Hévíz

Hévíz

Lake Hévíz
Hévíz

Location of Hévíz

Coordinates: 46°47′32″N 17°11′06″E / 46.79234°N 17.18497°E / 46.79234; 17.18497Coordinates: 46°47′32″N 17°11′06″E / 46.79234°N 17.18497°E / 46.79234; 17.18497
Country  Hungary
County Zala
Area
 • Total 8.31 km2 (3.21 sq mi)
Population (2012)
 • Total 4,375
 • Density 526.47/km2 (1,363.6/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 8380
Area code(s) 83

Hévíz (German: Heuwies) is a spa town in Zala County, Hungary, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) from Keszthely.

The town is located near Hévíz lake, the world’s second-largest thermal lake, but biologically the biggest active natural lake. Its temperature is affected by the combination of hot and cold spring waters, coming from 38 m deep underground. The water breaks out from a spring cave, with approx. 410 liters per second, with a temperature of 40 °C. The city provides facilities for visitors seeking to use the medicinal waters of the lake, including hotels, parks, sports and entertainment. The effects of the lake was known by the ancestors as well, people lived here even at the end of the Stone Age. The foundations of bath culture was laid by the Romans in the 2nd century. The city and the bath began developing significantly in the 18th century, related to the Festetics Family. They started scientific researches about using the water medically, and for healing.

The biological stability of the lake is shown by the temperature of the water, which has not changed for years and even on the coldest winter days doesn’t drop below 24 degrees Celsius. That makes bathing possible in the lake the whole year round. In the summer the water temperature can reach 37 degrees Celsius.

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This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, October 06, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.