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 The
history of Hungary starts with the migration of the Magyar
tribes, around the year 896. Due to the attacks of the
Bulgarians they moved to the  Danube plains and founded
the first settlements in Óbuda and on the island
Csepel (both in the current Budapest region). The Magyars
have the name of being brutal warriors, sacking towns
from Spain to Italy.
In 955, the Magyars are defeated by Otto I, and the conversion
to Christianity started. The city of Pest is first mentioned
in 1061, and between 1242 and 1244 the Buda
Castle was built by  King Béla IV, initiating the settlement
on Buda. Around the year 1800, Buda has about 24,000
inhabitants, while Pest has about 30,000. In 1873, the
3 cities Pest, Buda and Óbuda are amalgamated and the
new city, Budapest, reaches a population of about 300,000.
The end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th
century is an era of prosperity and growth for Budapest,
but after WWI and WWII, where Hungary chose the side of
the Germans, Budapest started to decline and it lost much
of its luster. However after the fall of the iron curtain, the city has started to recover, regaining
the glory of the past.
| Some Budapest Highlights: |
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Most
locals prefer the East Station, which was built by a Hungarian
architect, but my station of choice in Budapest is West Station,
with its progressive design by the French architect Gustave
Eiffel.
More
about West Station...
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Heroes' Square is a tribute to great Magyar leaders. The square is bordered by two important museums: the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Art.
More about Heroes' Square... |
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