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[[Aquincum]], originally a [[Celt]]ic settlement, was the direct ancestor of Budapest<ref>{{cite book |last=Sugar |first=Peter F. |authorlink= |coauthors=Péter Hanák, Tibor Frank |editor= |others= |title=A History of Hungary |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=SKwmGQCT0MAC&printsec=frontcover&hl=hu#PPA3,M1 |format= |accessdate=2008-05-19 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date=1990 |year= |month= |publisher=[[Indiana University Press]] |location= |language= |isbn=025320867X |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=3 |chapter=Hungary before the Hungarian Conquest |chapterurl= |quote= }}</ref>, becoming the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] capital of [[Lower Pannonia]]. [[Magyar]]s arrived in the territory around 900. Their first settlement was pillaged by the [[Mongol invasion of Europe|Mongols]] in 1241-42<ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest|publisher=''1911 [[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]]''|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Budapest|accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref>. The re-established town became one of the centers of [[Renaissance humanism|Renaissance humanist]] culture<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Drake |first=Miriam A. |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science |title=Eastern Europe, England and Spain|url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=hu&lr=&id=w1Xtjiyh9XYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA2494&dq=Buda+Renaissance+center&ots=zKQ2JFNcOr&sig=PBqz2v48y02bWQKE_obj9N8tfis#PPA2498,M1 |accessdate=2008-05-22 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |date=2003 |year= |month= |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |volume= |location= |id= |isbn=0824720806 |doi= |pages=2498 |quote= }}</ref> in the 15th century<ref>{{cite book |last=Casmir |first=Fred L. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Communication in Eastern Europe: The Role of History, Culture, and media in contemporary conflicts |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=hu&lr=&id=be2UW6NyposC&oi=fnd&pg=PA115&dq=Budapest+became+one+of+the+centers+of+Renaissance+culture+in+the+15th+century&ots=EbQczSn6BE&sig=muxfaU71kcts3FwOQFth_M9uj3c#PPA122,M1 |format= |accessdate=2008-05-21 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date=1995 |year= |month= |publisher=Lawrence Erlbaum Associates |location= |language= |isbn=0805816259 |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=122 |chapter=Hungarian culture in communication |chapterurl= |quote= }}</ref>. Following nearly 150 years of [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule, development of the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest is a [[global city]]<ref>{{cite paper |last=Beaverstock |first=J. V. |author= |authorlink= |coauthors=R. J. Smith, P. J. Taylor |title=A Roster of World Cities |version= |pages= |publisher=[[Loughborough University]] |date=1999 |url=http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb5.html |format= |id= |accessdate=2008-05-22 }}</ref> today. It also became the second capital of [[Austria-Hungary]], a [[great power]] that dissolved in 1918. Budapest was the focal point of the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1848]], the [[Hungarian Soviet Republic]] of 1919, [[Operation Panzerfaust]] in 1944, the [[Battle of Budapest]] of 1945, and the [[1956 Hungarian Revolution|Revolution of 1956]].
[[Aquincum]], originally a [[Celt]]ic settlement, was the direct ancestor of Budapest<ref>{{cite book |last=Sugar |first=Peter F. |authorlink= |coauthors=Péter Hanák, Tibor Frank |editor= |others= |title=A History of Hungary |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=SKwmGQCT0MAC&printsec=frontcover&hl=hu#PPA3,M1 |format= |accessdate=2008-05-19 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date=1990 |year= |month= |publisher=[[Indiana University Press]] |location= |language= |isbn=025320867X |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=3 |chapter=Hungary before the Hungarian Conquest |chapterurl= |quote= }}</ref>, becoming the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] capital of [[Lower Pannonia]]. [[Magyar]]s arrived in the territory<ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest|publisher=''[[Travel Channel]]''|url=http://guides.travelchannel.com/budapest/city-guides/historical-background|accessdate=2008-05-22}}</ref> in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the [[Mongol invasion of Europe|Mongols]] in 1241-42<ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest|publisher=''1911 [[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition]]''|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Budapest|accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref>. The re-established town became one of the centers of [[Renaissance humanism|Renaissance humanist]] culture<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Drake |first=Miriam A. |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science |title=Eastern Europe, England and Spain|url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=hu&lr=&id=w1Xtjiyh9XYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA2494&dq=Buda+Renaissance+center&ots=zKQ2JFNcOr&sig=PBqz2v48y02bWQKE_obj9N8tfis#PPA2498,M1 |accessdate=2008-05-22 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |date=2003 |year= |month= |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |volume= |location= |id= |isbn=0824720806 |doi= |pages=2498 |quote= }}</ref> in the 15th century<ref>{{cite book |last=Casmir |first=Fred L. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Communication in Eastern Europe: The Role of History, Culture, and media in contemporary conflicts |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=hu&lr=&id=be2UW6NyposC&oi=fnd&pg=PA115&dq=Budapest+became+one+of+the+centers+of+Renaissance+culture+in+the+15th+century&ots=EbQczSn6BE&sig=muxfaU71kcts3FwOQFth_M9uj3c#PPA122,M1 |format= |accessdate=2008-05-21 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date=1995 |year= |month= |publisher=Lawrence Erlbaum Associates |location= |language= |isbn=0805816259 |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=122 |chapter=Hungarian culture in communication |chapterurl= |quote= }}</ref>. Following nearly 150 years of [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule, development of the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest is a [[global city]]<ref>{{cite paper |last=Beaverstock |first=J. V. |author= |authorlink= |coauthors=R. J. Smith, P. J. Taylor |title=A Roster of World Cities |version= |pages= |publisher=[[Loughborough University]] |date=1999 |url=http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb5.html |format= |id= |accessdate=2008-05-22 }}</ref> today. It also became the second capital of [[Austria-Hungary]], a [[great power]] that dissolved in 1918. Budapest was the focal point of the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1848]], the [[Hungarian Soviet Republic]] of 1919, [[Operation Panzerfaust]] in 1944, the [[Battle of Budapest]] of 1945, and the [[1956 Hungarian Revolution|Revolution of 1956]].


Regarded by many as one of the most beautiful cities in the world<ref name="ICOMOS"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest Is Stealing Some of Prague’s Spotlight|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/travel/03journey.html|date=2006-10-03|accessdate=2008-01-29}}</ref>, Budapest is considered an important [[Central Europe]]an hub<ref>{{cite web|title=Doing Business : Budapest, the soul of Central Europe|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/08/04/trbuda_ed3_.php|publisher=''[[International Herald Tribune]]''|date=2004-08-04|accessdate=2008-01-29}}</ref>. Its [[World Heritage Sites]] include the banks of the Danube, the [[Buda Castle]] Quarter, [[Andrássy Avenue]] and the [[Budapest Metro|Millennium Underground railway]], the first on the European continent<ref name="ICOMOS">{{cite web|title=Nomination of the banks of the Danube and the district of the Buda Castle|publisher=''[[International Council on Monuments and Sites]]''|url=http://whc.unesco.org/archive/advisory_body_evaluation/400bis.pdf|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= World Heritage Committee Inscribes 9 New Sites on the World Heritage List <!--all Budapest sites mentioned-->|publisher=''[[Unesco World Heritage]] Centre''|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/156|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref>. Budapest attracts over 20 million visitors a year<ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest City Guide|publisher=''European Rail Guide''|url=http://www.europeanrailguide.com/destinationguides/budapest/|accessdate=2008-02-04}}</ref>. The city ranks 74th on [[Mercer Human Resource Consulting|Mercer Consulting]]'s 'World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities' list<ref>{{cite web|title=World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities|publisher=''[[Business Week]]''|url=http://bwnt.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/livable_cities_worldwide|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref>.
Regarded by many as one of the most beautiful cities in the world<ref name="ICOMOS"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest Is Stealing Some of Prague’s Spotlight|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/travel/03journey.html|date=2006-10-03|accessdate=2008-01-29}}</ref>, Budapest is considered an important [[Central Europe]]an hub<ref>{{cite web|title=Doing Business : Budapest, the soul of Central Europe|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/08/04/trbuda_ed3_.php|publisher=''[[International Herald Tribune]]''|date=2004-08-04|accessdate=2008-01-29}}</ref>. Its [[World Heritage Sites]] include the banks of the Danube, the [[Buda Castle]] Quarter, [[Andrássy Avenue]] and the [[Budapest Metro|Millennium Underground railway]], the first on the European continent<ref name="ICOMOS">{{cite web|title=Nomination of the banks of the Danube and the district of the Buda Castle|publisher=''[[International Council on Monuments and Sites]]''|url=http://whc.unesco.org/archive/advisory_body_evaluation/400bis.pdf|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= World Heritage Committee Inscribes 9 New Sites on the World Heritage List <!--all Budapest sites mentioned-->|publisher=''[[Unesco World Heritage]] Centre''|url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/156|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref>. Budapest attracts over 20 million visitors a year<ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest City Guide|publisher=''European Rail Guide''|url=http://www.europeanrailguide.com/destinationguides/budapest/|accessdate=2008-02-04}}</ref>. The city ranks 74th on [[Mercer Human Resource Consulting|Mercer Consulting]]'s 'World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities' list<ref>{{cite web|title=World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities|publisher=''[[Business Week]]''|url=http://bwnt.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/livable_cities_worldwide|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref>.

Revision as of 11:27, 23 May 2008

For other uses, see Budapest (disambiguation).
Budapest
File:Budapestbridge100.jpg
Flag of Budapest
Flag
Official seal of Budapest
Seal
Nickname(s): 
"Pearl of the Danube"
or "Queen of the Danube", "Heart of Europe", "Capital of Freedom"
Location of Budapest in Hungary
Location of Budapest in Hungary
CountryHungary
CountyBudapest, Capital City
Government
 • MayorGábor Demszky (SZDSZ)
Area
 • City525.16 km2 (202.77 sq mi)
Population
 (2007)
 • City1,696,128
 • Density3,232/km2 (8,370/sq mi)
 • Metro
2,451,418
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Websitebudapest.hu
Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Buda Castle Quarter
CriteriaCultural: ii, iv
Reference400
Inscription1987 (11th Session)
Extensions2002

Budapest (Template:PronEng (AE), also /ˈbju:-/ (BE) or /ˈbʊ-/; Hungarian IPA: ['budɒpɛʃt]) is the capital city of Hungary[1]. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial and transportation center[2]. In 2007 Budapest had 1,696,128 inhabitants[3] with an official agglomeration of 2,451,418 [3], down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. The city covers an area of 525 km2 (202.7 sq mi)[4] within city limits. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with the unification on 17 November 1873 of right-bank (west) Buda and Óbuda (Old Buda) together with Pest on the left (east) bank[5][4].

Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement, was the direct ancestor of Budapest[6], becoming the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. Magyars arrived in the territory[7] in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241-42[8]. The re-established town became one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture[9] in the 15th century[10]. Following nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule, development of the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest is a global city[11] today. It also became the second capital of Austria-Hungary, a great power that dissolved in 1918. Budapest was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Hungarian Soviet Republic of 1919, Operation Panzerfaust in 1944, the Battle of Budapest of 1945, and the Revolution of 1956.

Regarded by many as one of the most beautiful cities in the world[12][13], Budapest is considered an important Central European hub[14]. Its World Heritage Sites include the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, Andrássy Avenue and the Millennium Underground railway, the first on the European continent[12][15]. Budapest attracts over 20 million visitors a year[16]. The city ranks 74th on Mercer Consulting's 'World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities' list[17].

Short History of Budapest

Main article: History of Budapest
File:03hősök tere.JPG
Heroes' Square with the Millenary Monument

The first town on the territory of Budapest was built by Celts on the Buda side, on Gellért Hill before the birth of Christ. It was later occupied by the Romans in the 1st century A.D. The Roman settlement - Aquincum - became the main city of Pannonia province with about 20-30,000 inhabitants. The Romans constructed paved roads, amphitheatres, bastions and fortified strongholds here, the ruins of which now increase Óbuda district's reputation.

The Hungarians settling in the territory in the 9th-10th century established the seat of their prince near the crossing of the Danube, who a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary. The flat areas were populated first, including the large island that once stood where Pest City Centre stands today. The Tatar invasion in the 13th century quickly proved that defence is difficult on a plain. King Béla IV of Hungary therefore ordered the construction of reinforced stone walls around the towns(1247) and set his own royal palace on the top of the protecting hills of Buda. In 1361 it became the capital of Hungary.

Buda Castle during the Middle Ages.

The cultural role of Buda was particularly significant during reign of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary.The Italian Renaissance had a great influence upon the city. His library, the Bibliotheca Corviniana, was Europe's greatest collection of historical chronicles and philosophic and scientific works in the 15th century, and second only in size to the Vatican Library. The second Hungarian university was established in the city in 1395 (the first was founded in Pécs in 1367): and the first Hungarian book was printed in Buda in 1473 under the title Budai krónika (The chronicle of Buda).

The Turkish occupation lasted for more than 140 years and left only very few marks but much destruction. All the values created by the occupants are linked to water - Turkish thermal baths are the best example. That part of the country not occupied by the Turks became part of the Habsburg empire. When, at the end of the seventeenth century, Buda was liberated from the Turkish rule, it became a provincial centre.

File:Opera Budapest.jpg
Hungarian State Opera House, it was built in the Time of Austria-Hungary

The 18th century marked the slow awakening and recovery of the city. The nineteenth century was dominated by the Hungarian's struggle for independence and modernization. The national insurrection against the Habsburgs began in the Hungarian capital in 1848 and was defeated a little more than a year later.

1867 was the year of Reconciliation that brought about the birth of Austria-Hungary. This made Budapest the twin capital of a dual monarchy. It was this compromise which opened the second great phase of development in the history of Budapest, lasting until World War I. In 1873 Buda and Pest were officially merged with the third part, Óbuda (Ancient Buda), thus creating the new metropolis of Budapest. Dynamic Pest grew into the country's administrative, political, economic, trade and cultural hub.

World War I brought the Golden Age to an end. In 1918 Austria-Hungary lost the war and collapsed; Hungary declared itself an independent republic. In 1920 the Treaty of Trianon finalized the country's partition, reducing Hungary's size by two-thirds and turning the multinational state into a nation-state.

File:Time Man of the year 1957Hunagarianfreedom fighter.jpg
Hungarian Revolution of 1956

In 1944, towards the end of World War II, Budapest was partly destroyed by British and American air raids. From 24 December, 1944 to 13 February 1945, the city was besieged during the Battle of Budapest. Budapest suffered major damage caused by the attacking Soviet troops and the defending German and Hungarian troops. All bridges were destroyed by the Germans. More than 38,000 civilians lost their lives during the fighting.

Between 20% and 40% of Greater Budapest's 250,000 Jewish inhabitants died through Nazi and Arrow Cross genocide during 1944 and early 1945.[18] Despite this, Budapest today has the highest number of Jewish citizens per capita of any European city. In 1949 Hungary is declared a communist People's Republic. Secret police terror, forced displays of loyalty and worsening living standards generate widespread resentment.

1956, October 23: Outbreak of the Hungarian Revolution. The Stalinist dictatorship collapses after mass demonstrations. But Soviet tanks enter Budapest to crush the revolt. Fighting continues until early November, leaving more than 3000 dead. Soviet power had been forcefully restored, and a new Soviet-elected leader emerged in the person of János Kádár.From the 1960s through the late 1980s, Hungary was often satirically referred to as "the happiest barrack" within the Eastern bloc.

The last Soviet soldier left the country in 1991 thus ending Soviet military presence in Hungary. The present form of government is a parliamentary republic since 1989. In 1997 in a national referendum 85% voted in favour of Hungary joining the NATO. A year later the European Union began negotiations with Hungary on full membership. In 1999 Hungary joined NATO. Hungary voted in favor of joining the EU, and joined in 2004.

File:Hungary Budapest Panorama.jpg
Left to right:Matthias Church,Castle Quarter,Széchenyi Chain Bridge,Danube Promenade,Parliament Building,Saint Stephen's Basilica

Timeline of the history of Budapest

Museum of Applied Arts
File:01New-York palota Budapest.JPG
New York Café
File:Hungariannationalmuseum100.jpg
Hungarian National Museum
Széchenyi Thermal Bath
The Great Synagogue
File:04Pesti vigado.JPG
Vigadó Concert Hall
File:Budacastle.jpg
Buda Castle
Year Event
B.C.  Neolithic, Chalcolithic-, bronze and iron age cultures, Celtic and Eravisci settlements on present day Budapest.
1st century Romans found the settlements known as Aquincum, Contra-Aquincum and Campona. Aquincum becomes the largest town of the Danubian region and one of the capitals of Pannonia.
5th century The Age of Huns. King Attila builds a city for himself here according to later chronicles.
896 Following the foundation of Hungary, leader of the Hungarians Árpád settles in the "Town of Attila", usually identified as Aquincum.
10th century Out of the 7 or 10 Hungarian tribes, four has settlements in the territory

of modern Budapest: Megyer, Keszi, Jenő and Nyék.[citation needed]

1046 Bishop Gellért dies at the hands of pagans on present-day Gellért Hill.
1241 During the Tatar invasions both towns are destroyed. King Béla IV builds the first royal castle on Castle Hill, Buda in 1248. The new town adopts the name of Buda from the earlier one (present day Óbuda). Pest is surrounded by city walls.
1270 Saint Margaret of Hungary dies in a cloister on the Isle of Rabbits (present day Margaret Island).
1458 The noblemen of Hungary elect Matthias Corvinus (in Latin) or Hunyadi Mátyás (in Hungarian) as king on the ice of the Danube. Under his reign Buda becomes the main hub of European Renaissance. He dies in 1490, after capturing Vienna in 1485.
1541 The beginning of Ottoman occupation. The Turkish Pashas build multiple mosques and baths in Buda.
1686 Buda and Pest are reconquered from the Turks with Habsburg leadership. Both towns are destroyed completely in the battles.
1690s Resettlement, initially only a few hundred German settlers.
1773 Election of the first Mayor of Pest.
1777 Maria Theresa of Austria moves the Nagyszombat University to Castle Hill.
1783 Joseph II places the acting government (Helytartótanács) and Magyar Kamara on Buda.
1795. 20 May. Martinovics Ignác and other Jacobin leaders are executed on Vérmező or 'The Field of Blood'.
1810 The Tabán fire.
1825 Commencement of the Reform Era, Pest becomes the cultural and economic centre of the country, the first National Theatre is built along with the Hungarian National Museum and the Széchenyi Lánchíd.
1838 The biggest flood in recent memory in March. Pest is completely inundated.
1848. 15 March. Start of the Revolution and War of Independence of 1848-49. Pest replaces Pozsony (Bratislava) as the new capital of Hungary and seat of the Batthyány government and the Parliament.
1849 The Austrians occupy the city in early January, but the Hungarian Honvédsereg (Army of National Defense) reclaims it in April, taking the fortress of Buda on May 21 after an 18-day siege. In July, the Habsburg army again captures the two towns.
1849. 6 Oct. Lajos Batthyány, the first Hungarian Prime Minister is executed on the present-day Szabadság tér.
1867 Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, followed by unprecedented civic development, resulting in the style of present day Budapest.
1873 The former cities: Pest, Buda and Óbuda are united, and with that the Hungarian capitol is established with the name of Budapest.
1874 The rack (or cog-wheel) railway (Fogaskerekű) service is inaugurated.
1896 Millennium celebrations, the Millennium Underground railway is inaugurated, and the Ferenc József híd (today's Liberty Bridge) is opened.
1909–1910 Electronic public lighting.
1910 The census finds 880 thousand people in Budapest and 55 thousand in the largest suburb of Ujpest (now part of Budapest). The religious make-up was 60.9% Catholic, 23.1% Jewish, 9.9% Calvinist and 5.0% Lutheran. Ujpest was 65.9% Catholic, 18.4% Jewish, 9.7% Calvinist and 4.5% Lutheran. The percentage of ethnic Germans was 9.0% in Budapest and 5.7% in Ujpest, while 2.3% of the population claimed to be Slovak. (Source: Történelmi Magyarország atlasza és adattára 1914, Budapest, 2001.)
1918–1919 Revolution and the 133 days of the Hungarian Council, i.e. Soviet Republic (March-August 1919) under the leadership of Béla Kun. It is the first Communist government to be formed in Europe after the October Revolution in Russia.
1924 Hungarian National Bank is founded.
1925 Hungarian Radio starts its broadcast.
1933 Disassembly of the Tabán commences.
1944. 19 Mar. Budapest is occupied by the Germans. At the time of the occupation, there were 184,000 Jews and about 65-80 thousand Christians considered Jewish in the town.

Fewer than half of them (approximately 119,000) survived the following 11 months.

1944.Dec.26 - 1945.Feb.13 Soviet and Romanian troops besiege Budapest. 15 Jan–18 Jan. The retreating Germans blow up all Danube bridges. On Jan. 18, Pest and the Ghetto in Pest are completely liberated. The Buda castle falls on Feb 13. World War II took the lives of close to two hundred thousand Budapest residents. Heavy damage to the buildings.
1956. 23 Oct. –
4 Nov.		 The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 breaks out, ending in the invasion of a large Soviet force.
1960s Wartime damages are by and large corrected. Bridges are rebuilt, the last one, the Elizabeth Bridge is rebuilt in 1965.
1970–1972 East-Western Metro is inaugurated (first phase).
1982 North-Southern Metro is inaugurated (first phase).
1987 Castle Hill, Buda and the banks of the Danube are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
1990 2 016 100 residents
2002 Andrássy Avenue and its historic milieu is also included in the World heritage Sites, along with the Millennium Underground railway and Heroes' Square.

Geography

Budapest lies in central Hungary. The Danube is nearly 1 km (0.6 mi) wide when entering the city. The river later encircles two islands, Óbuda Island and Margaret Island[4]. The river that separates the two parts of the city is only 230 m (750 ft) wide at its narrowest point in Budapest. Pest lies on the flat terrain of the Great Plain while Buda is rather hilly[4].

Climate

Budapest has a temperate, transitional climate - somewhere between the mild, rainy weather of Transdanubia and the variable climate of the flat and open Great Plain to the east[19].

Climate data for Budapest
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Source: weather.com[20]

Districts

Population change of Budapest (1870-2007)


Main article: List of districts in Budapest

Originally Budapest had 10 districts after coming into existence upon the unification of the three cities in 1873. On 1 January, 1950 Budapest was united with several neighboring towns and the number of its districts was raised to 22. At that time there were changes both in the order of districts and in their sizes. Now there are 23 districts, 6 in Buda, 16 in Pest and 1 on Csepel island between them. Each district can be associated with one or more city parts named after former towns within Budapest.

Landmarks and monuments

See also: List of sights and historic places in Budapest

The city is home to the largest synagogue in Europe (Great Synagogue), the largest medicinal bath in Europe (Széchenyi Medicinal Bath) and the third largest Parliament building in the world, once the largest in the world. The third largest church in Europe (Esztergom Basilica) and the second largest Baroque castle in the world (Gödöllő) are in the vicinity.

The Castle Hill, the River Danube embankments and the whole of Andrássy út have been officially recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In Pest, arguably the most important sight is Andrássy út. As far as Kodály Körönd and Oktogon both sides are lined with large shops and flats built close together. Between there and Heroes’ Square the houses are detached and altogether grander. Under the whole runs continental Europe’s oldest Underground railway, most of whose stations retain their original appearance. Heroes’ Square is dominated by the Millenary Monument, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front. To the sides are the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Arts, and behind City Park opens out, with Vajdahunyad Castle. One of the jewels of Andrássy út is the Hungarian State Opera House.

Castle Hill and the Castle District; there are three churches here, six museums, and a host of interesting buildings, streets and squares. The former Royal Palace is one of the symbols of Hungary – and has been the scene of battles and wars ever since the thirteenth century. Nowadays it houses two impressive museums and the National Széchenyi Library. The nearby Sándor Palace contains the offices and official residence of the President of Hungary. The seven-hundred year-old Matthias Church is one of the jewels of Budapest. Next to it is an equestrian statue of the first king of Hungary, King Saint Stephen, and behind that is the Fisherman's Bastion, from where opens out a panoramic view of the whole city.

The neo-Gothic Parliament, containing amongst other things the Hungarian Crown Jewels. Saint Stephen's Basilica, where the Holy Right Hand of the founder of Hungary, King Saint Stephen is on display. The Hungarian cuisine and café culture: for example, Gerbeaud Café, and the Százéves, Biarritz, Fortuna, Alabárdos, Arany Szarvas, Kárpátia and the world famous Mátyás Pince Restaurants. There are Roman remains at the Aquincum Museum, and historic furniture at the Nagytétény Castle Museum.

Islands

Budapest seen from Spot Satellite

Seven islands can be found on the Danube: Hajógyári sziget (literal translation: Shipyard Island), Margit-sziget (Margaret Island), and Csepel sziget (the northernmost part of this island belonging to Budapest is a separate district of the city, the XXI., while the other islands are parts of other districts, the III. and XIII. respectively), Palotai-sziget (in fact, it's a peninsula today), Népsziget (connected to the above, but mostly surrounded by water), Háros-sziget and Molnár-sziget.

Notable islands:

  • Margit-sziget is a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long island and 0.965 square kilometres (238 acres) in area. The island mostly consists of a park and is a popular recreational area for tourists and locals alike. The island lies between bridges Margaret Bridge (south) and Árpád Bridge (north). Dance clubs, Swimming pools, an Aqua park, athletic and fitness centres, bicycle and running tracks can be found around the Island. During the day the island is occupied by people doing sports, or just resting. In the summer (generally on the weekends) mostly young people go to the island at night to party in its terraces, or to recreate with a bottle of alcohol on a bench or on the grass (this form of entertainment is sometimes referred to as bench-partying).
  • Csepel-sziget [ˈtʃɛpɛlsigɛt] or Csepel Island is the largest island of the River Danube in Hungary. It is 48 km (30 mi) long; its width is 6-8 km (3.75–5 mi) and its area comprises 257 km2 (99 sq mi), whereas only the northern tip is inside the city limits.
  • Hajógyári-sziget [ˈhɒjo:ɟa:ri sigɛt] (or Óbudai-sziget) is a man built island, located in the third district. This island hosts many activities such as: wake-boarding, jet-skiing during the day, and dance clubs during the night. This is the island where the famous Sziget Festival takes place, hosting hundreds of performances per year and now around 400,000 visitors in its last edition. Many building projects are taking place to make this island into one of the biggest entertainment centres of Europe, the plan is to build Apartment buildings, hotels, casinos and a marina.
  • Luppa-sziget is the smallest island of Budapest, located in the north region.

Media portrayals

Shopping

Váci utca, the main shopping street catering to tourists
File:Budapest deak palota.jpg
Deák-mansion in Fashion Street

Unique traditional folk art to look for in the Inner City and the Castle Quarter[21]: ceramics, embroideries, painted eggs, dolls in folk costume, hand-painted Herend and Zsolnay porcelain, crystal and Halas lace. Food: red paprika in gift boxes, goose liver, traditional salami. Spirits: apricot and plum brandy, Hungarian liqueur, famous regional wines (Tokaji, Badacsonyi, Egri). Other: cosmetic products and art books. Shops are usually open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Shopping centres on weekdays are open till 8 p.m. and most of them are also open on Sundays.

The Castle Quarter (or District) is the place to buy antiques and folk art items at the small shops and on the streets. The House of Hungarian Wines has an enormous selection of wine from the historical Hungarian wine regions[22].

The Great Market Hall is a large and rich indoor market, and a major tourist attraction. Built in 1890, it is the city's "pantry", a vast repository of Hungaricums such as paprika, brandy (pálinka), goose-liver (libamáj) and a wide variety of traditional sausages and salamis seasoned with paprika.

One part of the main pedestrian shopping street, Váci utca (street) begins on the opposite side of the Great Market Hall, at the foot of Liberty (Szabadság) bridge. The other part continues through the underpass at the entrance of Elisabeth Bridge and leads to Vörösmarty tér (Square). Several antique and folklore shops, galleries, designer boutiques, foreign-language book-shops, jewelry and wine-shops, restaurants, and cafés can be found on the neighbouring streets. On Kígyó utca the two finest porcelain shops face each other. The Herend and the Zsolnay porcelain shops sell Hungary's most precious hand painted porcelain vases figures and dinner services.

The antique shopping street, Falk Miksa utca, runs from Szt. Istvan Blvd. to the Parliament. The shops offer the richest collection of antiques in Central Europe.

The Ecseri Flea Market in the 9th district has many treasures for collectors, browsers and anyone looking for an unusual souvenir to take home.

There are several shopping malls located close by major intersections and metro stations throughout the city. The WestEnd City Centre, next to the Western Railway Station, is one of the largest shopping centres in Central and Eastern Europe containing 400 shops, a 14-screen cinema complex, entertainment centres, and a huge food-court. The Hilton Budapest Westend, which is the second Hilton hotel in Hungary, is integrated into the mega-complex. On the roof, a tethered balloon gives a view of the city. The newest shopping centre in Budapest is the Arena Plaza (opened November 2007). It is located next to the Keleti Railway station.

On the Buda side, two new shopping complexes were opened consequently: Mammut shopping centre at Széna square (along Margaret Blvd.) has more than 300 shops on 7 levels in two buildings connected with a covered bridge. The centre also houses several restaurants, an entertainment centre, fitness facilities and a health centre. The other is Mom Park with 70 shops, a restaurant and cinema (12th district, Alkotás út).

Transportation

Airport

Budapest Airport Terminal 2B

Budapest Ferihegy International Airport, which has 3 different passenger terminals: Ferihegy 1, which tends to serve the many discount airlines now flying to and from Budapest, Ferihegy 2/A and Ferihegy 2/B. Terminal 2/C is planned to be built. The airport is located to the east of the centre in the XVIII. district in Pestszentlőrinc. Malév (Hungarian Airlines) began to change its aircraft in 2003, and by 2005 owned the most modern fleet in Europe.

Roads

Budapest is the most important Hungarian road terminus; all the major highways end there. Between, the city Street names were reverted from the names given under Soviet occupation back to their late-19th century names. Budapest is also a major railway terminus.

Ring road M0 around Budapest is currently under construction.

Commuting with public transport

Map of the Budapest Metro
Map of the Budapest Metro

Budapest public transport is provided by BKV[22], the company operates buses, trolleybuses, trams, suburban railway lines, the metro, a boat service, a cogwheel railway and a chairlift, called Libegő.

Budapest's tram network is extensive, and reliable despite poor track infrastructure and an ageing fleet. Routes 4 and 6 combined form the busiest traditional city tram line in the world, with the world's longest passenger trams (54-metre (177 ft) long Siemens Combino) running at 60 to 90 second intervals at peak time and 3-4 minutes off-peak and usually packed with people.

Day services operate from 4:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. each day. Night traffic (a reduced overnight service) is outstandingly good.

There are three metro lines and a fourth is currently under construction. The Yellow line, built in 1896, is one of the oldest subway lines in the world, following only the early lines of the London Underground.

Special vehicles

Castle Hill Funicular

Beside metros, suburban rails, buses, trams and boats, there are a couple of less usual vehicles in Budapest:

The latter three vehicles run among Buda hills.

Railway

Main articles: MÁV and HÉV

Hungarian main-line railways are operated by MÁV. There are three main railway termini in Budapest, Keleti (eastern), Nyugati (westbound), and Déli (southbound), operating both domestic and international rail services. Budapest was one of the main stops of the Orient Express until 2001, when the service was cut back to Paris-Vienna.

Nyugati Railway Terminal

There is also a suburban rail service in and around Budapest, operated under the name HÉV.

Waterways

The river Danube flows through Budapest on its way to the Black Sea. The river is easily navigable and so Budapest has historically been a major commercial port (at Csepel). In the summer months a scheduled hydrofoil service operates up the Danube to Vienna.

International schools

Many embassies and transnational companies are located in Budapest. They bring many expatriate foreigners and their families to town, creating demand for private and international schools. These schools are usually quite expensive and are attended by the expatriates as well as some richer Hungarians.

International schools:

Sister cities

These are the official sister cities of Budapest[23][24][25]:
Country City County / District / Region / State Date
Austria Austria Vienna Vienna 1990
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo Sarajevo Canton 1995
Croatia Croatia Zagreb Zagreb 1994
Germany Germany Berlin Berlin Berlin Berlin 1992
Germany Germany Frankfurt am Main Hesse Hesse 1990
Israel Israel File:Tel Aviv coatofarms.jpg Tel Aviv Tel Aviv District 1989
Portugal Portugal Lisbon District of Lisbon 1992
United States United States Fort Worth Texas Texas 1990
United States United States New York City New York (state) New York 1991

Some of the city's districts are also twinned to small cities or districts of other big cities, for details see the article List of districts and towns in Budapest.

References

  1. ^ "Beauty and the Feast". Time. 2002-03-18. Retrieved 2008-05-22. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ "Budapest". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
  3. ^ a b "Social and economic parameters of Budapest" (PDF) (in Hungarian). Hungarian Central Statistical Office. p. 9. ISBN 978-963-235-151-3. Retrieved 2007-07-13. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d "Budapest". Encarta. Retrieved 2008-04-06. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ Molnár, Miklós (2001). "Chronology". A Concise History of Hungary. Cambridge University Press. p. 15. ISBN 0521667364. Retrieved 2008-05-19. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |origmonth=, |accessmonth=, |chapterurl=, |month=, and |origdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Sugar, Peter F. (1990). "Hungary before the Hungarian Conquest". A History of Hungary. Indiana University Press. p. 3. ISBN 025320867X. Retrieved 2008-05-19. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |origmonth=, |accessmonth=, |chapterurl=, |month=, and |origdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Budapest". Travel Channel. Retrieved 2008-05-22. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ "Budapest". 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition. Retrieved 2008-01-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ Drake, Miriam A. (2003). "Eastern Europe, England and Spain". Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. CRC Press. p. 2498. ISBN 0824720806. Retrieved 2008-05-22. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessmonth=, |month=, |accessyear=, and |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ Casmir, Fred L. (1995). "Hungarian culture in communication". Communication in Eastern Europe: The Role of History, Culture, and media in contemporary conflicts. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. p. 122. ISBN 0805816259. Retrieved 2008-05-21. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |origmonth=, |accessmonth=, |chapterurl=, |month=, |origdate=, and |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ Beaverstock, J. V. (1999). "A Roster of World Cities". Loughborough University. Retrieved 2008-05-22. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ a b "Nomination of the banks of the Danube and the district of the Buda Castle" (PDF). International Council on Monuments and Sites. Retrieved 2008-01-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ "Budapest Is Stealing Some of Prague's Spotlight". The New York Times. 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2008-01-29. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ "Doing Business : Budapest, the soul of Central Europe". International Herald Tribune. 2004-08-04. Retrieved 2008-01-29. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ "World Heritage Committee Inscribes 9 New Sites on the World Heritage List". Unesco World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2008-01-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ "Budapest City Guide". European Rail Guide. Retrieved 2008-02-04. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ "World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities". Business Week. Retrieved 2008-01-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ "Budapest". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2007-07-18. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ "Budapest:When to go". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2008-04-06. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ "Monthly Averages for Budapest, Hungary". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2008-02-28. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ "Shopping in Budapest". Hungarian National Tourist Office in New York. Retrieved 2008-01-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  22. ^ a b c "36 Hours in Budapest". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-01-29. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  23. ^ "Sister City - Budapest". Official website of New York City. Retrieved 2008-05-14. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ "Sister cities of Budapest" (in Hungarian). Official Website of Budapest. Retrieved 2008-01-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  25. ^ "Who knows less about Budapest? A quiz with mayor candidates" (in Hungarian). Index. Retrieved 2008-01-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

Bibliography

  • DK Publishing, Budapest: Eyewitness Travel Guildes. DK Travel, 2007. ISBN 978-0756624354
  • Annabel Barber, Visible Cities Budapest: A City Guide. Somerset, Ltd., 2004. ISBN 978-9632129860
  • Krisztian Ungvary (Author), John Lukacs (Foreword), The Siege of Budapest: One Hundred Days in World War II. Yale University Press, 2006. ISBN 978-0300119855

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Budapest.
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Budapest".


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