Villány

Villány Wieland
Town
Villány: the wine region
Flag Coat of arms
Villány Location of Villány
Coordinates: 45.86951°N 18.45562°E / 45.86951; 18.45562
Country	Hungary
County	Baranya
District	Siklós
Area
• Total	22.02 km2 (8.50 sq mi)
Population  (2008)
• Total	2,517
• Density	114.30/km2 (296.0/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	7773
Area code	(+36) 72
Website	www.villany.hu

Villány (German: Wieland; Croatian: Viljan, Biljan or Vilanje; Serbian: Виљан, romanized: Viljan) is a town in Baranya County, Hungary that is famous for its wine. Residents are Hungarians, with minority of Croats, Serbs and Germans of Hungary. Until the end of World War II, the inhabitants were Danube Swabians, also called locally as Stifolder, because their ancestors arrived around 1720 from Fulda (district). Most of the former German settlers were expelled to Allied-occupied Germany and Allied-occupied Austria in 1945–1948, pursuant to the Potsdam Agreement. Only a few Germans of Hungary live there, the majority today are descendant of Hungarians from the Czechoslovak–Hungarian population exchange. They received the houses of the former Danube Swabians inhabitants.

Etymology

The name derives from the Hungarian word for lightning, villám. Formerly (centuries ago), the settlement was recorded under this form of name.

History

Cancelled in 1900 in the Kingdom of Hungary

After the Ottoman occupation until 1918, VILLÁNY was part of the Austrian monarchy, province of Hungary; in Transleithania after the compromise of 1867 in the Kingdom of Hungary. A post-office was opened end of 1867 (depending on from Oedenburg Post Directorate).

Geography

The city is located in the encounter of three large geographical regions: the Great Hungarian Plain from the south, Baranya Hills from the north, and finally Villány Mountains border it from the west. On the plain, agricultural activity is common. The mountains and the hills provide a suitable place for wine producing.

A fossil site known as "Villány locality 6" or "Villány-Kalkberg Süd" has yielded many vertebrate fossils from Lower Pleistocene.

Demographics

A scene in Villány Mountains

Winehouses of Villány

The settlement's population, divided to age groups:

Group	2006
0–5 years old	108
6–13 years old	204
14–17 years old	143
18–54 years old	1450
55–69 years old	328
over 70	404

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Hungary

Villány is twinned with:

• Eislingen, Germany
• Stainz, Austria
• Vețca, Romania
• Zamárdi, Hungary

Wine region

Villány is the most famous red wine region in Hungary. The southernmost wine region has the highest number of sunshine hours. Hungary's climate is continental. However, the Villány wine region is characterized by its sub-Mediterranean climate because of its location. Here's a great, full-bodied Bordeaux-style red wine cuvee. French varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot had a great time here. There is also Portugieser, Kékfrankos, but we can also meet Kadarka and Syrah grapes. White grapes are also cultivated by winemakers such as Italian Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Green Veltelini.

External links

• Official website in Hungarian