The most illustrious ball of Hungary – PHOTOS

Have you ever been to a real ball? There’s one in Hungary every year, the Anna Ball of Balatonfüred, which gives guests an insight into how the elite of the 19^th century used to have fun. Even though the ball is almost 200 years old, it has lost nothing of its high prestige.

According to napi.hu, this year marked the 192^nd Anna Ball in Balatonfüred, but no one knows for sure how many balls have been held since the first one in 1825, organised by Fülöp János Szentgyörgyi Horváth. Some years were missed, but its prestige never vanished. It used to be the favourite jollity of the Hungarian elite, it was frequently visited by famous people like Mihály Vörösmarty, Lujza Blaha and Mór Jókai.

The atmosphere of the ball has somewhat changed throughout history, but it kept its elite feel. Balatonfüred’s Instagram flow reaches its peak on the day of the ball, because everyone is proud to share that they attended such an illustrious event. Especially considering that the attendance is not cheap. The tickets cost 70 thousand forints (~EUR 230), plus you have to pay for the accommodation and the evening gown if you don’t happen to own an appropriate one.

An indicator of the elite atmosphere is the 60 million forints (~EUR 196 thousand) worth, 3500 piece blue Apponyi-pattern Herend porcelain set, in which the dinner was served. Moreover, the dancers of the Hungarian State Opera and the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra performed in the opening show.