Roman fort of Fenékpuszta

Roman Fort near Keszthely

Travelling from Keszthely on the 71 road towards Balatonszentgyörgy, cycling on the bike path, at Fenékpuszta there are signs indicating to us that here Roman ruins can be found. It is worth stopping for a moment to view the freely accessible area, which is said to be one of the most important archaeological sites in Hungary.

From our historical knowledge we know…

We know that the whole Transdanubia was once in the hands of the Romans, which they called Pannonia. There were significant cities on the territory of present-day Óbuda, Szombathely, Pécs, etc. However, we may not be aware of the knowledge that the ancient empire was also “actively” present here, in Keszthely and around the Balaton. Why here? What were they looking for in Fenékpuszta? What can we know about the fort?

Romans in Fenékpuszta

From Sopianae (Pécs) towards Savaria (Szombathely), the roads from Aquileia (Adriatic Sea) to Aquincum (Óbuda) crossed at Fenékpuszta, making it an important area due to its hub role. Barbarian tribes caused increasing destruction in the province, so the Romans built a fortress here in Fenékpuszta as a defense measure.

The Fortress

The fortress bearing the name Valcum had an area of about 15 hectares, with robust walls and 44 towers. It contained storage, administrative buildings, a bathhouse, and a cemetery. It is likely that an army was stationed there. Although the fortress suffered significant destruction, which reduced the population of the area, the building was restored and protected the people living there. In the 5th century, the Roman military withdrew, and the Huns took control of the Transdanubia region in the second half of the century, with their king Thiudimer choosing the Fenekepuszta fortress as his seat.

An interesting factAccording to research, after the end of the Roman period, the survival of a Roman community can be observed in the area. Archaeology calls this community the Keszthely culture, and evidence of their faith is provided by an early Christian basilica and rich finds from 6th century graves.

From the middle of the 7th century, the area was uninhabited, and in the 9th century it was taken over by the Carolingian Empire.
What can be seen today from the fort?
From the fort, which has been researched for nearly 150 years, the southern gate, the three-door basilica, and the remains of the granary walls can be seen today. Since 2009, new research has been conducted on the area, and the results have been used to create the Balaton Museum Castrum Virtuale – Time Travel in the Roman Fort of Fenékpuszta exhibition.

Approach and Parking

If we travel from Keszthely on the 71 road towards Balatonszentgyörgy, or ride on the bike path, signs indicate the ruins. We can leave our car nearby, parking is free.

HintNear the ruins is the former small castle of the Festetics family, although it is currently under renovation, it is worth seeing! In Fenékpuszta there is also a Bird Ringing Station and the Small-Balaton Visitor Center, let's not miss them either!