Bük
Bük is situated in the northern part of Vas County in the micro-region of the Upper Répce River.
Attractions
The Medicinal Spa of Bük came into being only by sheer chance: they found thermal water while drilling for oil. As a result of the drilling launched in the 1920s and continued in the 1950s, one day a 65-70 metre high waterspout broke up from a depth of 1282 metres in 1957. What they discovered was a 58°C-thermal water containing nearly 16,500 mg/l of minerals – a real goldmine for Bük and the neighbouring villages ever since. The real success story started only in 1962 when the first, partly covered pool opened to the public. On account of the gradual development taking place at the spa since those times, the health resort can now boast 32 pools with over 5100 m2 of water surface water and can offer leisure, wellness, entertainment and other facilities. Owing to its medicinal water, Bük is now hailed as Hungary’s second largest spa in terms of both size and number of visitors.
This valuable water source, still being produced, has been a blessing for us all. The spring itself was named after Pope St Clement whose prayer made water gush from the ground for those suffering from lack of water.
History
This area, stretching along the river and located at the meeting point of the Kisalföld region and the foot of the Alps, has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Peoples living in this neighbourhood recognized the great potentials of the area very early on: the mild subalpine climate with moderate humidity and a pleasant mean annual temperature, the high number of water streams, with lots of fresh drinking water and convenient transport routes on their banks i.e. the roads leading to one of the Roman’s most renowned pathways, the Amber Route. Some of the conquering Hungarians also chose this spot to settle in the early 10th of Sopron, the Büki Family was one of the most well-known one, they are thought to have given the name of the town. The spread of Christianity must have been early because the first church was built century on the site of today’s Catholic Church. From the 15thin the 12th three Büks existing concurrently: Lower, Middle and Upper Bük. The three communities united in 1902 as Bük, and the village was given a town status in 2007.