Kértems

Kérten is a small town and the administrative centre of the Balatonalmádi District in Veszprém County, Hungary. The municipality is situated on the northern shores of Lake Balaton and is an important stop on the circular Balatonfüred-Aligöl-Hévíz railway line.

Historical records of the village date back to the 11th century when it was first mentioned in charter documents as Templóm. Throughout the centuries, the village saw significant economic, agricultural, and industrial growth and development, attracting immigrants from various parts of Europe, especially from the Carpathian and Transylvanian regions.

During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Kérten village played a minor but significant role. Many of its residents who opposed the communist government were forced to flee to the West, and the village cemetery houses a memorial to Hungary's first emigration wave of post-WWII era.

Although the economy experienced difficulties and the village faces the ongoing challenges of Lake Balaton's eutrophication and the challenges it poses for nearby settlements, Kérten remains a staple of local Hungarian culture. As such, the Balaton Culture Council Office is also established within the town of Kérten, aiming to safeguard the enhancement of art and cultural life of the Balaton region.

In the vicinity of the Lake Balaton resort town of Balatonföldvár, the reserve lands and those of Szigliget Castle adjacent to the town show the historical and predominantly agricultural identity of the original inhabitant and contribute to the togetherness and harmony the authentic Hungarians typically share in.