The Great Lake Balaton Neon Overview – Part IV.
In the final instalment of our Lake Balaton series, we take a look at the neon signs that once illuminated the northern shore. This side of the lake has always been known for its more elegant, understated character and for being less closely associated with mass tourism. Even so, it did not escape the major wave of hotel construction during the socialist era.
A great number of architecturally fascinating hotels, motels and restaurants were built during this period. Many of them have since disappeared or been completely transformed over the decades. Neon signage was used generously on these buildings too, so let us travel from Keszthely to Balatonalmádi and see what once lit up the nights along the northern shore.
KESZTHELY
Several motels of the type seen in the colour photograph once stood around Lake Balaton. The buildings had originally served as accommodation at the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. After the exhibition, they were purchased and repurposed as motels along the lakeshore. The building in Keszthely was later demolished, and the Phőnix Hotel was constructed on the site in 1985.
Photos: motel in Keszthely and their flyer from 1972, Fortepan
The Balaton Department Store opened in 1971 and, true to the spirit of the era, was decorated with a large number of neon signs. An almost identical department store can also be found in Fonyód.
The dynamic typography of the Autóker sign can be seen in this photograph from 1963.
Photo: Autoker in Keszthely from 1963, Fortepan
I was unable to find much information about the Sirály Bistro, but in this brilliant photograph, Ilona Medveczky’s Ford Thunderbird is parked outside. The car also appeared in the wonderful film A Sparrow Is a Bird Too, which is set at Lake Balaton.
Photos: Sirály Bistro in Keszthely in 1963, and the Balaton Department Store on the right
BADACSONY
The Hableány opened in Badacsony in 1883 as a hotel and restaurant and played an important role in the development of tourism in the town. Over the years, the building also functioned as a restaurant, military hospital, post office, shop and wine bar. A complete reconstruction began in 1963, after which it ceased operating as a hotel and continued exclusively as a restaurant. The photographs featuring its neon signs date from this period. The Laposa family saved the building from deterioration in 2014, renovated it and added a working showcase winery.
Photos: Hableány restuaurant, Fotótár – Dokkóközpont
Like many other settlements along Lake Balaton, Badacsony also had a small mushroom-shaped building on the pier, commonly referred to as the “mushroom”, which functioned as a snack bar and grocery shop.
The Kisfaludy House Restaurant occupies an 18th-century Baroque wine press house. It is also famous as the place where the love between poet Sándor Kisfaludy and his muse, Róza Szegedy, first blossomed. The neon sign, probably installed during the 1960s, was not only rather out of keeping with its surroundings, but also misspelled the name, using an “i” instead of a “y”.
Photos: Kisfaludy Ház in Badacsony from 1960
The vine-leaf-shaped “B” of the Badacsony Wine Museum was not a particularly successful design, even though the institution, which operated during the 1950s, was an important showcase for local viticulture and winemaking. The building was later remodelled and now functions as a hotel, meaning that the museum’s original independent exhibition no longer exists.
Photos: Badacsony Bormúzeum in 1976, Mushroom-shaped pavilion at Badacsony Pier, 1959
RÉVFÜLÖP
The only information I found about the Ibolya pastry shop was that it was a popular local establishment until its reconstruction in 1991.
Photo: Ibolya pastry shop in 1959
TIHANY
The history of the Tihany Motel began in 1959. The holiday complex was created from pavilions brought back from the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, together with Danish wooden holiday cabins. Consisting of six building units, the complex could accommodate around four hundred guests and was situated on one of Tihany’s most beautiful stretches of shoreline.
Photos: Hotel and Motel Tihany in 1963
The Kis Tihany Hotel opened next to the motel in June 1960, followed later by the Tihany Hotel. Interestingly, several scenes from the cult film The Pagan Madonna were shot here. The holiday resort was completely transformed in the early 1980s, resulting in the Club Tihany Resort that still operates today.
Photos: Tihany Motel interior in 1960, Row of shops at the Tihany ferry terminal in 1973, Fortepan
The Y-shaped row of shops at the Tihany ferry terminal was constructed using materials and structural elements left over from the motel development. Nearby, the UFO-like ferry terminal building was completed in 1962. It later operated as a restaurant but is currently unused.
BALATONFÜRED
As the capital of the northern shore, Balatonfüred naturally had a considerable number of neon signs. Along the Tagore Promenade, illuminated signs appeared almost one after another, while several advertisements could also be found around the ferry terminal and in the Old Town. These included the neon signs of a bookshop and a fashion shop on the building of the former ironmongery, which is now protected as part of the architectural heritage.
Photos: Tagore promenade in 1960, Fortepan
Photo: Tagore promenade in 1968, Fortepan
Photos: neon signs in the Old Town in 1983, Fortepan
The Arany Csillag Hotel was built in 1924. Unfortunately, I could only find very low-quality photographs of it, but the sign above the entrance can still be made out: its letter “A” was designed to evoke the shape of a star.
BALATONALMÁDI
The restaurant of the Tulipán Hotel was decorated with several striking neon signs. A three-part illuminated advertisement welcomed guests at the entrance, while various glowing signs could also be seen inside.
Photos: Tulipán restaurant outside and inside in 1959, Fortepan
The hotel itself has an interesting history. It was founded in 1928 under the name Abbázia Pension and was considered one of the most popular and modern hotels of its time. Following nationalisation, it operated for a period as the Tobacco Factory Holiday Home. In 1956, it was renamed the Tulipán Hotel and reopened as a hotel once again.
The Auróra Restaurant was built in 1964 as the successor to the Pannónia Restaurant, based on plans by architect Ferenc Raáb. A larger building was needed because the earlier restaurant could no longer accommodate the steadily increasing number of holidaymakers.
The building can no longer be seen in its original form. It was significantly extended and remodelled to create the Pannónia Cultural Centre and Library, which still operates today.
The Aranyhíd Espresso was a popular venue during the 1960s. It was included in this collection mainly because of its remarkable architecture, as the neon sign itself was somewhat less distinctive.
I could almost bring the series to a close here. In the meantime, however, I have found a few more overlooked examples, so one additional instalment is still to come.
And if you happen to have an old photograph of a neon sign from Lake Balaton, or know of a hidden sign or logo that has not yet appeared in my collection, please get in touch. I would be delighted to add it to the article.
Sources:
weloveBalaton.hu
toretro.hu
