Hungary
Hungarians were nomadic people and are believed to have moved to the Carpathian basin from the East, somewhere around the Ural Mountains. Under the leadership of Árpád, the Hungarians took over the land around 895. In 1000, King Stephen I founded the state of Hungary, and accepted the Catholic religion as standard. Stephen was crowned with the Holy Crown of Hungary and blessed by the Pope. In 1241-1242 the invasion of the Mongols caused serious destruction in the country, and half of the population were killed or deported as slaves (1 million people). After a Turkish conquering army defeated the Hungarian royal army at Mohács in 1526, the country split into three parts around 1541; the Hungarian Kingdom, the Habsburg dominion and the Turkish dominion. It took 150 years before the Hungarians could reunite and drive out the Turks. After the Turkish domination, the country became part of the Habsburg dominion, but under the leadership of Ferenc Rákóczi II. Hungarians partly took back their independence, and signed the treaty of peace at Szatmár in 1711.
In 1848 there were independence revolutions in Europe, as well as in Hungary. The Magyars tried to remove the boundaries of the Habsburg dominion. In 1867, a Hungarian delegation, led by Ferenc Deák finally came to an agreement with the Habsburgs and so the dualistic system of the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy was born and peace descended across the land. In World War I Hungary was ally to Germany and Austria and had to send hundreds of thousands of troops to die for foreign interests. In 1918 the Monarchy broke up, the first government was established and the country became the Republic of Hungary. After losing the war, the allied Atlantic countries overran Hungary and in accordance with the Treaty of Trianon, split up the country. The Hungary of more than 20 million became a small country of less than 8 million. Hungary was now in the shape we know today. World War II brought more tribulations to the people of Hungary. Fighting alongside the Germans against the Soviets, the Hungarian government eventually tried to change sides to the allied Atlantic countries. Possibly fearing the sudden exposure from the vulnerable flank of the Hungarian plains, the Germans then overran Hungary near the end of the war and deposed the government to their nationalist allies.
Hundreds of thousands died during the war or were deported to German concentration camps. After the Germans were beaten by the Allies, Soviets took over the country, drove out the Germans, and stayed for 44 years. In 1956 the people tried to force the leadership to stop this domination, and dictatorship by the Soviets, but the attempt was unsuccessful and was punished unmercifully. However it did have some effect on the government and some concessions were made. The soviet domination lasted until 1989, when Hungary finally became an independent democracy. In 1999 Hungary joined NATO, and in 2004 became a member of the European Union.
In 1848 there were independence revolutions in Europe, as well as in Hungary. The Magyars tried to remove the boundaries of the Habsburg dominion. In 1867, a Hungarian delegation, led by Ferenc Deák finally came to an agreement with the Habsburgs and so the dualistic system of the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy was born and peace descended across the land. In World War I Hungary was ally to Germany and Austria and had to send hundreds of thousands of troops to die for foreign interests. In 1918 the Monarchy broke up, the first government was established and the country became the Republic of Hungary. After losing the war, the allied Atlantic countries overran Hungary and in accordance with the Treaty of Trianon, split up the country. The Hungary of more than 20 million became a small country of less than 8 million. Hungary was now in the shape we know today. World War II brought more tribulations to the people of Hungary. Fighting alongside the Germans against the Soviets, the Hungarian government eventually tried to change sides to the allied Atlantic countries. Possibly fearing the sudden exposure from the vulnerable flank of the Hungarian plains, the Germans then overran Hungary near the end of the war and deposed the government to their nationalist allies.
Hundreds of thousands died during the war or were deported to German concentration camps. After the Germans were beaten by the Allies, Soviets took over the country, drove out the Germans, and stayed for 44 years. In 1956 the people tried to force the leadership to stop this domination, and dictatorship by the Soviets, but the attempt was unsuccessful and was punished unmercifully. However it did have some effect on the government and some concessions were made. The soviet domination lasted until 1989, when Hungary finally became an independent democracy. In 1999 Hungary joined NATO, and in 2004 became a member of the European Union.
Budapest
Traces have been found of settlements dating back as far as the Old Stone Age. In the 6th century BC Scythians from the Black Sea region settled here, and there are signs of Celto-Illyrian tribes having been here in the 4th/3rd century BC. A decisive factor in the town's development was the building of a Roman fort in what is now Óbuda. The Roman base of Aquincum, separated into civilian and military districts, was the capital of the province of Pannonia and flourished during the second half of the 2nd century BC. In the 5th C A.D. the Huns swept across the country, and King Attila set up a great new kingdom in what is now Hungary. From the 6th - 9th century the Avars settled where Budapest now stands. About 896 the Magyars led by Prince Árpád settled in the area of present-day Óbuda.
Around the year 1000 Stephen I, King of Hungary, organized a feudal state on the Central European model and introduced Christianity. In 1241-42 Mongols stormed the Danube towns of Buda and Pest. The royal court moved to Buda in 1347 again, when work was begun to expand the fortification into a palace in contemporary Gothic style. From then on Buda became a royal town, while Pest developed into a prosperous trading center.
In 1526, after their victory at Mohács, the Turks took Buda and Pest. Under Sultan Süleyman I (the Magnificent) many churches were converted into mosques, fine bath-houses constructed and defensive works modernized. Buda became the seat of a Grand Vizier. It was 1686 before Charles of Lorraine was able to reclaim Óbuda, Buda and Pest for the House of Habsburg. In 1867 Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth ("Sissi") were crowned in Matthias Church. The Austro-Hungarian monarchy of the Danube came into being. In 1872, the three separate settlements of Pest, Buda and Óbuda (literally "Old" Buda) were united into one city. Budapest officially became the capital city of Hungary.
As a result of the World War I Budapest suffered severe economic setbacks which continued in the years between the wars. Towards the end of the Second World War, in the autumn of 1944, Budapest became a front-line town and suffered severe damage, especially in the castle quarter where units of the German army were barricaded in. From February 13th 1945 onwards, Soviet troops controlled the whole of Budapest and thereafter it was ruled along strict Soviet lines. In the autumn of 1956 political turmoil and economic hardship fuelled popular uprisings which were savagely put down by Hungarian and Soviet forces of law and order.
Around the year 1000 Stephen I, King of Hungary, organized a feudal state on the Central European model and introduced Christianity. In 1241-42 Mongols stormed the Danube towns of Buda and Pest. The royal court moved to Buda in 1347 again, when work was begun to expand the fortification into a palace in contemporary Gothic style. From then on Buda became a royal town, while Pest developed into a prosperous trading center.
In 1526, after their victory at Mohács, the Turks took Buda and Pest. Under Sultan Süleyman I (the Magnificent) many churches were converted into mosques, fine bath-houses constructed and defensive works modernized. Buda became the seat of a Grand Vizier. It was 1686 before Charles of Lorraine was able to reclaim Óbuda, Buda and Pest for the House of Habsburg. In 1867 Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth ("Sissi") were crowned in Matthias Church. The Austro-Hungarian monarchy of the Danube came into being. In 1872, the three separate settlements of Pest, Buda and Óbuda (literally "Old" Buda) were united into one city. Budapest officially became the capital city of Hungary.
As a result of the World War I Budapest suffered severe economic setbacks which continued in the years between the wars. Towards the end of the Second World War, in the autumn of 1944, Budapest became a front-line town and suffered severe damage, especially in the castle quarter where units of the German army were barricaded in. From February 13th 1945 onwards, Soviet troops controlled the whole of Budapest and thereafter it was ruled along strict Soviet lines. In the autumn of 1956 political turmoil and economic hardship fuelled popular uprisings which were savagely put down by Hungarian and Soviet forces of law and order.
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Andrassey Square
The extensive Andrássy Avenue connects Elizabeth Square with Heroes’ Square, ending at the City Park, one of Budapest’s most popular green spaces. Established in 1872, it houses a host of remarkably Eclectic Neo-Renaissance mansions and palaces in Budapest, all of which were designed by renowned architects. Nowadays, Andrássy Avenue is extremely chic and many world-famous designers have opened their exclusive boutiques in this location, including Armani, Dior, Dolce&Gabanna and Louis Vuitton. And if you get hungry while exploring Andrássy út, you can stop at one of its fashionable restaurants or coffee houses. |
Buda Castle
A first castle was built in the thirteenth century after Mongol tribes had invaded Hungary. King Béla IV built a keep surrounded by thick walls in 1243. No trace of this castle remains and historians aren't even sure of its precise locations. The foundations of today's castle, which would later be besieged no less than thirty-one times, were laid in the fourteenth century when King Lajos the Great built a castle in Romanesque style, which was completed in 1356. Some forty years later, during the reign of Sigismund of Luxembourg, this early castle was replaced by a Gothic-style palace. Fifty years later the great Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus thought the palace built by Sigismund was too sober and small so he ordered the construction of a new palace in Renaissance style. When Budapest was recaptured after the Turkish ruled the city between 1541 and 1686, the complex was completely in ruins. Hungary's new rulers, the Habsburgs, built a new, smaller palace between 1714 and 1723. Today, the main structure of the Buda Castle, known as the Royal Palace, is rather austere compared to its predecessors; the interior in particular is completely devoid of ornamentation and none the magnificent royal apartments have been reconstructed. |
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Castle Hill
The first citizens arrived to Castle Hill in the 13th century after the Mongolian invasion, seeking protection in the hills of Buda. The first royal castle was built around this time. After the Turkish occupation, Buda was in ruins. A Baroque city was built, and Castle Hill soon became the district of government. During World War II, Buda was bombed to the ground and had to be rebuilt again. Today, Castle Hill is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Though Castle Hill has changed much since building began in the 13th century, its main streets still follow their medieval paths. Some houses date back to the 14th and 15th centuries, giving us an idea of what the Castle District may have looked like back then. Practically every house has a plaque indicating the century in which it was built, and providing details of its history. A surprising number of the buildings are still private homes, as Castle Hill is also a residential area. Cars have been banned - only people who live and work here are allowed to drive; however, public transportation is available. |
Chain Bridge
For centuries only a pontoon bridge connected Buda and Pest. Count István Széchenyi (1791-1860), the Greatest Hungarian came up with the idea of constructing a permanent bridge across the Danube. In December 1820 he received the news that his father had died in Vienna. Because of the hard winter the pontoon bridge was out of use. Stranded on the Pest side for a week, Count Széchenyi vowed that he would finance construction of a permanent bridge over the Danube, regardless of the costs. It took him almost 50 years to achieve it. Construction began in 1842. A Scotsman, Adam Clark oversaw the works (he is a namesake of William Clark). The final phase of construction took place during the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence. One of the first walkers across the bridge were the soldiers of the Hungarian Army of Independence. They retreated from the Austrian troops in 1849. The Austrians attempted to blow up the bridge, but luckily the explosives did not go off. Unfortunately the Germans succeeded in destroying the bridge during the siege of Budapest in 1945. Reconstruction began in 1947 and Chain Bridge was rebuilt in its original form by 1949. |
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Elizabeth Bridge
Elizabeth Bridge was named after Queen Elizabeth, the spouse of Francis Joseph I, assassinated in Geneva in 1898. With only one 290-meter span stretching over the Danube, the original bridge built in eclectic style was known as the longest suspension bridge of the world.The construction of the bridge was started in 1897. The middle span of the bridge amounted to 290 meters, making the old Elizabeth Bridge the public bridge with the largest span in the world for 23 years. The bridge was inaugurated on 10 October 1903. Unfortunately, the Elizabeth Bridge, along with many other bridges, was blown up by German troops at the end of World War II, on 18 January 1945. The Elizabeth Bridge is the only Danube bridge in Budapest that would not be rebuilt after the devastations of World War II. Instead, a completely new bridge was built between 1960 and 1964, nearly two decades after the destruction of the original Elizabeth Bridge. |
The Ferris Wheel
From the top of the Ferris Wheel, you can see all of Budapest. The best view is at night when everything is lit up. |
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Fisherman's Bastion
The Fisherman's Bastion was built at the site of an old rampart that, during the Middle Ages, was defended by the guild of fishermen, who lived nearby in Vízívaros (watertown), at the foot of the hill. Thus the name of the bastion. An old fish market also sat at this location during medieval times. The bastion is made up of seven towers - each one symbolizing one of the seven Magyar tribes that, in 896, settled in the area now known as Hungary. It is most known for its amazing views. |
Heroes' Square
Both Heroes' Square and Varosliget, the adjoining city park, were created at the end of the nineteenth century to commemorate the thousandth anniversary of the Magyar conquest of Hungary in 895. Since many of the attractions weren't ready in time the festivities were held one year late, in 1896. The square only received its current name in 1932, three years after the completion of the Millennium Monument. At the center of Heroes' Square stands the Millennium Monument. Soaring above Heroes' Square is the Millennium Column, the focal point of the Millennium Monument. The column is topped with a statue of the archangel Gabriel. Behind the column is a semicircular colonnade with statues of famous men who made their mark on Hungarian history. Statues atop the colonnades symbolize War, Peace, Work and Welfare, and Knowledge and Glory. Around the base of the monument are a number of equestrian statues honoring the seven chieftains of the Hungarian tribes who, led by Árpád, conquered the area now known as Hungary. |
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Liberty Bridge
It was built to plans resulting from a design competition held in 1893. Originally, it was named Fvám Square Bridge after the Fvám Palace. The bridge was designed by János Feketeházy, chief engineer of the Hungarian Railroads at that time. Construction was started in June 1894. It was inaugurated by Francis Joseph I, who hammered in the last silver rivet on 4 October 1896, at the festivities held for the thousand-year jubilee of Hungary. The bridge was named Francis Joseph after the Emperor.During World War II, on 16 January 1945, Francis Joseph Bridge, as every other bridge in Budapest, was blown up by retreating German troops. After the end of the war, it would be the first bridge to be reconstructed. It was reopened for traffic on 20 A
It was built to plans resulting from a design competition held in 1893. Originally, it was named Fvám Square Bridge after the Fvám Palace. The bridge was designed by János Feketeházy, chief engineer of the Hungarian Railroads at that time. Construction was started in June 1894. It was inaugurated by Francis Joseph I, who hammered in the last silver rivet on 4 October 1896, at the festivities held for the thousand-year jubilee of Hungary. The bridge was named Francis Joseph after the Emperor.During World War II, on 16 January 1945, Francis Joseph Bridge, as every other bridge in Budapest, was blown up by retreating German troops. After the end of the war, it would be the first bridge to be reconstructed. It was reopened for traffic on 20 A
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Matthias Church
Matthias Church was built in 1255 century in the heart of the Castle District, and was Buda's first parish church. The church takes its more common name from King Matthias, who ruled from 1458-90, well-known as a patron of the arts and enlightenment and revered for reconstructing the Hungarian state after years upon years of feudal anarchy. Many of Hungary's kings were coronated here In 1541, when the Turks captured Buda, The Church of Our Lady became a mosque. Beautiful interior furnishings were stripped out and discarded. The church was ravaged during the liberation of Budapest from the Turks in 1686. The story goes that during the bombardment of Budapest by a European alliance, a wall of the church collapsed, revealing a sculpture of the Madonna to the praying Turks. Demoralized, they capitulated the following day. Very little remains of the original church, only the foundations, columns and some walls date back to the thirteenth century. The smallest tower is known as the Béla Tower and is named after the founder of the church, king Béla IV, under whose reign the church was built. Its roof is decorated with colorful Maiolica tiles. The tallest tower is the Matthias-tower, originally built in the fifteenth century and named after the ruler of that era, King Matthias Corvinus. His coat of arms, emblazoned with a raven (corvus in Latin), is shown inside the church. The most magnificent monument in the church is the double sarcophagus of king Béla III and his wife Anne de Chtillon in the Trinity Chapel. The twelfth-century king was originally buried in Székesfehérvár; in 1848 archaeologists found his remains in the city's ruined cathedral and transported it to the Matthias Church in 1860. |
Memorial to Charles Lutz
The neutral states planned rescue actions for the Jews of Budapest. Raoul Wallenberg came to Budapest as secretary of the Swedish Foreign Ministry in July 1944 with instructions to save as many Jews as possible. He issued thousands of Swedish identity documents to Jews to protect them from Nazi deportation and is credited with ultimately saving as many as 100,000 people. He worked with the Swiss consul Charles Lutz, as well as Portuguese and Spanish legations to create "protected" houses and a "protected" ghetto to house the Jews with international identity papers. |
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Parliament House
After the Austro-Hungarian Compromise in 1867, in which a dual monarchy was created, Hungary received more independence and the country wrote its own constitution. It also initiated the construction of a parliament building. A neo-Gothic design by Imre Steindl, inspired by the Houses of Parliament in London, was chosen as the winner. Construction of the Parliament House started in 1885. When it was completed seventeen years later, in 1902, it was the largest parliamentary building in the world with a length of 268 meters and a width of 118 meters (879x387 ft). The building's facade is decorated with eighty-eight statues of Hungarian rulers, pointed arch arcades and numerous gargoyles, spires and Gothic ornaments. The coronation crown and insignia of King Stephen are displayed here. The crown was originally given to St. Stephen for his coronation in the year 1000. The holy crown, as well was a scepter, orb and sword, were originally displayed in the National Museum but moved to the Parliament House in 2000. |
Ruin Bar
Ruin bars are all the rage in Budapest and have been around for 10 years since the founding of Szimpla Kert, the mecca of all ruin bars. These bars are built in Budapest’s old District VII neighborhood (the old Jewish quarter) in the ruins of abandoned buildings, stores, or lots. From outside, these bars look like normal homes. But once you walk in and enter the inner courtyard, you find yourself in the middle of a hip, artsy, and funky bar bustling with crowds talking, dancing, and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere. Large bouncers inside, along with posted signs, ensure that people are quiet on their way out, so as to not disturb the neighbors.Each of these ruin bars has its own personality, but they all follow a few basic principles: find an old abandoned place, rent it out, set up a bar, fill it with flea market furniture, have a few artists come in to leave their mark on the walls and ceiling, add in some weird antiques, serve alcohol, and watch people flock in. Since all these bars are in abandoned buildings, they open, close, and move frequently depending on whether the neighbors find out, the patrons get too loud, or an investor comes and buys the property to renovate it. |
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Shoes on the Danube
On the banks of the Danube River in Budapest, not far from the Hungarian Parliament building, sit sixty pairs of old-fashioned shoes, the type people wore in the 1940s. The shoes are rusted, made of iron and set into the concrete of the embankment. They are a memorial and a monument to the Hungarian Jews who, in the winter of 1944-1945, were shot on the banks of the Danube River by the members of the Arrow Cross Party. Known as "The Shoes on the Danube Promenade", the memorial was conceptualized by film director Can Togay, and was created by Togay together with the sculptor Gyula Pauer. It was installed on the Pest bank of the Danube River in Budapest in 2005. During the winter of 1944, shooting the Jews into the Danube River was convenient because the river carried the bodies away. Often, the Arrow Cross murderers would force their terrified Jewish victims to remove their shoes before shooting them into the Danube. Shoes, after all, were a valuable commodity during World War II. The killers could use them, or trade them on the black market. This, then, is the historical reality behind the monument. During the days of horror in the winter of 1944-1945, the Danube was known as "the Jewish Cemetery." People who visit the memorial sometimes light candles or leave behind flowers, placing them inside a particular shoe that touches them or reminds them of someone. |
St. Stephen's Basilica
Construction of the basilica began in 1851. The church was finally consecrated in 1905 and on December 8 of the following year, Emperor Franz Joseph laid the final stone. After its completion, St. Stephen's was considered so sturdy that important documents and artworks were stored in it during World War II bombings. Even though the church wasn't initially designated a basilica, locals immediately started to refer to the church as 'the basilica' due to the building's sheer size. The name can now be officially used since pope Pius XI bestowed the church with the title of 'basilica minor' in 1931. The Basilica of St. Stephen has a Greek-cross floor plan. Its center is crowned with a majestic dome, which reaches a height of 96 meters, exactly the height of the Parliament Building. The height refers to 896, the year of the settlement of the Magyar tribes in the Carpathian Basin, which led to the foundation of today's Hungary. A purpose built chapel, the Chapel of the Holy Right, holds Hungary's most important relic, the preserved right hand of St. Stephen. The mummified hand is kept in a shrine and paraded around the streets each year on August 20, the anniversary of St. Stephen's death. |
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Vajdahunyad Castle
Situated in City Park, the largest park in Budapest, Vajdahunyad Castle began its life as a structure made of wood and cardboard. It was built for the millennium celebrations of 1896. The castle, actually an enclave of buildings rather than just one structure, was designed by architect Ignác Alpár. He created a complex that represents each architectural style in the history of Hungary. Each section is modeled after an existing building in the Kingdom of Hungary. In total twenty-one different buildings were integrated into the complex. The different architectural styles represent the different eras in the history of Hungary: Romanesque for the age of the Árpád dynasty, Gothic for the many other Hungarian royal houses and the Renaissance and Baroque styles for the period of the Habsburg family. Because the castle became so popular with residents, the city decided to make it a more permanent structure. Therefore, in 1904, reconstruction of Vajdahunyad Castle began, using brick and stone and following Alpár's original plans with just a few small changes. |