Budapest is the capital of
HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
. As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural,
commercialCommerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer. It comprises the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information, or money between two or more entities...
,
industrialAn industry is the manufacturing of a good or service within a category. Although industry is a broad term for any kind of economic production, in economics and urban planning industry is a synonym for the secondary sector, which is a type of economic activity involved in the manufacturing of raw...
, and transportation center and is considered an important hub in
Central EuropeCentral Europe is the region lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. The term and widespread interest in the region itself came back into fashion after the end of the Cold War, which, along with the Iron Curtain, had divided Europe politically into East and West,...
. In 2009, Budapest had 1,712,210 inhabitants, down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. The
Budapest Commuter AreaThe Budapest Metropolitan Area or Budapest Agglomeration is a metropolitan area in Central Hungary. It means Greater Budapest and it's commuter belt. It has a population of 2.503 million...
(or Greater Budapest) is home to 3,271,110 people. The city covers an area of within the city limits. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river
DanubeThe Danube is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg rivers which join at the German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows...
with a unification on 17 November 1873 of right-bank
BudaBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian. Roman name for Buda was Aquincum Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and...
and
ÓbudaÓbuda was a historical city in Hungary. United with Buda and Pest in 1873 it now forms part of District III of Budapest. The name means Old Buda in Hungarian...
with left-bank
PestPest is the eastern, mostly flat part of Budapest, comprising about two thirds of Budapest's territory. It is divided from Buda, the other part of Budapest, by the Danube River. Among its most notable parts are the Inner City, including the Hungarian Parliament, Heroes' Square and Andrássy Avenue...
. Budapest is the city with the biggest Jewish population in Europe.
AquincumThe ancient city of Aquincum was situated on the North-Eastern borders of the Pannonia province within the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city can be found today in Budapest, capital city of Hungary....
, originally a
CeltCelts is a modern term used to describe any of the European peoples who spoke, or speak, a Celtic language...
ic settlement, was the direct ancestor of Budapest, becoming the
RomanAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
capital of
Lower PannoniaThe Lower Pannonia or Pannonia Inferior was an ancient Roman province. It was formed in the year 103 AD. The Lower Pannonia included parts of present-day Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Cities:...
.
MagyarMagyar may refer to:* The Magyars, an ethnic group * The Hungarian language, known also as "Magyar" or "Magyar language"* A Hun Tribe...
s arrived in the territory in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the
MongolsThe Mongol invasions of Europe, under the leadership of Subutai, centered on the destruction of East Slavic principalities, such as Kiev and Vladimir...
in 1241-42. The re-established town became one of the centers of
Renaissance humanistRenaissance Humanism was a European intellectual movement that was a crucial component of the Renaissance, beginning in Florence in the latter half of the 14th century. The humanist movement developed from the rediscovery by European scholars of Latin literary and Greek literary texts. Initially,...
culture in the 15th century. Following the
Battle of MohácsThe Battle of Mohács was fought on August 29, 1526 near Mohács, Hungary. In the battle, forces of the Kingdom of Hungary led by King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.The Ottoman victory led to the partition of...
and nearly 150 years of
OttomanThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
rule, development of the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest became an
alpha world cityA global city is a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and urban studies and rests on the idea that globalization can be understood as largely created, facilitated and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a...
after the 1873 unification. It also became the second capital of
Austria-HungaryAustria–Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the k.u.k. Monarchy, or Dual State, was a monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in Central Europe...
, a
great powerA great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess economic, military, diplomatic, and cultural strength, which may cause other smaller nations to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions of...
that
dissolvedWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
in 1918. Budapest was the focal point of the
Hungarian Revolution of 1848The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many revolutions that year and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas. The revolution in Hungary grew into a war for independence from Habsburg rule....
[Then separately Buda]Buda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian. Roman name for Buda was Aquincum Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and...
and Pest, the
Hungarian Soviet RepublicThe Hungarian Soviet Republic or Soviet Republic of Hungary was a Communist regime established in Hungary from March 21 until August 6, 1919, under the leadership of Béla Kun. It was the first Communist government to be formed in Europe after the October Revolution in Russia which brought the...
of 1919,
Operation PanzerfaustOperation Panzerfaust, known as Unternehmen Eisenfaust in Germany, was a military operation to occupy the Kingdom of Hungary conducted in October 1944 by the German Military Forces . The operation was also known as Operation Mickey Mouse...
in 1944, the
Battle of BudapestThe Siege of Budapest was a siege of the Hungarian capital city of Budapest, fought towards the end of World War II in Europe, during the Soviet Budapest Offensive. The siege started when Budapest, defended by Hungarian and German troops, was first encircled on 29 December 1944 by the Red Army and...
of 1945, and the
Revolution of 1956The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the Stalinist government of the People's Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956....
.
Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
, its extensive
World Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
includes the banks of the Danube, the
Buda CastleBuda Castle is the historical castle of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, Hungary, first completed in 1265...
Quarter,
Andrássy AvenueAndrássy Avenue is an iconic boulevard in Budapest, Hungary, dating back to 1872. It links Elizabeth Square with the City Park. Lined with beautiful Neo-renaissance palaces and houses featuring fine facades, staircases and interiors, it was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2002.-History:It...
, Heroes' Square and the
Millennium Underground RailwayThe Metro 1 is the oldest line of Budapest Metro. The second oldest underground line in the world, it was built from 1894 to 1896...
, the second oldest in the world. Other highlights include a total of 80 geothermal
springsThe Széchenyi Medicinal Bath in Budapest is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Its water is supplied by two thermal springs, their temperature is 74°F/23°C and 77°F/25°C, respectively....
, the world's largest thermal water cave system, second largest
synagogue, also known as Dohány Street Synagogue or Tabakgasse Synagogue, is located in Erzsébetváros, the 7th district of Budapest. It is the largest synagogue in Eurasia and the second largest in the world, after the Temple Emanu-El...
, and third largest
ParliamentThe Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Kossuth Lajos Square, on the bank of the Danube, in Budapest...
building. The collections of the
Natural History MuseumThe Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest, dating back to 1802, houses the largest natural history collections of Hungary and the region.-Foundation:...
and the
Museum of Fine ArtsThe Museum of Fine Arts is a museum in Heroes' Square, Budapest, Hungary, facing the Palace of Art.It was built by the plans of Albert Schickedanz and Fülöp Herzog in an eclectic-neoclassical style, between 1900 and 1906. The museum's collection is made up of international art , including all...
are also significant.
The city ranked 3rd (out of 65 cities) on
MastercardMasterCard Worldwide is a multinational corporation based in Purchase, New York, United States. Throughout the world, its principal business is to process payments between the banks of merchants and the banks of purchasers that use its "MasterCard" brand debit and credit cards to make purchases....
's Emerging Markets Index (2008), and ranked as the most livable Central/Eastern European city on
EIUThe Economist Intelligence Unit is part of the Economist Group.It is a research and advisory company providing country, industry and management analysis worldwide and incorporates the former Business International Corporation, a U.S. company acquired by the parent organization in 1986...
's
quality of lifeThe term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and political science. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of...
index (2009). It attracts over 20 million visitors a year. The headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the first foreign office of the
CIPAChina Investment Promotion Agency is the investment promotion agency of PR China. It is in charge of "Inviting in" and "Going global" two-way investment promotion work in line with China's economic strategies and is engaged in cooperation with international economic organisations, foreign...
will be in Budapest.
History
The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was Ak-Ink built by Celts. before 1 AD. It was later occupied by the
RomansAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. The Roman settlement -
AquincumThe ancient city of Aquincum was situated on the North-Eastern borders of the Pannonia province within the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city can be found today in Budapest, capital city of Hungary....
- became the main city of
Lower PannoniaThe Lower Pannonia or Pannonia Inferior was an ancient Roman province. It was formed in the year 103 AD. The Lower Pannonia included parts of present-day Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Cities:...
in 106 AD. The Romans constructed roads, amphitheaters, baths and houses with heated floors in this fortified military camp
The
HungariansHungarians are an ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. There are around 10 million Hungarians in Hungary . Hungarians were the main inhabitants of the Kingdom of Hungary that existed through most of the second millennium...
led by
ÁrpádÁrpád , the second Grand Prince of the Magyars . Under his rule the Magyar people settled in the Carpathian basin...
settled in the territory at the end of the 9th century, and a century later officially founded the
Kingdom of HungaryThe Kingdom of Hungary , emerged in 1000, when the Principality of Hungary, founded in 896, was recognized as a Kingdom. The form of government was changed from Monarchy to Republic briefly in 1918 and again in 1946, ending the Kingdom and creating the Republic of Hungary...
. Research places the probable residence of the Árpáds an early place of central power near what became Budapest. The
TatarTatars , sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic ethnic group mainly inhabiting Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. They numbered 10 million in the late 20th Century, which includes all subgroups of Tatar people, such as...
invasion in the 13th century quickly proved that defence is difficult on a plain. King
Béla IV of HungaryBéla IV Béla IV Béla IV , King of Hungary (1235-1270). Béla was present, at the age of seven, when a group of conspirators killed his mother, and he could never forgive his father's generosity towards the conspirators' accomplices...
therefore ordered the construction of reinforced stone walls around the towns and set his own royal palace on the top of the protecting hills of
BudaBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian. Roman name for Buda was Aquincum Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and...
. In 1361 it became the capital of Hungary.
The cultural role of Buda was particularly significant during the reign of
Matthias Corvinus of HungaryMatthias I was King of Hungary and also King of Bohemia...
. The
Italian RenaissanceThe Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe...
had a great influence on the city. His library, the
Bibliotheca CorvinianaBibliotheca Corviniana was one of the most renowned libraries of the Renaissance world, established by Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary and Croatia between 1458 and 1490....
, 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 LibraryThe Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
. After the foundation of the first Hungarian university in
PécsPécs , , is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. It is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya county...
in 1367 the second one was established in
ÓbudaÓbuda was a historical city in Hungary. United with Buda and Pest in 1873 it now forms part of District III of Budapest. The name means Old Buda in Hungarian...
in 1395. The first Hungarian book was printed in Buda in 1473.
The
Turkish occupation.Ottoman Hungary refers to parts of the Ottoman Empire situated in what is today Hungary in the period from 1541 to 1699.-History:By the sixteenth century, the power of the Ottoman Empire had increased gradually, as did the territory occupied by them in the Balkans, while the Kingdom of Hungary was...
lasted for more than 140 years. The Turks constructed some fine bathing facilities here. The unoccupied western part of the country became part of the Habsburg Empire as
Royal HungaryRoyal Hungary was the name of medieval Kingdom of Hungary where the Habsburgs were recognized as Kings of Hungary in the wake of the Ottoman victory at the Battle of Mohács and subsequent partition of the country....
.
In 1686, two years after the unsuccessful siege of Buda, a renewed campaign was started to enter the Hungarian capital. This time, the Holy League's army was twice as large, containing over 74,000 men, including German, Croat, Dutch, Hungarian, English, Spanish, Czech, Italian, French, Burgundian, Danish and Swedish soldiers, along with other Europeans as volunteers, artilleryman, and officers, the Christian forces reconquered Buda, and in the next few years, all of the former Hungarian lands, except areas near
TimişoaraTimişoara , also known as "The City of Athletes", is a city in the Banat region of western Romania...
(Temesvár), were taken from the Turks. In the 1699
Treaty of KarlowitzThe Treaty of Karlowitz was signed on 26 January 1699 in Sremski Karlovci , a town in modern-day Serbia, concluding the Austro-Ottoman War of 1683–1697 in which the Ottoman side had finally been defeated at the Battle of...
these territorial changes were officially recognized, and in 1718 the entire Kingdom of Hungary was removed from Ottoman rule.
The city was destroyed during the battle. Hungary was then incorporated into the Habsburg Empire.
The nineteenth century was dominated by the Hungarians' struggle for independence and modernization. The national insurrection against the Habsburgs began in the Hungarian capital
in 1848The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many revolutions that year and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas. The revolution in Hungary grew into a war for independence from Habsburg rule....
and was defeated a little more than a year later.
1867 was the year of Reconciliation that brought about the birth of
Austria-HungaryAustria–Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the k.u.k. Monarchy, or Dual State, was a monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in Central Europe...
.
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 IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
. In 1873 Buda and Pest were officially merged with the third part, Óbuda (Ancient Buda), thus creating the new metropolis of Budapest. The dynamic Pest grew into the country's administrative, political, economic, trade and cultural hub. Budapest went from about 80%
GermanGerman is a West Germanic language, thus related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. It is one of the world's major languages and the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Around the world, German is spoken by approximately 105 million native speakers and also by...
-speaking in 1848 to about 80% Hungarian-speaking in 1880.
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 TrianonThe Treaty of Trianon was the peace treaty concluded in 1920 at the end of World War I by the Allies of World War I, on one side, and Hungary, seen as a successor of Austria-Hungary, on the other. The treaty established the borders of Hungary and regulated its international situation...
finalized the country's partition, as a result, Hungary lost over two-thirds of its territory, about two-thirds of its inhabitants under the treaty including 3.3 million out of 10 million ethnic Hungarians.
In 1944, towards the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Budapest was partly destroyed by
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
and
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
air raids. From 24 December, 1944 to 13 February, 1945, the city was besieged during the
Battle of BudapestThe Siege of Budapest was a siege of the Hungarian capital city of Budapest, fought towards the end of World War II in Europe, during the Soviet Budapest Offensive. The siege started when Budapest, defended by Hungarian and German troops, was first encircled on 29 December 1944 by the Red Army and...
. Budapest suffered major damage caused by the attacking Soviet troops and the defending
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and
HungarianHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
troops. All bridges were destroyed by the Germans. More than 38,000 civilians lost their lives during the conflict.
Between 20% and 40% of Greater Budapest's 250,000
Jewish inhabitantsThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
died through
NaziNazism, known officially in German as National Socialism , is the totalitarian ideology and practices of the Nazi Party or National Socialist German Workers’ Party under Adolf Hitler, and the policies adopted by the dictatorial government of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.Nazism is often considered...
and
Arrow Cross PartyThe Arrow Cross Party was a national socialist pro-Nazi party led by Ferenc Szálasi, which ruled Hungary as the Hungarian State from October 15, 1944 to January 1945...
genocide during 1944 and early 1945. Despite this, modern day Budapest has the highest number of Jewish citizens per capita of any European city.
In 1949, Hungary was declared a
communistCommunism is a socioeconomic structure and political ideology that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property in general. Karl Marx posited that communism would be the final stage in human...
People's Republic. The new Communist government considered the buildings like the
Buda CastleBuda Castle is the historical castle of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, Hungary, first completed in 1265...
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 Leadership collapsed after mass demonstrations began on 23 October, but Soviet tanks entered Budapest to crush the revolt. Fighting continued until early November, leaving more than 3000 dead.
From the 1960s to the late 1980s Hungary was often satirically referred to as "
the happiest barrackGoulash Communism or Kadarism refers to the variety of socialism as practised in the Hungarian People's Republic from the 1960s until the collapse of communism in Hungary in 1989...
" within the
Eastern blocThe terms Eastern Bloc, Communist Bloc or Soviet Bloc were used to refer to the former Communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, including the countries of the Warsaw Pact, along with Yugoslavia and Albania, which were not aligned with the Soviet Union after 1948 and 1960...
, and much of the wartime damage to the city was finally repaired. Work on
Erzsébet BridgeErzsébet híd, Erzsébet Bridge or Elisabeth Bridge is the second newest bridge of Budapest, Hungary, connecting Buda and Pest across the River Danube. The bridge is situated at the narrowest part of the Danube in the Budapest area, spanning only 290 m. It is named after Queen Elisabeth, a popular...
, the last to be rebuilt, was finished in 1965. In the early 1970s,
Budapest MetroThe Budapest Metro is the metro system in the Hungarian capital Budapest. It is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world, after the London Underground of 1863 and the Mersey Railway of 1886...
's East-West
M2 lineThe Metro 2 is the second line of Budapest Metro. It connects the western Déli pályaudvar, and the eastern Örs vezér tere. Daily ridership: 451,627.-History:...
was first opened, followed by the
M3 lineThe Metro 3 is the longest line of Budapest Metro. It connects the northern Újpest, and the southern Kőbánya-Kispest. Daily ridership: 626,179.-History:...
in 1982. In 1987, Buda Castle and the banks of the Danube were included in the
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945...
list of World Heritage Sites.
Andrassy AvenueAndrássy Avenue is an iconic boulevard in Budapest, Hungary, dating back to 1872. It links Elizabeth Square with the City Park. Lined with beautiful Neo-renaissance palaces and houses featuring fine facades, staircases and interiors, it was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2002.-History:It...
(including the Millennium Underground Railway, Hősök tere and Városliget) was added to the UNESCO list in 2002. In the 1980s the city's population reached 2.1 million. In recent times a significant decrease in habitants occurred mainly due to a massive movement to the neighbouring agglomeration in Pest county.
In the last decades of the 20th century the political changes of 1989-90 concealed changes in civil society and along the streets of Budapest. The monuments of the dictatorship were taken down from public places, into Memento Park.
Geography
The 525 km
2 area of Budapest lies in central
HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
surrounded by settlements of the agglomeration in Pest county. The capital extends 25 and 29 kilometers in the north-south, east-west direction respectively. The
DanubeThe Danube is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg rivers which join at the German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows...
enters the city from the north; later it encircles two islands, Óbuda Island and
Margaret IslandMargaret Island is a 2.5 km long island, 500 meters wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area...
. The third island
Csepel IslandCsepel Island is the largest island of the River Danube in Hungary. It is 48 km long; its width is 6-8 km. Its area comprises 257 km². The word Csepel is pronounced CHE-pel....
is the largest of the Budapest Danube islands, however only its northernmost tip is within city limits. The river that separates the two parts of the city is only wide at its narrowest point in Budapest. Pest lies on the flat terrain of the Great Plain while
BudaBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian. Roman name for Buda was Aquincum Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and...
is rather hilly. Pest's terrain rises with a slight eastward gradient, so the easternmost parts of the city lie at the same altitude as Buda's smallest hills, notably Gellért Hill and Castle Hill. The Buda hills consist mainly of limestone and dolomite, the water created
speleothemA speleothem , commonly known as a cave formation, is a secondary mineral deposit formed in a cave. Speleothems are typically formed in limestone or dolostone solutional caves.-Origin and composition:...
s, the most famous ones being the Pálvölgyi cave and the Szemlőhegyi cave. The hills were formed in the Triassic Era. The highest point of the hills and of Budapest is János hill, at 527 meters above sea level. The lowest point is the line of the Danube which is 96 meters above sea level. The forests of Buda hills are environmentally protected.
Climate
The city has a temperate, transitional climate - somewhere between the mild, snowy weather of Transdanubia, the variable continental climate of the flat and open Great Plain to the east and the almost sub-Mediterranean weather of the south.
Population
Ethnic groups
Population by nationalities according to the 2001 census,:
- Hungarians - 1,631,043 (91.2%)
- Germans
The Danube Swabians is a collective term for Germans who lived in the former Kingdom of Hungary, especially in the Danube River valley. Because of differential development within the territory settled, the Danube Swabians cannot be seen as a unified people...
- 18,097 (1%)
- Roma
The Roma people in Hungary represents ~3% or 6-11% of the total population. Since World War II, the number of Roma has increased rapidly, multiplying sevenfold in the last century. Today every fifth or sixth newborn is Roma. Today, Hungary is the country with the largest Roma minority as...
- 14,019 (0.8%)
- Others (mainly Slovaks
The Slovaks are a western Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language....
, GreeksThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
, RomaniansThe Romanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian ; they are the majority inhabitants of România.In one prominent interpretation of the census results in Moldova, Moldovans are counted as Romanians, which would...
) - 21,691
- unknown - 93,071
Religions
Population by denominations:
- Roman Catholic - 808,460 (45.5%)
- Calvinist
The Hungarian Reformed Church is a key representative of Christianity in Hungary, being numerically the second-largest denomination in Hungary after the Roman Catholic Church, and the biggest denomination among ethnic Hungarians in Romania...
- 224,169 (12.6%)
- Lutheran - 46,449 (2.6%)
- Greek Catholic
The Hungarian Greek Catholic Church is a Byzantine Rite sui juris particular Church in full union with the Roman Catholic Church that uses Hungarian in the liturgy.-History:...
- 28,901 (1.6%)
- Jewish
Judaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts...
- 9,468 (0.5%)
- Atheist
Atheism can be either the rejection of theism,or the position that deities do not exist.In the broadest sense, it is the absence of belief in the existence of deities....
- 347,209 (19.5%)
- Others (mainly Christian) - 26,681
- unknown - 286,584
Historical population
In 1910 Budapest ("Little Budapest", not present
Greater BudapestGreater Budapest is the name of Budapest in its present, extended size, as it was created by the Law No. XXVI of 1949 passed on December 15, 1949 and it came into force on January 1, 1950...
) had 880,371 residents (85.9% Hungarian, 9% German, 2.3% Slovak, 2.8% other). The distribution of religions were, 59.8% Roman Catholic, 23.1% Jewish, 9.9% Calvinist, 4.9% Lutheran, 2.3% other.
Districts
Originally Budapest had 10
districtDistricts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
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 BudapestGreater Budapest is the name of Budapest in its present, extended size, as it was created by the Law No. XXVI of 1949 passed on December 15, 1949 and it came into force on January 1, 1950...
). At that time there were changes both in the order of districts and in their sizes. Now there are 23 districts, 6 in
BudaBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian. Roman name for Buda was Aquincum Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and...
, 16 in Pest and 1 on
Csepel IslandCsepel Island is the largest island of the River Danube in Hungary. It is 48 km long; its width is 6-8 km. Its area comprises 257 km². The word Csepel is pronounced CHE-pel....
between them. Each district can be associated with one or more city parts named after former towns within Budapest.
Main sights
The neo-Gothic
ParliamentThe Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Kossuth Lajos Square, on the bank of the Danube, in Budapest...
, containing amongst other things the Hungarian Crown Jewels.
Saint Stephen's BasilicaSt. Stephen's Basilica is an ecclesiastic basilica in Budapest, Hungary. It is named in honour of Stephen, the first King of Hungary , whose mummified fist is housed in the reliquary.-Architecture:...
, where the Holy Right Hand of the founder of Hungary,
KingThe King of Hungary was the head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1918.After 1688, the principle of hereditary monarchy was enacted, and the son was typically crowned after his father's death.-Beginnings:...
Saint StephenSaint Stephen I was Grand Prince of the Hungarians and the first King of Hungary ....
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
AquincumThe ancient city of Aquincum was situated on the North-Eastern borders of the Pannonia province within the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city can be found today in Budapest, capital city of Hungary....
Museum, and historic furniture at the Nagytétény Castle Museum.
The
Castle HillBuda Castle is the historical castle of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, Hungary, first completed in 1265...
, the
River DanubeThe Danube Promenade is located on the Pest side of Budapest, Hungary. On the bank of the Danube, this promenade extends from the Széchenyi Chain Bridge to the Erzsébet Bridge.- History :...
embankments and the whole of
Andrássy útAndrássy Avenue is an iconic boulevard in Budapest, Hungary, dating back to 1872. It links Elizabeth Square with the City Park. Lined with beautiful Neo-renaissance palaces and houses featuring fine facades, staircases and interiors, it was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2002.-History:It...
have been officially recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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 LibraryThe library is in Budapest; it is the national library of Hungary.-History:Founded in 1802 by the highly patriotic Hungarian aristocrat, Count Ferenc Széchényi. Széchényi traveled the world buying Hungarian books, which he assembled and donated to the nation. In the following year the public...
. The nearby Sándor Palace contains the offices and official residence of the President of Hungary. The seven-hundred year-old
Matthias ChurchMatthias Church is a church located in Budapest, Hungary, at the heart of Buda's Castle District. According to church tradition, it was originally built in 1015. The current building was constructed in the florid late Gothic style in the second half of the 14th century and was extensively restored...
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 BastionThe Halászbástya or Fisherman's Bastion is a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill in Budapest, around Matthias Church. It was designed and built between 1895 and 1902 on the plans of Frigyes Schulek...
, from where opens out a panoramic view of the whole city. Statues of the
TurulThe Turul is the most important mythological bird of the origin myth of the Magyars .It is a messenger of god in Hungarian mythology, who sits on top of the tree of life along with the other spirits of unborn children in the form of birds....
, 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
OktogonOktogon is the Grand Boulevard's junction with Andrássy Avenue in Budapest, Hungary. Oktogon is also a station on the yellow M1 line of the Budapest Metro. The location derives its name from its shape, which is that of an octagon...
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 ArtsThe Museum of Fine Arts is a museum in Heroes' Square, Budapest, Hungary, facing the Palace of Art.It was built by the plans of Albert Schickedanz and Fülöp Herzog in an eclectic-neoclassical style, between 1900 and 1906. The museum's collection is made up of international art , including all...
and the
Palace of ArtsThe Hall of Art or Palace of Art is an art museum in Budapest, located in Heroes' Square, facing the Museum of Fine Arts....
, and behind
City ParkVárosliget is a public park in Budapest, Hungary close to the city centre. It is located in District XIV of Budapest. Its main entrance is Heroes' Square , one of Hungary's World Heritage sites.-Name:The area was formerly called Ökör-dűlő, meaning "Oxmeadow"...
opens out, with
Vajdahunyad CastleVajdahunyad Castle, or Vajdahunyad vára, is a castle in City Park, Budapest, Hungary, that was built between 1896 and 1908, designed by Ignác Alpár...
. One of the jewels of Andrássy út is the
Hungarian State Opera HouseThe Hungarian State Opera House is a neo-Renaissance opera house located in central Pest, , on Andrássy út.Designed by Miklós Ybl, a major figure of 19th century Hungarian architecture, the construction lasted from 1875 to 1884 and was funded by the city of Budapest and by Emperor Franz Joseph of...
.
Statue ParkSzoborpark or Statue Park is a park in Budapest's XXII district, with a gathering of monumental Soviet-era statues. These include statues of Lenin, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, as well as local Hungarian Communist leaders such as Béla Kun...
, a theme park with striking statues of the Communist era, is located just outside the main city and is accessible by public transport.
The city is home to the largest synagogue in Europe (
Dohány Street Synagogue, also known as Dohány Street Synagogue or Tabakgasse Synagogue, is located in Erzsébetváros, the 7th district of Budapest. It is the largest synagogue in Eurasia and the second largest in the world, after the Temple Emanu-El...
), the largest medicinal bath in Europe (
Széchenyi Medicinal BathThe Széchenyi Medicinal Bath in Budapest is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Its water is supplied by two thermal springs, their temperature is 74°F/23°C and 77°F/25°C, respectively....
) and the third largest
Parliament buildingThe Hungarian Parliament Building is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings, a notable landmark of Hungary and a popular tourist destination of Budapest. It lies in Kossuth Lajos Square, on the bank of the Danube, in Budapest...
in the world, once the largest in the world. The third largest church in Europe (
Esztergom BasilicaThe Primatial Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed Into Heaven and St Adalbert is an ecclesiastic basilica in Esztergom, Hungary, the mother church of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest, and the seat of the Catholic Church in Hungary...
) and the second largest Baroque castle in the world (
GödöllőGödöllő is a town situated in Pest county, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, about northeast from the outskirts of Budapest. Its population is about 31,000 according to the 2001 census. It can be easily reached from Budapest with the suburban railway...
) are in the vicinity.
Islands
Seven islands can be found on the Danube: Shipyard Island,
Margaret IslandMargaret Island is a 2.5 km long island, 500 meters wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area...
,
Csepel IslandCsepel Island is the largest island of the River Danube in Hungary. It is 48 km long; its width is 6-8 km. Its area comprises 257 km². The word Csepel is pronounced CHE-pel....
, Palotai-sziget (now a peninsula), Népsziget, Háros-sziget, and Molnár-sziget.
Notable islands include:
- Margaret Island
Margaret Island is a 2.5 km long island, 500 meters wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area...
is a long island and 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 BridgeMargit híd or Margaret Bridge is a bridge in Budapest, Hungary, connecting Buda and Pest across the Danube. It is the second northernmost and second oldest public bridge in Budapest....
(south) and Árpád BridgeÁrpád Bridge or Árpád híd is a bridge in Budapest, Hungary, connecting northern Buda and Pest across the Danube.It is the northernmost public bridge of the capital and the longest bridge in Hungary, spanning about 2 km with the sections leading up to the bridge, and 928 m without them...
(north). Dance clubs, Swimming poolA swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is an artificially enclosed body of water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest and deepest is the Olympic size...
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 Island is the largest island of the River Danube in Hungary. It is 48 km long; its width is 6-8 km. Its area comprises 257 km². The word Csepel is pronounced CHE-pel....
is the largest island of the River Danube in Hungary. It is long; its width is 6–8 km (3.75–5 mi) and its area comprises , whereas only the northern tip is inside the city limits.
- Hajógyári-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
A nightclub is a drinking, dancing and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark. People who frequent nightclubs are known as clubbers...
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 buildingA regular house, Apartment house, Apartment block, Block of flats, or Tenement, is a multi-unit dwelling made up of several apartments , or flats...
s, hotels, casinos and a marina.
- Luppa-sziget is the smallest island of Budapest, located in the north region.
Spas
One of the reasons the
RomansAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
first colonized the area immediately to the west of the River
DanubeThe Danube is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg rivers which join at the German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows...
and established their regional capital at
AquincumThe ancient city of Aquincum was situated on the North-Eastern borders of the Pannonia province within the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city can be found today in Budapest, capital city of Hungary....
(now part of Óbuda, in northern Budapest) is so that they could utilize and enjoy the thermal springs. There are still ruins visible today of the enormous baths that were built during that period. The new baths that were constructed during the
Turkish periodThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
(1541-1686) served both bathing and medicinal purposes, and some of these are happily still in use to this day. Budapest really gained its reputation as a city of spas in the 1920’s, following the first realization of the economic potential of the thermal waters in drawing in visitors. Indeed in 1934 Budapest was officially ranked as a "City of Spas". Today, the baths are mostly frequented by the older generation, as, with the exception of the “Magic Bath” water discos, young people tend to prefer the lidos which are open in the summer.
Construction of the
Király BathsKiraly Bath or Kiraly fürdő is a thermal bath that was first built in the second half of the sixteenth century, during the time of the Turkish occupation of Hungary....
started in 1565, and most of the present-day building dates from the Turkish period, including most notably the fine cupola-topped pool.
The
Rudas BathsRudas Bath or Rudas fürdő is a thermal and medicinal bath that was first built in 1550, during the time of the Turkish occupation of Hungary. To date, it retains many of the key elements of a Turkish bath, exemplified by its Turkish dome and octagonal pool...
are not only superbly centrally placed – in the narrow strip of land between
Gellért HillGellért Hill is a 235 m high hill overlooking the Danube in Budapest, Hungary. It is part of the 1st and 11th Districts. Gellért Hill was named after Saint Gerard who was thrown to death from the hill. The famous Hotel Gellért and the Gellért Baths can be found in Gellért Square at the foot of the...
and the River Danube – they are also an outstanding example of architecture dating from the Turkish period. The central feature is an octagonal pool over which light is thrown from a 10 m diameter cupola, supported by eight pillars.
The
Gellért BathsGellért Thermal Baths and Swimming Pool, also called Gellért fürdő or Gellért Baths, are a bath complex in Budapest, Hungary, built between 1912 and 1918 in the Art Nouveau style. They were damaged during World War II, but then rebuilt. References to healing waters in this location are found from...
and Hotel were built in 1918, although there had once been Turkish baths on the site, and in the Middle Ages a hospital. In 1927 the Baths were extended to include the wave pool, and the effervescent bath was added in 1934. With its immaculately preserved Art Nouveau interior, including colourful mosaics, marble columns, stained glass windows and statues, this is without doubt the most beautiful bathing complex in Budapest.
The Lukács Baths are also in Buda and are also Turkish in origin, although they were only revived at the end of the nineteenth century. This was also when the spa and treatment centre were founded. Happily, there is still something of an atmosphere of fin-de-siècle about the place, and all around the inner courtyard there are marble tablets recalling the thanks of patrons who were cured there. Since the 1950s it has been regarded as a centre for intellectuals and artists.
The Széchenyi Baths are one of the largest bathing complexes in all Europe, and the only “old” medicinal baths to be found in the Pest side of the city. The indoor medicinal baths date from 1913 and the outdoor pools from 1927. There is an atmosphere of grandeur about the whole place with the bright, largest pools resembling aspects associated with Roman baths, the smaller bath tubs reminding one of the bathing culture of the Greeks, and the saunas and diving pools borrowed from traditions emanating in northern Europe. The three outdoor pools (one of which is a fun pool) are open all year, including winter. Indoors there are over ten separate pools, and a whole host of medical treatments is also available.
Airport
Budapest Ferihegy International AirportBudapest Ferihegy International Airport is the international airport serving the Hungarian capital city of Budapest, and the largest of the country's five international airports. The airport offers international connections primarily within Europe, but also to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and...
, 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 3 is planned to be built. The airport is located to the east of the centre in the XVIII. district in
PestszentlőrincPestszentlőrinc , the 18th district of Budapest is situated at the south-eastern part of the city. It is made up of two earlier distinct towns: Pestszentlőrinc and Pestszentimre....
.
Roads
Budapest is the most important Hungarian road terminus; all the major highways end there. Budapest is also a major
railway terminusTerminal Station is a 1953 film English language film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
.
Ring roadRing road is another term for beltway. It may also refer to:* Ring Road * Ring Road * Ring Road * Ring road of Iceland* Ring Road * "Ring Road", a song by the electronic band, Underworld....
M0The M0 motorway is a ringroad around Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The ring presently connects motorways M1, M7, M6, M5, M4, M3, M2, connecting currently to Highway 11. The southern section of the ringroad currently does not comply with formal motorway specifications. The whole length of the...
around Budapest was recently completed and allows people to go around Budapest from East to West and from North to South, however there is no way from West to North - you must go around to the South.
Public transport
Budapest
public transportPublic transport comprises passenger transportation services which are available for use by the general public, as opposed to modes for private use such as automobiles or vehicles for hire.Public transport services are usually funded by fares charged to each passenger, with varying levels of subsidy...
is provided by
BKVBKV is the unified public transport company of the city of Budapest, the capital of Hungary...
, the company operates
busA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. A bus seats a maximum of 8 to 300 passengers...
es,
trolleybusA trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles...
es,
tramA tram, tramcar, trolley, trolleycar, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a conventional train, designed for the transport of passengers within, close to, or between villages, towns and/or cities, on tracks running primarily on streets...
s, suburban railway lines, the
metroThe Budapest Metro is the metro system in the Hungarian capital Budapest. It is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world, after the London Underground of 1863 and the Mersey Railway of 1886...
, 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 ( long
SiemensSiemens AG is Europe's largest engineering conglomerate. Siemens' international headquarters are located in Berlin and Munich, Germany. The company is a conglomerate of three main business sectors: Industry, Energy and Healthcare with a total of 15 Divisions.Worldwide, Siemens and its subsidiaries...
CombinoThe Combino is a low floor tram produced by Siemens Transportation Systems . The first prototype was produced in 1996 at the Duewag works in Düsseldorf; the trams are currently made in Krefeld-Uerdingen. Because of its modular design using standardised components, and the resulting reduced costs,...
) 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.
There are three metro lines and a fourth is currently under construction. The Yellow line, built in 1896, is one of the oldest
subwayA rapid transit, metro, subway, underground, or elevated railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and which is grade separated from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically either in underground tunnels or elevated above street level...
lines in the world, following
London UndergroundThe London Underground, Underground or Tube is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire in the UK. The first section opened in 1863, and was the first underground railway system in the world, and, starting in...
and the
Istanbul MetroThis article is about the M2 line. For the M1 and T4 lines, also known as Hafif Metro, see the article Istanbul LRT.The Istanbul Metro, or the M2, is a mass-transit underground railway network that serves the city of Istanbul, Turkey. Founded in 2000, it now includes 10 stations. The system...
that were built respectively in 1863 and 1875.
Special vehicles
Beside metros,
suburban railsHÉV is a system of four commuter rail/ rapid transit lines in and around Budapest, Hungary. The HÉV lines were constructed as branch lines of the Hungarian State Railways. The four HÉV lines are operated by the public transport company BKV, yet are not part of the Budapest Metro...
, buses, trams and boats, there are a couple of less usual vehicles in Budapest:
- trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles...
on several lines in PestPest is the eastern, mostly flat part of Budapest, comprising about two thirds of Budapest's territory. It is divided from Buda, the other part of Budapest, by the Danube River. Among its most notable parts are the Inner City, including the Hungarian Parliament, Heroes' Square and Andrássy Avenue...
- the Castle Hill Funicular
The Budapest Castle Hill Funicular or Budavári Sikló is a funicular railway in the city of Budapest, in Hungary. It links the Adam Clark Square and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge at river level to Buda Castle above....
between the Chain BridgeSzéchenyi lánchíd or Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary...
and Buda CastleBuda Castle is the historical castle of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, Hungary, first completed in 1265...
- cyclecar
Cyclecars were small, generally inexpensive cars manufactured mainly between 1910 and the late 1920s.-General description:Cyclecars were propelled by single cylinder, V-twin or more rarely four cylinder engines, often air cooled. Sometimes these had been originally used in motorcycles and other...
for rent in Margaret IslandMargaret Island is a 2.5 km long island, 500 meters wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area...
- chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...
- the Budapest Cog-wheel Railway
- History :Since 1868 a horse tramway ran on schedule from the Lánchíd to Zugliget set in operation by the Budai Közúti Vaspálya Társaság...
- children's railway
A children's railway is an extracurricular educational institution, where teenagers learn railway professions. This phenomenon originated in the USSR and was greatly developed in Soviet times. The world's first children's railway was opened Moscow, in Gorky Park in 1932...
The latter three vehicles run among
BudaBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian. Roman name for Buda was Aquincum Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and...
hills.
Railways
Hungarian main-line railways are operated by
MÁVHungarian State Railways is the Hungarian national railway company, with divisions "MÁV Start Zrt" and "MÁV Cargo Zrt" .-Before 1900:...
. 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 ExpressThe Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. Its route has changed many times, and several routes have in the past concurrently used the name...
until 2001, when the service was cut back to Paris-Vienna.
There is also a
suburban railSuburban commuter railroad or commuter railway a passenger rail transport service between a city center, and outer suburbs and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis. Trains operate following a schedule, at speeds varying from 50 to...
service in and around Budapest, operated under the name
HÉVHÉV is a system of four commuter rail/ rapid transit lines in and around Budapest, Hungary. The HÉV lines were constructed as branch lines of the Hungarian State Railways. The four HÉV lines are operated by the public transport company BKV, yet are not part of the Budapest Metro...
.
Waterways
The river
DanubeThe Danube is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg rivers which join at the German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows...
flows through Budapest on its way to the
Black Seaur a loser!The Black Sea is an inland sea bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and various straits. The Bosporus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects it to...
. The river is easily navigable and so Budapest has historically been a major commercial port (at
Csepel----Csepel is a neighbourhood in Budapest, Hungary. It is identical with District XXI. Csepel officially became part of Budapest on 1 January 1950.- Location :...
). In the summer months a scheduled hydrofoil service operates up the Danube to Vienna.
Education
Budapest is Hungary's main centre of education and home to numerous universities:
- Budapest University of Technology and Economics
The Budapest University of Technology and Economics , abbreviated as BME, is the most significant University of Technology in Hungary and is also one of the oldest technological institutions in the world having been founded in 1782.-History:...
- Corvinus University of Budapest
The Corvinus University of Budapest is a university located in Budapest, Hungary. The university offers degrees in multiple disciplines, but it is characterised by its programmes in economics and management...
- Eötvös Loránd University
- Semmelweis University
Founded in 1769, Semmelweis University is the oldest medical school in Hungary. The faculty became an independent medical school after the Second World War and developed into a university teaching medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, health sciences, health management as well as physical education and...
(medical university)
- Szent István University, Faculty of Veterinary Science
- Budapest Business School
- Pázmány Péter Catholic University
Pázmány Péter Catholic University is a public university of the Catholic Church in Hungary, recognized by the State. Founded in the 17th century, the PPKE is one of Hungary's oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education.-Faculties:...
- Károli Gáspár University of the Hungarian Reformed Church
Károli Gáspár University of the Hungarian Reformed Church is a university in Budapest, Hungary.-External links:*...
- Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies
----The Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies is a university in Budapest, Hungary.The efforts to found a rabbinical seminary in Hungary date back to the beginning of the 19th century. The various projects, however, did not receive tangible form until a Jewish school fund had...
- Central European University
Central European University is a US- and Hungarian-licensed and accredited university based in Budapest, Hungary. Founded in 1991, CEU has grown rapidly into a "regional intellectual powerhouse" of Central and Eastern Europe...
- Andrássy Gyula German Language University of Budapest
The Andrássy Gyula German Language University of Budapest is a university in Budapest, Hungary teaching in German. The institution named after Count Gyula Andrássy has four faculties: Comparative State- and Law Studies, International Relations, Central European Studies, and Phd Studies. The main...
- Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design
The Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design , former Hungarian University of Arts and Design, is located in Budapest, Hungary. The university is committed to training traditional artist-craftsmen, as well as architects, designers and visual communication designers...
- Franz Liszt Academy of Music
The Franz Liszt Academy of Music is a concert hall and music conservatory in Budapest, Hungary, founded on November 14, 1875...
Timeline of the history of Budapest
| Year | Event |
|---|
| B.C. |
Neolithic The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BCE in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age...
, ChalcolithicThe Chalcolithic period or Copper Age period [also known as the Eneolithic ], is a phase in the development of human culture in which the use of early metal tools appeared alongside the use of stone tools.The period is a transitional one outside of the traditional three-age system, and occurs...
-, bronzeThe Bronze Age of a culture is the period when the most advanced metalworking in that culture utilised bronze. This could either have been based on the local smelting of copper and tin from ores, or trading for bronze from production areas elsewhere...
and iron ageIn archaeology, the Iron Age is the prehistoric period in any area during which cutting tools and weapons were mainly made of iron or steel. The adoption of this material coincided with other changes in society, including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles.The...
cultures, CeltCelts is a modern term used to describe any of the European peoples who spoke, or speak, a Celtic language...
ic and EravisciThe Eravisci, a Celtic people, were the original inhabitants of Dunaújváros. The centre of the tribe may be assumed to have been on Gellért Hill in the Budapest of today....
settlements on present day Budapest. |
| 1st century |
Romans found the settlements known as AquincumThe ancient city of Aquincum was situated on the North-Eastern borders of the Pannonia province within the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city can be found today in Budapest, capital city of Hungary....
, Contra-Aquincum and Campona. Aquincum becomes the largest town of the Danubian region and one of the capitals of PannoniaPannonia is an ancient province of the Roman Empire bounded north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia....
. |
| 5th century |
The Age of HunsThe Huns were a group of nomadic pastoral people who, appearing from beyond the Volga, migrated into Europe c.AD 370 and built up an enormous empire in Europe. They were possibly the descendants of the Xiongnu who had been northern neighbours of China three hundred years before and may be the first...
. King Attila builds a city for himself here according to later chronicles. |
| 896 |
Following the foundation of HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
, ÁrpádÁrpád , the second Grand Prince of the Magyars . Under his rule the Magyar people settled in the Carpathian basin...
, leader of the Hungarians, settles in the "Town of Attila", usually identified as Aquincum. |
| 10th century |
|
of modern Budapest: Megyer, Keszi, Jenő and Nyék.
| 1046 |
Bishop Gellért Gellert represents three unrelated but interchangeable first names shared by several people and places:-Hungarian:The Hungarian first name "Gellért" is a variant of the English name Gerard, from the elements ger-, "spear", and -ard, "strong".* Hugo Gellert ,...
dies at the hands of pagans on present-day Gellért HillGellért Hill is a 235 m high hill overlooking the Danube in Budapest, Hungary. It is part of the 1st and 11th Districts. Gellért Hill was named after Saint Gerard who was thrown to death from the hill. The famous Hotel Gellért and the Gellért Baths can be found in Gellért Square at the foot of the...
. |
| 1241 |
During the Tatar invasions both towns are destroyed. King Béla IVBéla IV Béla IV Béla IV , King of Hungary (1235-1270). Béla was present, at the age of seven, when a group of conspirators killed his mother, and he could never forgive his father's generosity towards the conspirators' accomplices...
builds the first royal castle on Castle Hill, BudaBuda Castle is the historical castle of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, Hungary, first completed in 1265...
in 1248. The new town adopts the name of Buda from the earlier one (present day ÓbudaÓbuda was a historical city in Hungary. United with Buda and Pest in 1873 it now forms part of District III of Budapest. The name means Old Buda in Hungarian...
). Pest is surrounded by city walls. |
| 1270 |
Saint Margaret of Hungary Saint Margaret was a nun and the daughter of King Béla IV and Maria Laskarina. She was the niece of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and the younger sister of Saint Kinga and Blessed Yolanda....
dies in a cloister on the Isle of Rabbits (present day Margaret IslandMargaret Island is a 2.5 km long island, 500 meters wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area...
). |
| 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 BudaBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian. Roman name for Buda was Aquincum Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and...
becomes a main hub of European RenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Florence in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe...
. 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 HabsburgThe House of Habsburg or Hapsburg was an important royal house of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1452 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian and Spanish Empire and several other countries...
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 Nagyszombat UniversityThe Eötvös Loránd University or ELTE, founded in 1635, is the oldest and largest university in Hungary, located in Budapest.-History:...
to Castle Hill. |
| 1783 |
Joseph IIJoseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
places the acting government (Helytartótanács) and Magyar Kamara on Buda. |
| 1795 20 May |
Ignác Martinovics and other Jacobin Jacobin may refer to:* Jacobin , a member of the Jacobin club, or political radical, generally* The Jacobin Club, a political club during the French Revolution* Jacobin , a breed of Domestic Pigeon...
leaders are executed on Vérmező or 'The Field of Blood'. |
| 1810 |
A fire in the TabánTabán is a district of Budapest, Hungary, to the south of György Dózsa Square, on the northern Buda side of Elisabeth Bridge to the east of Naphegy.- Maps :*Meyers Lexikon on the right:*Google-Maps Satellite - streets on the Map:...
district. |
| 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 - History:The Hungarian National Museum is said to have been founded in 1802 when Count Ferenc Széchényi set up the National Széchényi Library. This would then be followed a year later by the donating of a mineral collection by Széchényi’s wife. This led to the creation of the Hungarian National...
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 1848-49The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many revolutions that year and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas. The revolution in Hungary grew into a war for independence from Habsburg rule....
. Pest replaces Pozsony/Pressburg (BratislavaBratislava is the capital of the Slovak Republic and, with a population of about 429,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River...
) as the new capital of Hungary and seat of the BatthyányBatthyány is the name of an old distinguished Hungarian Magnate family.The Batthyány family can trace its roots to the founding of Hungary in 896 AD by Árpád. Árpád had seven chieftains, one by the name of Örs, which later became Kővágó-Örs. In 1398 Miklós Kővágó-Örs married Katalin Battyány...
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 BatthyányCount Lajos Batthyány de Németújvár was a Hungarian statesman from a long line of counts and a descendant of The Capet Kings of France...
, the first Hungarian Prime MinisterA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a politician. In many systems, the prime minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet, and...
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, BudaBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian. Roman name for Buda was Aquincum Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's complete territory and...
and ÓbudaÓbuda was a historical city in Hungary. United with Buda and Pest in 1873 it now forms part of District III of Budapest. The name means Old Buda in Hungarian...
are united, and with that the Hungarian capital is established with the name of Budapest. |
| 1874 |
The Budapest Cog-wheel Railway- History :Since 1868 a horse tramway ran on schedule from the Lánchíd to Zugliget set in operation by the Budai Közúti Vaspálya Társaság...
service is inaugurated. |
| 1878 |
Electric public lighting installed in downtown. |
| 1893 |
Electrification of Budapest finished |
| 1896 |
Millennium celebrations, the Millennium UndergroundThe Budapest Metro is the metro system in the Hungarian capital Budapest. It is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world, after the London Underground of 1863 and the Mersey Railway of 1886...
is inaugurated, and the Ferenc József híd (today's Liberty Bridge) is opened. |
| 1909–1910 |
Electric public lighting expanded to the suburbs, the nearby towns villages had Electric public lighting. |
| 1910 |
The census finds 880,000 people in Budapest and 55,000 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 RepublicThe Hungarian Soviet Republic or Soviet Republic of Hungary was a Communist regime established in Hungary from March 21 until August 6, 1919, under the leadership of Béla Kun. It was the first Communist government to be formed in Europe after the October Revolution in Russia which brought the...
(March-August 1919) under the leadership of Béla KunBéla Kun , born Béla Kohn, was a Hungarian Communist politician who ruled Hungary as leader of the short-lived Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919.- Early life :...
. It is the first Communist government to be formed in Europe after the October RevolutionTheOctober Revolution , also known as the Soviet Revolution or Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution. It began with an armed insurrection in Petrograd traditionally dated to 25 October 1917 Julian calendar...
in Russia. |
| 1924 |
Hungarian National BankThe Hungarian National Bank is the central bank of Hungary. The principal aim of the bank is to retain price stability. It is also responsible for issuing the national currency, the forint, controlling the cash circulation, setting the Central Bank base rate, publishing official exchange rates...
is founded. |
| 1925 |
Hungarian Radio Magyar Rádió is Hungary's publicly funded radio broadcasting organization. It is also the country's official international broadcasting station...
commences broadcasting. |
| 1933 |
Disassembly of the TabánTabán is a district of Budapest, Hungary, to the south of György Dózsa Square, on the northern Buda side of Elisabeth Bridge to the east of Naphegy.- Maps :*Meyers Lexikon on the right:*Google-Maps Satellite - streets on the Map:...
commences. |
| 1944 19 March |
Budapest is occupied by the Germans. At the time of the occupation, there were 184,000 Jews and between 65,000 and 80,000 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 from 15 January to 18 January. The retreating Germans destroy all Danube bridges. On 18 January, Pest is completely occupied by Soviets. The Buda castle falls on 13 February. World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
took the lives of close to 200,000 Budapest residents and caused widespread damage to the buildings of the city. |
| 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 largely repaired. Work on the final bridge to be repaired, the Elizabeth Bridge is finished in 1965. |
| 1970–1972 |
The first phase of the East-Western Metro begins. |
| 1982 |
The first phase of the North-Southern Metro begins. |
| 1987 |
Castle Hill and the banks of the Danube are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. |
| 1990 |
The city is home to 2,016,100 residents. |
| 2002 |
Andrássy Avenue Andrássy Avenue is an iconic boulevard in Budapest, Hungary, dating back to 1872. It links Elizabeth Square with the City Park. Lined with beautiful Neo-renaissance palaces and houses featuring fine facades, staircases and interiors, it was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 2002.-History:It...
is added to the list of World heritage Sites, along with the Millennium Underground railwayThe Budapest Metro is the metro system in the Hungarian capital Budapest. It is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world, after the London Underground of 1863 and the Mersey Railway of 1886...
and Heroes' SquareHősök tere is one of the major squares of Budapest, Hungary, rich with historic and political connotations...
. |
| 2006 |
2006 Hungarian protests The 2006 protests in Hungary were a series of anti-government protests triggered by the release of Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's private speech in which he confessed that his Hungarian Socialist Party had lied to win the 2006 election, and had done nothing worth mentioning in the...
. |
Twin towns — Sister cities
Budapest is
twinnedSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
with:
| Country |
| | City |
|---|
| | County / District / Region / State |
|---|
| | Date |
|---|
| Austria |
ViennaVienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by...
|
Vienna |
1990 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
SarajevoSarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 304,614 people in the four municipalities that make up the city proper, and an estimated urban area population of 421,289 people in the Sarajevo Canton . It is also the capital of the Federation of Bosnia and...
|
Sarajevo CantonThe Sarajevo Canton is a canton of the Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The capital is Sarajevo.The Canton is basically the metro area of the city it is named after that is inside the Federation...
|
1995 |
| Bulgaria |
SofiaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city by population in the European Union, with 1.4 million people living in the Capital Municipality...
|
Sofia City |
|
People's Republic of China China (PRC)The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
|
Beijing Beijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
|
Beijing Beijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
|
2005 |
| Croatia |
ZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of Croatia. Zagreb is the cultural, scientific, economic and governmental center of Croatia, and a global city. According to the city government, the population of Zagreb in 2008 was 804,200...
|
Zagreb |
1994 |
| France |
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
|
Paris |
1956 |
| Germany |
BerlinBerlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union...
|
Berlin |
1992 |
| Germany |
Frankfurt am MainFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2008 population of 670,000. The urban area had an estimated population of 2.26 million in 2001...
|
HesseHesse is a state of Germany with an area of and just over six million inhabitants. The state capital is Wiesbaden. Hesse's largest city is nearby Frankfurt am Main.Hesse contributes the largest share to the Rhine Main Area....
|
1990 |
| Indonesia |
Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. It also has a greater population than any other city in Southeast Asia. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa , Jayakarta , Batavia , and Djakarta . Located on the northwest coast of Java, it has an area of and a population of 8,489,910...
|
Jakarta Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. It also has a greater population than any other city in Southeast Asia. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa , Jayakarta , Batavia , and Djakarta . Located on the northwest coast of Java, it has an area of and a population of 8,489,910...
|
2009 |
| Israel |
Tel AvivTel Aviv-Yafo , usually called Tel Aviv, is the second largest city in Israel, with an estimated population of 391,300. The city is situated on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline, with a land area of...
|
Tel Aviv DistrictThe Tel Aviv District is one of six administrative districts of Israel with a population of 1.2 million residents. It is 99.0% Jewish and 1.0% Arab . The district's capital is Tel Aviv and the metropolitan area created by the Tel Aviv district and its neighboring cities is named Gush...
|
1989 |
| Italy |
Florence Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence...
|
TuscanyTuscany is a region in North-Central Italy. It has an area of and a population of about 3.6 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence.Tuscany is known for its landscapes and its artistic legacy...
|
2008 |
| Portugal |
LisbonLisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal. It is also the seat of the district of Lisbon and the main city of the Lisbon region...
|
District of LisbonThe District of Lisbon is located in the South Central Portugal, the District Capital is the city of Lisbon, also the national Capital.-Municipalities:The district is composed of 16 municipalities:* Alenquer* Amadora...
|
1992 |
| South Korea |
Daejeon Daejeon is located in the center of South Korea. It is the fifth largest city in South Korea, with a population of 1,442,856 at the end of 2005. It is at the crossroads of Gyeongbu railway, Honam railway, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Honam Expressway...
|
Daejeon Daejeon is located in the center of South Korea. It is the fifth largest city in South Korea, with a population of 1,442,856 at the end of 2005. It is at the crossroads of Gyeongbu railway, Honam railway, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Honam Expressway...
|
1994 |
| United States |
Fort WorthFort Worth is the seventeenth-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city within the state of Texas. Located in and a cultural gateway into the American West, the city covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, and Denton counties, serving as the county seat for Tarrant...
|
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
|
1990 |
| United States |
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
|
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
|
1992 |
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.
See also
- List of cemeteries in Budapest
- List of famous people of Budapest
- Music of Budapest
Budapest is the capital and largest city of Hungary; it has long been an important part of the music of Hungary. Budapest's music history has included the composers Franz Liszt, Ernő Dohnányi, Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók and the opera composer Ferenc Erkel...
- Urban and Suburban Transit Association
The Urban and Suburban Transit Association is a Hungarian non-profit organization, aimed at developing city transport in Hungary.-Organizational structure:...
(most of its activity is centred around Budapest)
- Budapest metropolitan area
The Budapest Metropolitan Area or Budapest Agglomeration is a metropolitan area in Central Hungary. It means Greater Budapest and it's commuter belt. It has a population of 2.503 million...
External links