budapest
Hungary is usually associated with spicy goulash, the Lake Balaton or its eastern
plains, the puszta. But first of all there is Budapest. The capital
city of more than two million people, it is without any exaggeration
the hub of Hungary's entertainment, arts, sports, and nightlife.
The name of the city comes from its two principal districts Buda
and Peszt, located on each side of the river Danube. Buda is one
of the historic centres of the Hungarian state and the medieval
royal site. But it originated as early as in the 1st century on
the site of a Roman garrison town. Its remnants called Aquincum
can be seen today in Budapest as well as north of it, along the
road to a charming northern suburbia of Szentendre.
The golden age of Buda began in 13th century when the Hungarian
kings chose it for their site. The city continued to grow until
1526, when the Turks invaded the country and started their 160-year
long rule. It was only under the Hapsburgs in the 19th century that
Buda and soon after it Peszt could flourish again. Also under the
Habsburgs both cities finally became one, the symbol of that coming
together being the Chain Bridge, built in 1842. In the late 1800s
Budapest became the Austro-Hungarian empire's most important city
after Vienna and even rivalled Paris and London in the race for
being Europe's cultural capital.
World War 2 brought a massive destruction of the city. Germans fiercely
opposed the advancing Soviet Army from the Citadel on the top of
the Gellert Hill. Aside from delaying the Soviets on their way to
the Western Europe, the siege of Budapest left the city largely
in ruins. It was rebuilt in detail only in the 1960s (some of the
monuments were not renovated until mid 1970s). The Soviet Army was
to take action in Budapest once again in 1956, when it crushed the
democratic revolution and the first major anti-Soviet move in the
entire Communist bloc.
Despite being united for more than a hundred years now, the division
between the Buda side and the Peszt side is still a major reference
point. Starting on the more historic Buda side, there is the Castle
Hill with its two distinct parts: the Old Town and the Royal Palace.
It sits on the centrally-located hill that stretches for a mile
and is about 180 feet high. Approaching it, whether on foot or by
car, gives an excellent view of Budapest.
Today, this Central European metropolis of more than 2 million people
(25 per cent of Hungary's population) has all that is interesting
for a tourist. Great historic monuments that witnessed nearly the
millennium of the city's turbulent history, a choice of entertainment,
and a possibility for a quiet afternoon out in a cafe or in one
of the splendid parks. |
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