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 The
story starts on the Buda side when Celts settled on Gellért Hill
well before the birth of Christ. This territory was later occupied by
the Romans in the 1st century A.D. in their effort to expand the empire's
frontiers north to the river Danube. The Roman settlement - Aquincum -
grew into a town of 30,000 inhabitants and became the main city of Pannonia
province. The Romans constructed paved roads, amphitheatres, bastions
and fortified strongholds here, the ruins of which now increase Óbuda
district's reputation.
Magyars settling in the territory in the 9th-10th century considered
the river Danube the core of their new homeland rather than a natural
borderline. The flat areas were populated first, including the large island
that once stood where Pest City Centre stands today. The Tatar invasion
in the 13th century quickly proved that defence is strategically difficult
on a plain. King Béla IV 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 Buda. The Middle Ages witnessed two
separate towns living here side-by-side: the famous Buda with its lavish
palace and well-to-do bourgeoisie and Pest - the city of merchants - on
the other side of the river.
The town's development was abruptly halted and took a new direction in
the 16th century. Formerly rich settlements of Western civilization were
gradually turned into vivid oriental "towns" and later abandoned,
while the Christian cross was replaced by a new symbol: the crescent of
the East. The Turkish occupation lasted for more than 140 years and left
only very few marks but much destruction. All the values created by the
occupants are linked to water - Turkish thermal baths are the best example.
So after the Romans, we "owe a note of thanks" to the Turks
for turning our city into a valuable spa resort capitalizing on its rich
thermal resources. Some of the pools built in Budapest during the Turkish
thraldom are still used today, like the Király Baths, Rác
Baths, and Rudas Baths. The Tomb of Gül Baba is another reminder
of the Turkish times in Hungary.
The 18th century marked the slow awakening and recovery of the city.
On the other hand the 19th century was the age of major changes and witnessed
the birth of a completely new city almost from scratch. The hills of Buda
and the city walls of Pest no longer provided protection and limited space
was a barrier to real development. The core of the shaping metropolis
thus moved down from the hill to the plains, making Pest the centre again.
1867 was the year of Reconciliation that brought about the birth of the
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy which significantly contributed to the blossoming
of the country and its capital city.
In 1873 Buda and Pest were officially merged with the third part, Óbuda
(Ancient Buda), thus creating the new metropolis of Budapest. The rapidly
growing and flourishing city received new public offices, avenues, channels,
public lighting, horse carriageways, a subway, green parks and bridges.
By the turn of the century it was a genuine rival to Vienna. Dynamic Pest
grew into the country's administrative, political, economic, trade and
cultural hub.
The destruction of the Second World War could only be compared to the
devastation wrought by the Turkish occupiers. After the war and until
May 1990, when the first democratically elected government took power,
the country was a victim of communist imperialism. The achievements of
the political changes and the past decade, like democracy and a market
economy, help to efface the dictatorship of the not so distant past. Visitors
in Budapest will have a hard time tracing down remnants of this époque.
To get a glimpse, visit the Statue Park and see a rich collection of communist
sculptures that once stood on the streets of Budapest.
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The
Hungarian language belongs to the Finno-Ugric family. However, we cannot
understand the speech of our European "relatives" the Finns and
Estonians. Unlike other European languages, the family name precedes the
given name. Service providers generally speak German and/or English, hotel
staff members understand several languages, and so communication won't be
a problem. Should you lose your way in town, do not hesitate to ask for
help. Young people study one or two languages at school.
Recommended
gifts and souvenirs: folk art goods, ceramics, embroideries, dolls in folk
costume, hand-painted Herend and Zsolnay porcelain, Halas lace, red paprika,
goose liver, Pick salami, apricot brandy, Tokaj and other famous wines.
