th century when landowners, ruined by Phylloxera attacking their grape vines, began building summer homes to rent out to the burgeoning middle classes. The construction of railways in 1861 and 1909 increased tourism substantially, but the post-war boom of the 1950s was much larger. Sármellék International Airport provides air service to Balaton (although most service is only seasonal).