Velem
Encyclopedia
Velem is a village in Vas
county, Hungary.
The village is situated on the slopes of Kőszeg Mountains
, also known as the Lower Alps
(Alpokalja
), known for its picturesque environment. It was first mentioned in records in 1279. One of the notable archaeological sights of Central Europe can be found on St. Vid-hill above the village. The church on the top of the hill can be seen from far away. Owing to the excellent climatic conditions, Velem has become a well-known resort and holiday centre with full infrastructure, clean air, excellent for treating respiratory diseases. In the village there is a House of Crafts preserving the tradition of folk arts.
At the end of World War II
the Szálasi
Government was based in a prominent Velem mansion called the Stirling Villa. The Holy Crown of Hungary was preserved and safeguarded there between 29 December 1944 and 19 March 1945.
Today the Stirling Villa is a venue for trainings and conferences while the craft centre next door hosts workshops where traditional and almost forgotten crafts can be learnt from experienced craftsmen. Preserving traditions is an organic part of this village where wooden barns stand among houses mainly built of stone and vernacular
wine press
es with cellars dotted along the Pákó Stream (Pákó-patak).
There is a still operational water mill situated near the village. The starting point of the national 'blue' tourist route is in Velem. The village is situated on the grounds of Írottkő Nature Park with a bicycle route crossing the village. The most frequently visited local event is the Chestnut
Feast (Gesztenyeünnep) in October every year.
Vas
Vas is the name of an administrative county in present Hungary, and also in the former Kingdom of Hungary. The county is a part of the Centrope Project.-Geography:...
county, Hungary.
The village is situated on the slopes of Kőszeg Mountains
Koszeg Mountains
Kőszeg Mountains is a mountain range in the Alpokalja area, the easternmost region of the Alps. The territory of the range is shared between Austria and Hungary. Its highest point is the Írott-kő with a height of 883 metres....
, also known as the Lower Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
(Alpokalja
Alpokalja
Alpokalja is a geographic region in Western Hungary, which is part of the Alps. Its highest point in Hungary is Írott-kő, with 882 metres. Although there are several lower mountains, the majority of the territory is hilly...
), known for its picturesque environment. It was first mentioned in records in 1279. One of the notable archaeological sights of Central Europe can be found on St. Vid-hill above the village. The church on the top of the hill can be seen from far away. Owing to the excellent climatic conditions, Velem has become a well-known resort and holiday centre with full infrastructure, clean air, excellent for treating respiratory diseases. In the village there is a House of Crafts preserving the tradition of folk arts.
At the end of World War II
Hungary during World War II
Hungary during World War II was a member of the Axis powers. In the 1930s, the Kingdom of Hungary relied on increased trade with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany to pull itself out of the Great Depression. By 1938, Hungarian politics and foreign policy had become increasingly pro-Fascist Italian and...
the Szálasi
Ferenc Szálasi
Ferenc Szálasi was the leader of the National Socialist Arrow Cross Party – Hungarist Movement, the "Leader of the Nation" , being both Head of State and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary's "Government of National Unity" for the final three months of Hungary's participation in World War II...
Government was based in a prominent Velem mansion called the Stirling Villa. The Holy Crown of Hungary was preserved and safeguarded there between 29 December 1944 and 19 March 1945.
Today the Stirling Villa is a venue for trainings and conferences while the craft centre next door hosts workshops where traditional and almost forgotten crafts can be learnt from experienced craftsmen. Preserving traditions is an organic part of this village where wooden barns stand among houses mainly built of stone and vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
wine press
Wine press
A wine press is a device used to extract juice from crushed grapes during wine making. There are a number of different styles of presses that are used by wine makers but their overall functionality is the same. Each style of press exerts controlled pressure in order to free the juice from the fruit...
es with cellars dotted along the Pákó Stream (Pákó-patak).
There is a still operational water mill situated near the village. The starting point of the national 'blue' tourist route is in Velem. The village is situated on the grounds of Írottkő Nature Park with a bicycle route crossing the village. The most frequently visited local event is the Chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
Feast (Gesztenyeünnep) in October every year.