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|map_caption = Location of Budapest in Hungary
|map_caption = Location of Budapest in Hungary
|subdivision_type = [[List of countries|Country]]
|subdivision_type = [[List of countries|Country]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[Counties of Hungary|County]]
|subdivision_tPENIS

ype1 = [[Counties of Hungary|County]]
|subdivision_name = [[Hungary]]
|subdivision_name = [[Hungary]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Budapest|Budapest, Capital City]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Budapest|Budapest, Capital City]]
|leader_titBOOBS BREASTle = [[Mayor]]
|leader_title = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name = [[Gábor Demszky]] ([[SZDSZ]])
|leader_name = [[Gábor Demszky]] ([[SZDSZ]])
|area_magnitude = 1 E8
|area_magnitude = 1 E8
|area_total_km2 = 525.16
|area_total_km2 = 525.16
|area_land_km2 =
GOD|arSHIRea_land_km2 =
|area_water_km2 =
|area_water_km2 =
|poFUCKpulation_as_of = 2008
|population_as_of = 2008
|population_note =
|population_note =
|population_total = {{increase}} 1,702,297
|
|population_density_km2 = 3241.5
|population_metro = {{increase}} 2,475,740
|blank2_info = [[GDP per capita)]] = 36,118 USD
|timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
|utc_offset = +1
|timezone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|latd= 47|latm= 28|lats= 19|latNS= N
|longd= 19|longm= 03|longs= 01|longEW= E
|elevation_m =
|elevation_ft =
|website = [http://english.budapest.hu/ budapest.hu]
|footnotes =
}}

{{Infobox World Heritage Site
|WHS = Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the [[Buda Castle|Buda Castle Quarter]] and [[Andrássy Avenue]]
|Image = [[Image:Budapestbudacastle100.jpg|230px|Buda Castle Quarter]]
|State Party = {{HUN}}
|Type = Cultural
|Criteria = ii, iv
|id = 400
|Region = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe|Europe]]
|year = 1987
|Session = 11th
|Extension = 2002
|Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/400
}}

'''Budapest''' ({{pron-en|ˈb(j)u:dəˌpɛʃt}}, also {{IPA|/ˈbʊ-/}}; {{IPA-hu|ˈbudɒpɛʃt}}) is the [[Capitals of Hungary|capital city]] of [[Hungary]].<ref name=TIME>{{cite web|title=Beauty and the Feast|publisher=''[[Time]]''|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,901020325-218419,00.html|date=2002-03-18|accessdate=2008-05-22}}</ref> As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal [[political]], [[cultural]], [[commerce|commercial]], [[Industry|industrial]], and [[transportation]] center<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |year=2008 |title=Budapest |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]] |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9106098/Budapest |accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref> and is considered an important hub in [[Central Europe]].<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> In 2008, Budapest had 1,702,297 inhabitants<ref>{{cite web|title=Gazetteer of the Republic of Hungary |url=http://portal.ksh.hu/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/KSHPORTAL/ADATOK/HELYSEGNEVTAR/HNK2008.PDF|work=Hungarian Central Statistical Office|date=2008-01-01 |accessdate=2008-08-16}}</ref> with an [[Budapest metropolitan area|official agglomeration]] of 2,451,418,<ref name="Stat Office">{{cite web|title=Social and economic parameters of Budapest|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Hungarian Central Statistical Office''|url=http://portal.ksh.hu/pls/ksh/docs/hun/xftp/idoszaki/regiok/bptarsgazdjell.pdf|pages=9|isbn=978-963-235-151-3|accessdate=2007-07-13}}</ref> down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. The city covers an area of {{convert|525|km2|sqmi|1}}<ref name=Encarta/> within the 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 (city)|Pest]] on the left (east) bank.<ref name=History>{{cite book |last=Molnár |first=Miklós |coauthors=Anna Magyar |title=A Concise History of Hungary |url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=hu&lr=&id=gmn3F6KSTpsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Budapest+1873+Pest+Buda+unification&ots=Vmo7ZmOwNt&sig=nXwKIdmOHRGEoopFC_4mhlzED7U#PPR15,M1 |format= |accessdate=2008-05-19 |date=2001 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=0521667364 |pages=15 |chapter=Chronology}}</ref> <ref name=Encarta>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Török |first=András |encyclopedia=[[Encarta]] |title=Budapest |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761572648/Budapest.html |accessdate=2008-04-06}}</ref>

[[Aquincum]], originally a [[Celt]]ic settlement,<ref name=Aqua/> 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]].<ref name=Aqua>{{cite encyclopedia |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |title=Aquincum |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/31272/Aquincum |accessdate=2008-05-22 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |date=2008 |year= |month= |publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]]}}</ref> [[Magyar]]s arrived in the territory<ref name=Travel>{{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 name=Eleventh>{{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 |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,<ref name=History/> development of the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest became a [[global city]] after the 1873 unification<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>. It also became the second capital of [[Austria-Hungary]], a [[great power]] that [[World War I|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]].

Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in [[Europe]],<ref name="ICOMOS"/><ref name=TIME/><ref name=Travel/><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> its [[World Heritage Sites]] include the banks of the Danube, the [[Buda Castle]] Quarter, [[Andrássy Avenue]], and the [[Line 1 (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 52nd on [[MasterCard]]'s 'World's Top 75 Financial Centers' list<ref>{{Citation
|date=
|year=2008
|title=Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index™
|publisher=[[Mastercard]]
|pages=21
|url=http://www.mastercard.com/us/company/en/insights/pdfs/2008/MCWW_WCoC-Report_2008.pdf
|accessdate=2008-06-12
}}
</ref> and 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> The headquarters of the [[European Institute of Innovation and Technology]] (EIT) will be in Budapest.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=EU nations pick Budapest for technology institute |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/18/europe/EU-GEN-EU-Technology-Institute.php |format= |work=[[International Herald Tribune]] |publisher=[[The New York Times Company]] |location= |id= |pages= |page= |date=2008-06-18 |accessdate=2008-06-20 |language= |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate=}}</ref>

<!--Note for editors: left and right are counted with rivers from their source, i.e. looking south in the case of the Danube near Budapest.--> <!-- Wording changed per discussion, July 17, 2007 -->

== History ==
{{main|History of Budapest}}

{{wide image|BudapestPanorama2.JPG|998px|Left to right: Mária Magdolna Tower, [[Matthias Church]], [[Buda Castle|Castle Quarter]], [[Széchenyi Chain Bridge]], [[Margaret Island]], [[Danube Promenade]], [[Hungarian Parliament Building|Parliament Building]], [[Hungarian Academy of Sciences]]}}

The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was Ak-Ink ({{lang-en|Abundant Water}}) built by [[Celts]]<ref name=Aqua/> before the birth of Christ. It was later occupied by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]]. The Roman settlement - [[Aquincum]] - became the main city of [[Lower Pannonia]]<ref name=Aqua/> in 106 AD<ref name=Aqua/>. The Romans constructed roads, amphitheaters, baths and houses with heated floors in this fortified military camp<ref name=Frank>{{cite book |last=Sugar |first=Peter F. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A History of Hungary |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=hu&lr=&id=SKwmGQCT0MAC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=The+Romans+roads,+amphitheaters+Aquincum+%C3%93buda&ots=mwQVAjuT18&sig=jcE_wG6ttjvPLwwagpkqKAgvHkU#PPA5,M1 |format= |accessdate=2008-06-03 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date=1990 |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=5 |chapter=Hungary before the Hungarian Conquest |chapterurl= |quote=}}</ref>.

The [[Hungarian people|Hungarians]] settled in the territory at the end of the 9th century<ref>{{cite book |last=Molnár |first=Miklós|authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Concise History of Hungary |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=hu&lr=&id=gmn3F6KSTpsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Hungarians+entered+895&ots=Vmo8ZhGELr&sig=pm5ONDEcnSC-3zsFxc1wZDPLJlg#PPR12,M1 |format= |accessdate=2008-06-03 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date=2001 |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=12 |chapter=Chronology |chapterurl= |quote=}}</ref><ref name=Travel/> and a century later officially founded the [[Kingdom of Hungary]]<ref name=Travel/>. The [[Tatars|Tatar]] invasion in the 13th century quickly proved that defence is difficult on a plain<ref name=Encarta/><ref name=Travel/>. King [[Béla IV of Hungary]] therefore ordered the construction of reinforced stone walls around the towns<ref name=Travel/> and set his own royal palace<ref name=Eleventh/> on the top of the protecting hills of [[Buda]]. In 1361<ref name=Eleventh/> it became the [[capital]] of Hungary<ref name=Encarta/>.

[[Image:Buda Schedel.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Buda Castle]] during the [[Middle Ages]].]]
The cultural role of Buda was particularly significant during reign of [[Matthias Corvinus of Hungary]]<ref name=Encarta/>. The [[Italian Renaissance]] had a great influence on the city<ref name=Encarta/>. His library, the [[Bibliotheca Corviniana]]<ref name=Encarta/>, 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]]<ref name=Encarta/>. After the foundation of the first Hungarian university in [[Pécs]] in 1367<ref name=Sugar>{{cite book |last=Sugar |first=Peter F. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A History of Hungary |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url=http://books.google.com/books?hl=hu&lr=&id=SKwmGQCT0MAC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=Hungarian+university+1395+Buda&ots=mwQWxjoQ79&sig=UMMjYryQbpbBEiBeWIhOUqdUL8M#PPA48,M1 |format= |accessdate=2008-06-03 |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |volume= |date=1990 |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=48 |chapter=The Angevine State |chapterurl= |quote=}}</ref> the second one was established in [[Óbuda]] in 1395<ref name=Sugar/>. The first Hungarian book was printed in Buda in 1473<ref>{{cite journal |last=Mona |first=Ilona |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1974 |month= |title=Hungarian Music Publication 1774 - 1867 |journal=Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae |publisher=Akadémiai Kiadó|volume=16|issue= |pages=261–275 |id= |url=http://www.jstor.org/pss/901850 |accessdate=2008-06-03 |quote= |doi=10.2307/901850 }}</ref>.

The [[Ottoman Hungary|Turkish occupation]] lasted for more than 140 years and left mainly destruction<ref name=Encarta/>. The Turks constructed some fine bathing facilities here<ref name=Travel/>. The western part of the country not occupied by the Turks became part of the [[Habsburg Empire]] as [[Royal Hungary]]. In 1686 [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Leopold I]] liberated Buda from the Ottomans but almost destroyed the city during the battle<ref name=Encarta/>. Hungary was then incorporated into the Habsburg Empire<ref name=Encarta/>.

The nineteenth century was dominated by the Hungarian's struggle for independence<ref name=Encarta/> and modernization. The national insurrection against the Habsburgs began in the Hungarian capital [[Hungarian Revolution of 1848|in 1848]] and was defeated a little more than a year later.

[[Image:Opera Budapest.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Hungarian State Opera House]], it was built in the time of [[Austria-Hungary]]]]
1867 was the year of [[Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867|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.

In 1944, towards the end of [[World War II]], Budapest was partly destroyed by [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[United States|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 [[Germany|German]] and [[Hungary|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 [[Nazism|Nazi]] and [[Arrow Cross]] genocide during 1944 and early 1945.<ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest|publisher=''[[United States Holocaust Memorial Museum]]''| url=http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005264|accessdate=2007-07-18 }}</ref> <!-- links to relevant materials in the ''Holocaust Encyclopedia'' on the site of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. --> Despite this, Budapest today has the highest number of [[Jew|Jewish citizens]] per capita of any European city.

In 1949, Hungary was declared a [[Communism|communist]] People's Republic. The new Communist government considered the buildings like the [[Buda Castle]] symbols of the former regime, and during the 1950s the palace was gutted and all the interiors were destroyed.

In 1956, peaceful demonstrations in Budapest led to the outbreak of the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|Hungarian Revolution]]. The Stalinist dictatorship collapsed after mass demonstrations, but Soviet tanks entered Budapest to crush the revolt. Fighting continued until early November, leaving more than 3000 dead.

From the 1960s through the late 1980s, Hungary was often satirically referred to as "[[Goulash Communism|the happiest barrack]]" within the [[Eastern bloc]], and much of the wartime damage to the city was finally repaired. Work on [[Erzsébet Bridge]], the last to be rebuilt, was finished in 1965. In the early 1970s, [[Budapest Metro]]'s East-West [[Line 2 (Budapest Metro)|M2 line]] was first opened, followed by the [[Line 3 (Budapest Metro)|M3 line]] in 1982. In 1987, Buda Castle and the banks of the Danube were included in the [[UNESCO]] list of [[World Heritage Sites]]. [[Andrassy Avenue]] (including the [[Millennium Underground Railway]], [[Hősök tere]] and [[Városliget]]) was added to the UNESCO list in 2002.

== Timeline of the history of Budapest ==
[[Image:Aquincumóbuda.jpg|220px|thumb|Anfiteatrum in Aquincum, the capital of [[Pannonia]].]]
[[Image:Budacastle.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[Buda Castle]]]]
[[Image:Gül Baba 3.JPG|thumb|220px|The tomb of the Turkish dervish Gül Baba in Budapest]]
[[Image:Benczur-budavar.jpg|220px|thumb|The Recapture of Buda Castle (1686)]]
[[Image:Budapest bridge c1850.jpg|thumb|220px|Buda and Pest (ca. 1850)]]
[[Image:Budapest andrassy ut 1875.jpg|220px|thumb|Andrássy út (1896)]]
[[Image:Budapestbridge100.jpg|right|220px|thumb|[[Széchenyi Chain Bridge]], [[Danube]], [[Gresham Palace]], [[Saint Stephen's Basilica]] ]]
{|
!Year!!Event
|----
|B.C.&nbsp;||[[Neolithic]], [[copper age|Chalcolithic]]-, [[bronze age|bronze]] and [[iron age]] cultures, [[Celt]]ic 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.{{Fact|date=March 2008}}
|----
|1046||Bishop [[Gellért]] dies at the hands of pagans on present-day [[Gellért Hill]].
|----
|1241||During the Tatar invasions both towns are destroyed. [[List of rulers of Hungary|King]] [[Béla IV of Hungary|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, Hungary|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 [[University of Budapest|Nagyszombat University]] to Castle Hill.
|----
|1783||[[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph II]] places the acting government (Helytartótanács) and Magyar Kamara on Buda.
|----
|1795 20 May||[[Ignác Martinovics]] 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 [[Hungarian Revolution of 1848|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 October||[[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, Hungary|Pest]], [[Buda]] and [[Óbuda]] are united, and with that the Hungarian capital is established with the name of Budapest.
|----
|1874|| The rack (or cog-wheel) railway ([[Budapest Cog-wheel Railway]]) service is inaugurated.
|----
|1896||Millennium celebrations, the [[Budapest Metro|Millennium Underground]] is inaugurated, and the [[Szabadság híd|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 Újpest (now part of Budapest). The religious make-up was 60.9% Catholic, 23.1% Jewish, 9.9% Calvinist and 5.0% Lutheran. Újpest 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 Újpest, 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 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 March||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 26 December - 13 Ferbuary||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 October - 4 November||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&nbsp;016&nbsp;100 residents'''
|---
|2002||[[Andrássy Avenue]] is also included in the World heritage Sites, along with the [[Budapest Metro|Millennium Underground railway]] and [[Heroes' Square (Budapest)|Heroes' Square]].
|---
|2006|| Following the PM, Ferenc Gyurcsány´s, admission of lying about the state of the economy the [[2006 protests in Hungary]] take place
|}

==Geography==
[[Image:Budapest pest.jpg|thumb|A view of Pest from the Buda side of the Danube]]
Budapest lies in central [[Hungary]]. The [[Danube]] enters the city from the north; later it encircles two islands, Óbuda Island and Margaret Island<ref name=Encarta/>. The river that separates the two parts of the city is only {{convert|230|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} wide at its narrowest point in Budapest. [[Pest]] lies on the flat terrain of the Great Plain while [[Buda]] is rather hilly<ref name=Encarta/>.

===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<ref>{{cite web|title=Budapest:When to go|publisher=''[[Lonely Planet]]''|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/hungary/budapest/when-to-go|accessdate=2008-04-06}}</ref>.

{{-}}
<!--Infobox begins-->{{Infobox Weather
|metric_first=yes <!--Entering Yes will display metric first. Leave blank for imperial-->
|single_line=yes <!--Entering Yes will display metric and imperial units on same line.-->
|location=Budapest
|Jan_Hi_°C = 2 |Jan_REC_Hi_°C = <!--REC temps are optional; use sparely-->
|Feb_Hi_°C = 5 |Feb_REC_Hi_°C =
|Mar_Hi_°C = 11 |Mar_REC_Hi_°C =
|Apr_Hi_°C = 17 |Apr_REC_Hi_°C =
|May_Hi_°C = 22 |May_REC_Hi_°C =
|Jun_Hi_°C = 25 |Jun_REC_Hi_°C =
|Jul_Hi_°C = 27 |Jul_REC_Hi_°C =
|Aug_Hi_°C = 27 |Aug_REC_Hi_°C =
|Sep_Hi_°C = 22 |Sep_REC_Hi_°C =
|Oct_Hi_°C = 16 |Oct_REC_Hi_°C =
|Nov_Hi_°C = 8 |Nov_REC_Hi_°C =
|Dec_Hi_°C = 3 |Dec_REC_Hi_°C =
|Year_Hi_°C = |Year_REC_Hi_°C =
|Jan_Lo_°C =-3 |Jan_REC_Lo_°C =
|Feb_Lo_°C =-1 |Feb_REC_Lo_°C =
|Mar_Lo_°C = 3 |Mar_REC_Lo_°C =
|Apr_Lo_°C = 7 |Apr_REC_Lo_°C =
|May_Lo_°C = 12 |May_REC_Lo_°C =
|Jun_Lo_°C = 14 |Jun_REC_Lo_°C =
|Jul_Lo_°C = 16 |Jul_REC_Lo_°C =
|Aug_Lo_°C = 16 |Aug_REC_Lo_°C =
|Sep_Lo_°C = 12 |Sep_REC_Lo_°C =
|Oct_Lo_°C = 8 |Oct_REC_Lo_°C =
|Nov_Lo_°C = 3 |Nov_REC_Lo_°C =
|Dec_Lo_°C =-1 |Dec_REC_Lo_°C =
|Year_Lo_°C = |Year_REC_Lo_°C =

<!--**** use mm or cm but not both! ****-->
|Jan_Precip_cm = |Jan_Precip_mm =40.6
|Feb_Precip_cm = |Feb_Precip_mm =38.1
|Mar_Precip_cm = |Mar_Precip_mm =33
|Apr_Precip_cm = |Apr_Precip_mm =40.6
|May_Precip_cm = |May_Precip_mm =61
|Jun_Precip_cm = |Jun_Precip_mm =68.6
|Jul_Precip_cm = |Jul_Precip_mm =45.7
|Aug_Precip_cm = |Aug_Precip_mm =55.9
|Sep_Precip_cm = |Sep_Precip_mm =38.1
|Oct_Precip_cm = |Oct_Precip_mm =33
|Nov_Precip_cm = |Nov_Precip_mm =58.4
|Dec_Precip_cm = |Dec_Precip_mm =48.3
|Year_Precip_cm = |Year_Precip_mm =
|source =weather.com<ref name="weather">{{cite web|title=Monthly Averages for Budapest, Hungary |
|publisher=''[[The Weather Channel]]''
|url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/HUXX0002?from=search|accessdate=2008-02-28}}</ref>
|accessdate=2008-02-28}}<!--Infobox ends-->

==Population==
[[Image:Population of Budapest.png|thumb|250px|[[Population growth]] of Budapest (1870-2007)]]
[[Image:Budapest Agglomeration.png|thumb|250px|Population growth of [[Budapest metropolitan area]] (1870-2005)]]
===Ethnic groups===
Population by nationalities<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nepszamlalas.hu/eng/volumes/18/tables/load3_13.html |title=Population by nationalities |accessdate=2008-05-30 |date=2001 |work=Hungarian Central Statistical Office}}</ref>:
*[[Magyars]] - 1,603,511 (90.2%)
*[[Roma minority of Hungary|Roma]] - 12,266 (0.7%)
*[[Danube Swabians|Germans]] - 7,014 (0.4%)
*Others (mainly [[Slovaks]], [[Ukranians]], [[Han Chinese|Chinese]]) - 8,055
*No answer, unknown - 147,075

===Religions===
Population by denominations<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nepszamlalas.hu/eng/volumes/18/tables/load3_12.html |title=Population by religions, denominations |accessdate=2008-05-30 |date=2001 |work=Hungarian Central Statistical Office}}</ref>:
*[[Catholic Church in Hungary|Roman Catholic]] - 808,460 (45.5%)
*[[Reformed Church in Hungary|Calvinist]] - 224,169 (12.6%)
*[[Lutheran]] - 46,449 (2.6%)
*[[Hungarian Greek Catholic Church|Greek Catholic]] - 28,901 (1.6%)
*[[Judaism|Jewish]] - 9,468 (0.5%)
*[[Atheism|Atheist]] - 347,209 (19.5%)
*Others (mainly Christian) - 26,681
*No answer, unknown - 286,584

===Historical population===

In 1910 Budapest had 880,371 residents (85.9% Hungarian, 9% German, 2.3% Slovak, 2.8% other). Religions: 59.8% Roman Catholic, 23.1% Jewish, 9.9% Calvinist, 4.9% Lutheran, 2.3% other.<ref>[http://www.talmamedia.com/php/district/district.php?county=Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun County maps of the Hungarian Kingdom (1913)]</ref>

== Districts ==

{{main|List of districts in Budapest}}

Originally Budapest had 10 [[district]]s 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 (Greater Budapest). 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 ==
[[Image:Parlament Budapest3.jpg|thumb|230px|left|[[Hungarian Parliament Building]]]]

{{See also|List of sights and historic places in Budapest}}
The neo-Gothic [[Hungarian Parliament Building|Parliament]], containing amongst other things the [[Holy Crown of Hungary|Hungarian Crown Jewels]].
[[Saint Stephen's Basilica]], where the Holy Right Hand of the founder of Hungary, [[King of Hungary|King]] [[Stephen I of Hungary|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.

The [[Buda Castle|Castle Hill]], the [[Danube Promenade|River Danube]] embankments and the whole of [[Andrássy Avenue|Andrássy út]] have been officially recognized as [[UNESCO World Heritage Sites]].
[[Image:Crown, Sword and Globus Cruciger of Hungary.jpg|thumb|230px|The Holy Crown of Hungary, also known as the Crown of St. Stephen.]]
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. Statues of the [[Turul]], the mythical guardian bird of Hungary, can be found in both the Castle District and the Twelfth District.

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 [[Hősök tere|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 (Budapest)|Museum of Fine Arts]] and the [[Palace of Art (Budapest)|Palace of Arts]], and behind [[City Park (Budapest)|City Park]] opens out, with [[Vajdahunyad Castle]]. One of the jewels of Andrássy út is the [[Hungarian State Opera House]].

The city is home to the largest synagogue in Europe ([[Dohány Street Synagogue]])<ref>{{cite web|title=Out of Darkness, New Life|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/travel/30dayout.html?scp=1&sq=largest+synagogue+in+Europe&st=nyt|date=2007-12-30|accessdate=2008-03-12}}</ref>, the largest medicinal bath in Europe ([[Széchenyi Medicinal Bath]]) and the third largest [[Hungarian Parliament Building|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.
<center>
<gallery>
Image:Buda Castles-Matthias Church.jpg|[[Matthias Church]]
Image:Budapest chain bridge pillar by night.JPG|[[Széchenyi Chain Bridge]]
Image:Museum Fine Arts01.jpg|[[Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest)|Museum of Fine Arts]]
Image:Aftnn St Stephen's Basilica.jpg|[[Saint Stephen's Basilica]]
Image:03hősök tere.JPG|[[Hősök tere|Heroes' Square]] with the Millenary Monument
Image:04Pesti vigado.JPG|[[Vigadó Concert Hall]]
Image:Mujegpalya Ice Rink.jpg|[[Vajdahunyad Castle]]
Image:Szent Erzsebet-templom 01.jpg|[[Elisabeth of Hungary|Saint Elisabeth]] Church
Image:Synagogue-Budapest.jpg|[[Dohány Street Synagogue|The Great Synagogue]]
Image:Museum of Applied Arts (Budapest).jpg|[[Museum of Applied Arts (Budapest)|Museum of Applied Arts]]
Image:01New-York palota Budapest.JPG|[[New York Palace (Budapest)|New York Café]]
Image:Hungariannationalmuseum100.jpg|[[Hungarian National Museum]]
Image:001var Budapest.JPG|Castle District
Image:001parizsi.JPG|Grey Friars Square
Image:Budapestoldchurch100.jpg|Inner City Parish Church (Pest, 12th century)
Image:Church of St Anne in Budapest I. district.jpg|St. Anne Church in Buda
</gallery>
</center>

== Islands ==
[[Image:Budapest SPOT 1022.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Budapest seen from Spot Satellite]]
[[Image:Budapest Széchenyi fürdő.png|150px|right|thumb|[[Széchenyi Medicinal Bath|Széchenyi Thermal Bath]]]]

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 {{convert|2.5|km|mi|1|abbr=on}} long island and {{convert|0.965|km2|acre|0}} 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 pool]]s, 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 Island|Csepel-sziget]] [ˈtʃɛpɛlsigɛt] or Csepel Island is the largest island of the River Danube in Hungary. It is {{convert|48|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} long; its width is 6-8 km (3.75&ndash;5&nbsp;mi) and its area comprises {{convert|257|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}, 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 [[Nightclub|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 building]]s, hotels, casinos and a marina.
*Luppa-sziget is the smallest island of Budapest, located in the north region.

== Transport ==
=== Airport ===
[[Image:FerihegyDep.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Budapest Airport Terminal 2B|[[Budapest Ferihegy International Airport]] ]]
[[Budapest Ferihegy International Airport]], which has 3 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]].

=== Roads ===
Budapest is the most important Hungarian road terminus; all the major highways end there. Budapest is also a major [[Terminal station|railway terminus]].

[[Ring road]] [[M0 motorway (Hungary)|M0]] around Budapest is currently under construction.

===Public transport ===

[[Image:Budapest Metro map.svg|200px|right|Map of the [[Budapest Metro]]]]
Budapest [[public transport]] is provided by [[BKV]]<ref name="NYT Travel">{{cite web|title=36 Hours in Budapest|url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/08/12/travel/12hours.html?scp=10&sq=Budapest&st=nyt|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=2007-08-12|accessdate=2008-01-29}}</ref>, the company operates [[bus]]es, [[trolleybus]]es, [[tram]]s, suburban railway lines, the [[Budapest metro|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 ({{convert|54|m|ft|0|sing=on}} long [[Siemens AG|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) has a reputation for being excellent{{Fact|date=August 2008}}.

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

===Special vehicles===
[[Image:Budapest Funicular.JPG|right|thumb|150px|Castle Hill Funicular|[[Budapest Castle Hill Funicular]] ]]
Beside metros, [[HÉV|suburban rails]], buses, trams and boats, there are a couple of less usual vehicles in Budapest:
* [[trolleybus]] ''(trolibusz)'' on several lines in [[Pest (city)|Pest]]
* [[funicular]] ''(sikló)''; the [[Budapest Castle Hill Funicular|Castle Hill Funicular]] between the [[Széchenyi Chain Bridge|Chain Bridge]] and [[Buda Castle]]
* [[cyclecar]] ''(bringóhintó)'' for rent in [[Margaret Island]]
* [[chairlift]] ''(libegő)''
* [[rack railway]] ''(fogaskerekű vasút)''; the [[Budapest Cog-wheel Railway]]
* [[children's railway]] ''(gyermekvasút)''<ref name="NYT Travel"/>
The latter three vehicles run among [[Buda]] hills.

===Railway===
{{main|MÁV|HÉV}}
Hungarian main-line railways are operated by [[Hungarian State Railways|MÁV]]. There are three main railway termini in Budapest, [[Keleti pályaudvar|Keleti]] (eastern), [[Nyugati pályaudvar|Nyugati]] (westbound), and [[Déli pályaudvar|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.
[[Image:Budapest West Station by Night.JPG|thumb|right|150px|[[Nyugati Railway Station]] ]]
There is also a [[regional rail|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.

==Education==
[[Image:Face of Corvinus University at Night.JPG|thumb|150px|[[Corvinus University of Budapest]]]]
[[Image:Bme-budapest-hungary.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Budapest University of Technology and Economics]]]]
Budapest is Hungary's main centre of education and home to many universities

*[[Budapest University of Technology and Economics]]
*[[Corvinus University of Budapest]]
*[[Eötvös Loránd University]]
*[[Semmelweis University]] (medical university)
*[[Budapest Business School]]

*[[Pázmány Péter Catholic University]]
*[[Károli Gáspár University of the Hungarian Reformed Church]]
*[[Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies]]

*[[Central European University]]
*[[Andrássy Gyula German Language University of Budapest]]

*[[Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design]]
*[[Franz Liszt Academy of Music]]

==Sister cities==
[[Image:BudapestKeletiStation.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Keleti Railway Station]]]]
{|
These are the official sister cities of Budapest<ref>{{cite web|title=Sister City - Budapest|publisher=''Official website of [[New York City]]''|url=http://www.nyc.gov/html/unccp/scp/html/sc/budapest_main.shtml|accessdate=2008-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sister cities of Budapest|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Official Website of Budapest''|url=http://www.budapest.hu/engine.aspx?page=20030224-cikk-testvervarosok|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Who knows less about Budapest? A quiz with mayor candidates|language=Hungarian|publisher=''Index''|url=http://index.hu/politika/belfold/budapest/kvizkerdes74/|accessdate=2008-01-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://nol.hu/budapest/cikk/492160/ |title=Hízelgő a magyar fővárosnak: Firenze testvérvárosának fogadta |accessdate=2008-05-30 |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2008-05-17 |year= |month= |format= |work=[[Népszabadság]] |publisher=[[Ringier]] |pages= |language=Hungarian |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=}}</ref>:

{| class="wikitable" "text-align:left;font-size:100%;"|
|-
! style="background: #811541; color: #FFFFFF" ! |
! style="background: #811541; color: #FFFFFF" height="17" width="150" | Country
! style="background: #810001; color: #FFFFFF" ! |
! style="background: #810001; color: #FFFFFF" ! width="120" | City
! style="background: #811541; color: #FFFFFF" ! |
! style="background: #811541; color: #FFFFFF" ! width="100" | County / District / Region / State
! style="background: #811541; color: #FFFFFF" ! width="40" | Date
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Austria}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Austria]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Flag of Wien (state).svg|25px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Vienna]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Flag of Wien (state).svg|25px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''Vienna''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1990
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:SarajevoFlag.gif|25px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Sarajevo]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Sarajevskizastava.png|25px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''[[Sarajevo Canton]]''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1995
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Croatia}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Croatia]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Zagreb zastava.gif|25px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Zagreb]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Zagreb zastava.gif|25px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''Zagreb''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1994
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Germany}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Germany]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Berlin}}
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Berlin]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Berlin}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''Berlin''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1992
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Germany}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Germany]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Wappen-frankfurt.png|14px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Frankfurt|Frankfurt am Main]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Hesse}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''[[Hesse]]''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1990
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Israel}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Israel]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Tel Aviv coatofarms.jpg|14px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Tel Aviv]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! |
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''[[Tel Aviv District]]''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1989
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Italy}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Italy]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Firenze-Stemma.png|14px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Florence]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Flag of Tuscany.svg|25px]]
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''[[Tuscany]]''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 2008
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Portugal}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[Portugal]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Pt-lsb1.png|14px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Lisbon]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! |
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''[[Lisboa (district)|District of Lisbon]]''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1992
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|USA}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[United States]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Flag of Fort Worth, Texas.svg|25px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|Texas}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''[[Texas]]''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1990
|-
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|USA}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | [[United States]]
! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | [[Image:Flag of New York City.svg|25px|]]
|! style="background: #FFFFCF; color: #000000" ! | '''[[New York City]]'''
! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | {{flagicon|New York}}
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | ''[[New York]]''
|! style="background: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! | 1991
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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#Sister cities/districts|List of districts and towns in Budapest]].

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

=== Bibliography ===

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

==See also==
*[[List of cemeteries in Budapest]]
*[[List of famous people of Budapest]]
*[[Music of Budapest]]
*[[Urban and Suburban Transit Association]] (most of its activity is centred around Budapest)
*[[Budapest metropolitan area]]

== External links ==
{{Commons|Budapest}}
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Budapest}}
{{portal|Budapest}}
* [http://english.budapest.hu/ Official homepage]
* [http://www.tourinform.hu/main.php?folderID=879 Budapest Tourist Office]
* [http://www.bkv.hu/english/home/index.html Public transport in Budapest]
* [http://www.mav-start.hu/ MÁV-Start Railway Passenger Transport Co.]
* {{wikitravelpar|Budapest}}

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{{Capital cities of the European Union}}
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{{World Heritage Sites in Hungary}}
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{{Regions of Hungary}}

[[Category:Budapest]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Hungary]]
[[Category:Capitals in Europe]]
[[Category:Cities on the Danube]]
[[Category:Spa towns in Hungary]]
[[Category:Amalgamated placenames]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Hungary]]
[[Category:Roman legions' camps in Central Europe]]
[[Category:NUTS 3 statistical regions of the European Union]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1873]]
[[Category:County seats in Hungary]]

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Revision as of 09:34, 19 September 2008

Budapest
Official seal of Budapest
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
 (2008)
 • CityIncrease 1,702,297
 • Density3,241.5/km2 (8,395/sq mi)
 • Metro
Increase 2,475,740
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
Inscription1987 (11th Session)
Extensions2002

Budapest (Template:Pron-en, also /ˈbʊ-/; Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt]) 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] and is considered an important hub in Central Europe.[3] In 2008, Budapest had 1,702,297 inhabitants[4] with an official agglomeration of 2,451,418,[5] down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. The city covers an area of 525 square kilometres (202.7 sq mi)[6] within the 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.[7] [6]

Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement,[8] was the direct ancestor of Budapest,[9] becoming the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia.[8] Magyars arrived in the territory[10] in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241-42.[11] The re-established town became one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture[12] in the 15th century.[13] Following nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule,[7] development of the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest became a global city after the 1873 unification[14]. 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.

Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe,[15][1][10][16] 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.[15][17] Budapest attracts over 20 million visitors a year.[18] The city ranks 52nd on MasterCard's 'World's Top 75 Financial Centers' list[19] and 74th on Mercer Consulting's 'World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities' list.[20] The headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will be in Budapest.[21]


History

The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was Ak-Ink (English: Abundant Water) built by Celts[8] before the birth of Christ. It was later occupied by the Romans. The Roman settlement - Aquincum - became the main city of Lower Pannonia[8] in 106 AD[8]. The Romans constructed roads, amphitheaters, baths and houses with heated floors in this fortified military camp[22].

The Hungarians settled in the territory at the end of the 9th century[23][10] and a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary[10]. The Tatar invasion in the 13th century quickly proved that defence is difficult on a plain[6][10]. King Béla IV of Hungary therefore ordered the construction of reinforced stone walls around the towns[10] and set his own royal palace[11] on the top of the protecting hills of Buda. In 1361[11] it became the capital of Hungary[6].

Buda Castle during the Middle Ages.

The cultural role of Buda was particularly significant during reign of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary[6]. The Italian Renaissance had a great influence on the city[6]. His library, the Bibliotheca Corviniana[6], 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[6]. After the foundation of the first Hungarian university in Pécs in 1367[24] the second one was established in Óbuda in 1395[24]. The first Hungarian book was printed in Buda in 1473[25].

The Turkish occupation lasted for more than 140 years and left mainly destruction[6]. The Turks constructed some fine bathing facilities here[10]. The western part of the country not occupied by the Turks became part of the Habsburg Empire as Royal Hungary. In 1686 Leopold I liberated Buda from the Ottomans but almost destroyed the city during the battle[6]. Hungary was then incorporated into the Habsburg Empire[6].

The nineteenth century was dominated by the Hungarian's struggle for independence[6] 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.

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

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.

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.[26] Despite this, Budapest today has the highest number of Jewish citizens per capita of any European city.

In 1949, Hungary was declared a communist People's Republic. The new Communist government considered the buildings like the Buda Castle symbols of the former regime, and during the 1950s the palace was gutted and all the interiors were destroyed.

In 1956, peaceful demonstrations in Budapest led to the outbreak of the Hungarian Revolution. The Stalinist dictatorship collapsed after mass demonstrations, but Soviet tanks entered Budapest to crush the revolt. Fighting continued until early November, leaving more than 3000 dead.

From the 1960s through the late 1980s, Hungary was often satirically referred to as "the happiest barrack" within the Eastern bloc, and much of the wartime damage to the city was finally repaired. Work on Erzsébet Bridge, the last to be rebuilt, was finished in 1965. In the early 1970s, Budapest Metro's East-West M2 line was first opened, followed by the M3 line in 1982. In 1987, Buda Castle and the banks of the Danube were included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Andrassy Avenue (including the Millennium Underground Railway, Hősök tere and Városliget) was added to the UNESCO list in 2002.

Timeline of the history of Budapest

File:Aquincumóbuda.jpg
Anfiteatrum in Aquincum, the capital of Pannonia.
File:Budacastle.jpg
Buda Castle
The tomb of the Turkish dervish Gül Baba in Budapest
The Recapture of Buda Castle (1686)
Buda and Pest (ca. 1850)
Andrássy út (1896)
File:Budapestbridge100.jpg
Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Danube, Gresham Palace, Saint Stephen's Basilica
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 Ignác Martinovics 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 October 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 capital is established with the name of Budapest.
1874 The rack (or cog-wheel) railway (Budapest Cog-wheel Railway) service is inaugurated.
1896 Millennium celebrations, the Millennium Underground 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 Újpest (now part of Budapest). The religious make-up was 60.9% Catholic, 23.1% Jewish, 9.9% Calvinist and 5.0% Lutheran. Újpest 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 Újpest, 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 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 March 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 26 December - 13 Ferbuary Soviet and Romanian troops besiege Budapest. 15 Jan18 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 October - 4 November 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 is also included in the World heritage Sites, along with the Millennium Underground railway and Heroes' Square.
2006 Following the PM, Ferenc Gyurcsány´s, admission of lying about the state of the economy the 2006 protests in Hungary take place

Geography

A view of Pest from the Buda side of the Danube

Budapest lies in central Hungary. The Danube enters the city from the north; later it encircles two islands, Óbuda Island and Margaret Island[6]. The river that separates the two parts of the city is only 230 m (755 ft) wide at its narrowest point in Budapest. Pest lies on the flat terrain of the Great Plain while Buda is rather hilly[6].

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[27].

Climate data for Budapest
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Source: weather.com[28]

Population

Population growth of Budapest (1870-2007)
File:Budapest Agglomeration.png
Population growth of Budapest metropolitan area (1870-2005)

Ethnic groups

Population by nationalities[29]:

Religions

Population by denominations[30]:

Historical population

In 1910 Budapest had 880,371 residents (85.9% Hungarian, 9% German, 2.3% Slovak, 2.8% other). Religions: 59.8% Roman Catholic, 23.1% Jewish, 9.9% Calvinist, 4.9% Lutheran, 2.3% other.[31]

Districts

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 (Greater Budapest). 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

Hungarian Parliament Building

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.

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

The Holy Crown of Hungary, also known as the Crown of St. Stephen.

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. Statues of the Turul, the mythical guardian bird of Hungary, can be found in both the Castle District and the Twelfth District.

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.

The city is home to the largest synagogue in Europe (Dohány Street Synagogue)[32], 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.

Islands

Budapest seen from Spot Satellite
Széchenyi Thermal Bath

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.

Transport

Airport

Budapest Ferihegy International Airport

Budapest Ferihegy International Airport, which has 3 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.

Roads

Budapest is the most important Hungarian road terminus; all the major highways end there. Budapest is also a major railway terminus.

Ring road M0 around Budapest is currently under construction.

Public transport

Map of the Budapest Metro
Map of the Budapest Metro

Budapest public transport is provided by BKV[33], 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) has a reputation for being excellent[citation needed].

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

Budapest 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

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 Station

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.

Education

Corvinus University of Budapest
File:Bme-budapest-hungary.jpg
Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Budapest is Hungary's main centre of education and home to many universities

Sister cities

Keleti Railway Station
These are the official sister cities of Budapest[34][35][36][37]:
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
Italy Italy Florence Tuscany 2008
Portugal Portugal Lisbon District of Lisbon 1992
United States United States File:Flag of Fort Worth, Texas.svg 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. ^ a b "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. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
  3. ^ "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)
  4. ^ "Gazetteer of the Republic of Hungary" (PDF). Hungarian Central Statistical Office. 2008-01-01. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
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  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Török, András. "Budapest". Encarta. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
  7. ^ a b Molnár, Miklós (2001). "Chronology". A Concise History of Hungary. Cambridge University Press. p. 15. ISBN 0521667364. Retrieved 2008-05-19. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e "Aquincum". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-22. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessmonth=, |month=, |coauthors=, and |accessyear= (help)
  9. ^ 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)
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  11. ^ a b c "Budapest". 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition. Retrieved 2008-01-30. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ 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)
  13. ^ 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=, |accessmonth=, |chapterurl=, |month=, and |coauthors= (help)
  14. ^ 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)
  15. ^ 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)
  16. ^ "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)
  17. ^ "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)
  18. ^ "Budapest City Guide". European Rail Guide. Retrieved 2008-02-04. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index™ (PDF), Mastercard, 2008, p. 21, retrieved 2008-06-12
  20. ^ "World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities". Business Week. Retrieved 2008-01-31. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ "EU nations pick Budapest for technology institute". International Herald Tribune. The New York Times Company. 2008-06-18. Retrieved 2008-06-20. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  22. ^ Sugar, Peter F. (1990). "Hungary before the Hungarian Conquest". A History of Hungary. p. 5. Retrieved 2008-06-03. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |origmonth=, |accessmonth=, |chapterurl=, |month=, |origdate=, and |coauthors= (help)
  23. ^ Molnár, Miklós (2001). "Chronology". A Concise History of Hungary. p. 12. Retrieved 2008-06-03. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |origmonth=, |accessmonth=, |chapterurl=, |month=, |origdate=, and |coauthors= (help)
  24. ^ a b Sugar, Peter F. (1990). "The Angevine State". A History of Hungary. p. 48. Retrieved 2008-06-03. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |origmonth=, |accessmonth=, |chapterurl=, |month=, |origdate=, and |coauthors= (help)
  25. ^ Mona, Ilona (1974). "Hungarian Music Publication 1774 - 1867". Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 16. Akadémiai Kiadó: 261–275. doi:10.2307/901850. Retrieved 2008-06-03. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
  26. ^ "Budapest". United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2007-07-18. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ "Budapest:When to go". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2008-04-06. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ "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)
  29. ^ "Population by nationalities". Hungarian Central Statistical Office. 2001. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
  30. ^ "Population by religions, denominations". Hungarian Central Statistical Office. 2001. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
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  36. ^ "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)
  37. ^ "Hízelgő a magyar fővárosnak: Firenze testvérvárosának fogadta". Népszabadság (in Hungarian). Ringier. 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-05-30. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessdaymonth=, |month=, |accessyear=, |accessmonthday=, and |coauthors= (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

External links


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