Where is the Atlantis of Hungary? The story of the long-lost fishing village
A peculiar mystery lies beneath the depths of Lake Balaton regarding the vanished island of Losta, often dubbed the “Atlantis of Hungary.” Once home to a medieval fishing village, Losta was one of the lake’s islands before it mysteriously disappeared centuries ago, swallowed by the rising waters of Central Europe’s largest lake.
The long lost fishing village on Lake Balaton of Hungary
Sonline.hu’s article states that historical evidence including official documents and archaeological findings confirms that Losta indeed existed. The settlement flourished in the Middle Ages, standing proudly upon an island in Lake Balaton.
However, during the mid-13th century, the water level of the lake surged, influenced in part by dams and sluices constructed in the Sió valley. This rise submerged the village, sealing its fate while safeguarding the nearby Tihany Abbey. The story remains a haunting chapter, with Losta waiting to be rediscovered beneath the lake’s surface.
One of the biggest mysteries in the history of Hungary?
Losta was well documented on maps of Hungary for centuries, writes Pénzcentrum. Maps from around 1514, like the one made by Lázár Deák, clearly depict Lake Balaton dotted with several islands, including Losta. Yet the 18th century brought another drastic change when around 1730 the lake’s water level was regulated once more.
The remains of Losta briefly emerged on dry land and appeared on maps until the 1780s. Over time, its stone foundations were dismantled by locals for building materials and nature slowly erased what was left.
Historians found clues but the mystery lives on
The exact location of Losta remains debated among experts and enthusiasts. Geographer Dr László Bendefy suggested it lay near Zamárdi on the southern shore, while other researchers advocate for a site west of Tihany, close to Aszófő and Örvényes.
In fact, archaeological diver Géza Szabó discovered prehistoric and medieval pottery fragments and Roman relics in the lakebed near these latter locations, adding weight to the theory that Losta’s ruins lie beneath there. Some of these Roman artefacts might even have belonged to a bathhouse on Losta’s grounds.
Despite the clues, the mystery persists as historians and diving expeditions have yet to conclusively pinpoint the sunken island’s whereabouts.