Balatonújlak between winemaking and local history

Balatonújlak can be understood through its winemaking, church architecture, and traces of older history. If you are considering a hotel stay, these themes offer a concrete impression of what characterizes the town. Different periods come together here: traditional building styles in the wine-growing area, a church built in 1980, and Roman finds that suggest—but do not establish—a longer history of settlement.

Winemaking and protected architectural styles

Balatonújlak has an extensive wine-growing area, also called Zártkert. Most of the wine-press houses there are log buildings with reed or natural-colored tile roofs. This means that winemaking is present not only as a feature of the landscape, but also through specific architectural styles. In Balatonújlak’s Szőlőhegy, numerous wine-press houses and buildings are locally protected structures. The vineyard belonging to Balatonújlak is part of the South Balaton wine region. This offers two perspectives for understanding the town: its local winemaking and architectural styles, and the vineyard’s place within a larger wine-growing region.

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (Rózsafüzér királynéja)

The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (Rózsafüzér királynéja) in Balatonújlak was built in 1980 with public donations. It has a single nave, a simple chancel, and an altar. Its design preserves the visual language of traditional churches while also incorporating some modern elements. Both aspects are part of the description of the same building: its traditional visual language and modern features stand side by side, rather than placing the church unequivocally in just one of these categories. If you are interested in church architecture, the single-nave layout and the simple design of the chancel and altar provide further specific features to help you understand the description.

Roman finds and the town’s earlier history

Stone-slab Roman graves were excavated in the eastern part of Balatonújlak. Based on these finds and other excavations, one researcher suggests that a larger Roman settlement may have been located here. The graves are the concrete finds; the larger settlement remains a possibility. The traditional so-called Kontyosház houses also form part of the town’s history, but only a few of this type of house remain today. Together, the Roman finds and the few surviving traditional houses offer different ways to explore the history of Balatonújlak.

Balatonújlak and Lake Balaton

The town’s relationship with Lake Balaton has changed over time. Balatonújlak was once a settlement by the water, and at that time the municipal boundary extended to the lake. Today, the town lies just over three kilometers from the lake. If you are considering Lake Balaton when choosing where to stay, it is worth distinguishing the town’s present-day location from its former lakeside history. The M7 is another point of reference for regional accessibility: the construction of the motorway improved access to Balatonújlak and the Marcali region.

Regional context: Lake Balaton - South

One nature attraction in the wider Lake Balaton - South destination is the Zselic Landscape Protection Area (Zselici Tájvédelmi Körzet). In 2009, the protected area received the title of International Dark Sky Park because of its low light pollution; the Zselic Star Park (Zselici Csillagpark) was established in the heart of the protected area. This regional perspective complements Balatonújlak’s local themes with its own natural and landscape features, without replacing the town’s winemaking, church, and history.

Discover more destinations: Somogysimonyi, Somogyszentpál, Gadány, Kéthely, Kelevíz, Balatonkeresztur, Böhönye, Balatonmariafürdö

Return to the main travel overview: Marcali.