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Nagykanizsa, also known as Kanizsa, is medium-sized town in Southwest Hungary, it lies in the county of Zala.
Not far from the edge of Lake Balaton, lies the town of Nagykanizsa at the meeting point of five routes. For centuries the town has been a connecting link. Goods from Slovenia were transported to Graz via Nagykanizsa, the town played an important role in the trade from the Adriatic Sea to the Alpine region, Vienna and Budapest.
HISTORY
The name 'Kanizsa' is of Slavic origin (Knysa) and means 'belonging to a prince'. It refers to the fact that the region was the property of an aristocrat.
The name 'Kanizsa' was first mentioned in a document in 1245. The family continued building the castle and constructed a rectangular castle with closed back-yard on an islet in the River Kanizsa. The town and the castle had their 'golden age' in the 1st half of the 16th century, when Kanizsa became a centre of trade with Italy and Styria.
Szigetvár and Kanizsa became the most important strongholds in southern Hungary. At the beginning of the 18th century, the holder of the castle moved German, Croatian and Serbian settlers into the deserted town. A particular mixed ethnic group living in a suburb called Kiskanizsa. After driving out the Turks, the town lost its strategic significance, so the Vienna war council demolished the castle in 1702.
Business became lively, trade became important again, and crafts developed significantly. In 1765 elementary and secondary education was started by the Piarist order supported by Batthyány Lajos palatine of Hungary. The first business school in Transdanubia was opened in Nagykanizsa, and in 1895, made into a college.
Many people having visited our schools became famous: Virág Benedek, Király Pál, Deák Ferenc, Kaán Károly, Hevesi Sándor and Mezõ Ferenc all studied in ancient buildings of Nagykanizsa's 'alma maters'.
Nagykanizsa started a new phase of large-scale development in the 1860's. The railway connecting Nagykanizsa with Vienna, Budapest and Rijeka was constructed at that time. There was a rapid development in industry as well. This industrial and business development resulted in the foundation of banks. Besides the four local banks, an Austro-Hungarian and an English-Hungarian bank have also opened branch offices in town. Telephone lines were established and the town was connected with a long-distance system in 1895. At the same time a 70-bed hospital was opened.
During World War I military barracks were built in the town. This necessitated the construction of municipal water network. Kanizsa became a modern town, drainage system construction and paving of streets began. World War I caused grave consequences. Kanizsa became isolated and lost its markets in the south and west. Oil helped the town to survive. After successful explorations by the American corporation EUROGASCO, Hungarian-American Oil Inc. was formed. Nagykanizsa became the centre of Hungarian oil industry.
Beer brewed in KANIZSA BREWERY regained its reputation as one of the best Hungarian beers bearing off the palm at more and more international competitions at the beginning of the century the brewery was closed as demand for beer fell drastically.KANIZSA TREND Ltd grew out of the company with furniture products gaining a high reputation all over Europe. The predecessor of present-day TUNGSRAM Plc now belonging to GENERAL ELECTRIC was opened in 1965. It is now one of the biggest light source factories in the world.
After 1962 Károlyi Park, City Park, large squares like Kossuth, Eötvös and Erzsébet squares were extended. A boating lake was formed becoming a popular recreation centre. Nagykanizsa is an ever developing nice town with historic background.
At the gate of south-west Hungary in beautiful surroundings, Nagykanizsa welcomes its visitors as well as those who wish to settle down in the town.
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