Probably the most memorable in the Hungarian capital, besides the thermal pools, is Buda. That is, that area of ​​Budapest, which was previously an independent city and the capital of the Hungarian Kingdom.

We made our way there after the first day spent in and To get to Buda from the island of Magritte, you need to go through the "Turkish quarter". And it was very noticeable in this area of ​​Budapest that the city was once ruled by the Turks. There are traces of the stay of Muslims here.

Few facts from the history of Hungary

The Turks conquered Hungary in 1526. It is customary for us to consider them barbarians who mercilessly oppressed the local (conquered) population, but this was not entirely the case.

During the conquest of Hungary, many peasants greeted the Turks as liberators, hoping that they would help cope with the oppression of the local feudal lords. So Hungary became an occupied province of the Ottoman Empire, its rulers were now appointed from Istanbul. They did not oppress the peasants much, and there was no religious persecution either.

But it is from this moment that the decline of Hungary begins, it turns from an independent state into a province, first the Turks, then the Austrians, and then smoothly passes under the rule of the USSR. There, as the famous Hungarian director Istvan Szabo says: "Hungary was occupied not for 40 years, but for 400 years."

It all started very well for Hungary. After the Huns, the Magyars came to the country. They were fierce warriors - they terrified neighboring countries. Germany itself was united for the first time precisely in order to resist them.

From the beginning, the Hungarian kings sat in the palace in Buda: Bela, Istvan, Matyusz, but in the end, feudal relations, backward for that time, did not allow the creation of a strong army. And as a result - the Turkish khan, and it was Suleiman the Magnificent, under whom the Ottoman Empire reached its heyday, captured the capital of Hungary, Buda.

Historical Museum of Buda

You can see how the Hungarians lived before the conquest of the Turks in the Historical Museum of Budapest. The most interesting thing about the museum is that it is located in the Buda Castle, and here you can walk alone and feel the atmosphere of a medieval citadel.

I was very impressed by the coronation cloak of kings. It looks a lot like Dracula's cloak in the movie of the same name.

On the upper floors of the museum, an exposition tells about the peoples who lived in this area before the Hungarians. There are many testimonies about the Huns here. After all, the headquarters of Attila was located on the territory of this country.

You can read more about the golden ages of Hungary here:

The plague had spared the country as it was still relatively sparsely populated. As a result, while the countries of Western Europe in the 2nd half of the 14th century were in decline, in Eastern Europe there was an upsurge. It was then that the main attractions of Buda were built: Buda Castle and St. Matthias Cathedral.

Another beautiful and picturesque building - the Fisherman's Bastion cannot boast of such a venerable age. It was built in the 19th century, purely for beauty.

As a result, we got to Buda late and did not have time to go to the museum. Not to see the cathedral, so I had to go there again the next day.

Buda, like the rest of Hungary, was liberated from the Ottoman Empire by the Austrians in the 18th century and came under the rule of the Habsburgs. Perhaps that is why modern Buda is so reminiscent of the provincial Austrian towns. This area is also very lively and does not give the impression of a historical reserve.

The city of Budapest appeared on the world map relatively recently - its appearance was the result of the merger of three large cities (Buda, Obuda and Pest) in 1873. This is how a real pearl arose on the banks of the Danube - a capital that has no equal in Eastern Europe for its beauty and richness of architecture. However, to this day, different parts of the city are striking in their dissimilarity - the streets of Old Buda, wandering along the hillsides, contrast sharply with the modern boulevards of Pest, dressed in luxury of shops and shopping centers.

The unique appearance of Budapest is largely due to the picturesque area in which it is located. The wide Danube, over which several amazingly beautiful bridges are thrown, divides the city into two large historical parts. On the one hand - hilly Buda, easily recognizable by the textured medieval buildings, at the head of which are the Royal Palace and the snow-white towers of the Fisherman's Bastion. The windows of the Royal Palace offer a striking view of the Danube and another part of the city - modern Pest, which today has become the center of the cultural, economic and political life of the capital of Hungary.

The waters of the Danube River within the boundaries of Budapest wash the shores of seven islands, of which the Margaret Island is the most famous - like a green oasis in the middle of the silvery Danube waters, it attracts tourists and lovers of leisurely walks in the shade of trees. The island has a large botanical garden and the ruins of a Dominican monastery.

But opposite the island of Margit, on the western bank of the river, lies the oldest part of the city - the Obuda district. Literally everything reminds of the past here - streets, buildings, ruins of ancient Roman temples and amphitheaters.

By the way, Budapest is the only capital in Europe that has been awarded the status of a resort - thanks to its numerous thermal springs, the city is recognized as an excellent place for rest and recovery of health.

Public transport in Budapest

Budapest has a fairly developed public transport system, represented by buses, metro, trolleybuses, trams and taxis. Trams are perhaps the most popular mode of transport in the city - Budapest tram lines are considered the busiest in the world. By the way, the longest trams on the planet run in the capital of Hungary.

Tip: if you want to quickly explore the main sights of the city and get an unusual experience, take a ride on tram number 2 - its route runs very well along the Danube embankment, allowing you to appreciate the amazing appearance of Budapest from the outside.

The metro in Budapest consists of 3 lines and has 40 stations. All three metro lines intersect at Deak Ferenc ter station. When using the metro, you should be careful - at most stations, aprons for different directions of movement are separated and it is impossible to go between them without going to the surface. Interestingly, the Budapest metro is the oldest on the European continent - the first metro line under Andrássy Avenue was laid back in 1896.

The bus network of the capital of Hungary has more than 140 routes operating around the clock - special night routes are marked in the timetable with the letter "E".

Climate of Budapest

The climate of the capital of Hungary can be characterized as rather mild; its official definition is moderately continental. Temperature extremes are rare in the city on the Danube, winters are short and not too cold, but the frequent piercing winds can be a nuisance. Summer, on the other hand, is hot and long.

Average temperature in Budapest by months

• The longest trams in the world "roam" in the capital of Hungary - their length reaches 54 meters
• The Budapest Metro is the longest in continental Europe
• Budapest is the only capital in Europe that is at the same time considered a resort
• A man was born in Budapest, who gave the world the famous puzzle in the form of a cube - Ernö Rubik
• The city has the largest synagogue in Europe, with a capacity of 3,000 people

Buda

Buda(, or Budim), Ofen- the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the right bank of the Danube. According to legend, the name Buda came from the name of the Hunnic leader Bleda, according to another version, the name of the city has a Slavic origin from buda- "house, building, village"

The territory of Buda is about a third of the territory of Budapest and is covered with hills and forests.

Buda (disambiguation)

Buda- the name of the settlements in the Slavic countries. Comes from the word "buda" in the meaning of "structure, construction",:

Buda (Krasninsky district)

Buda- a village in the Smolensk region of Russia, in the Krasninsky district. Population - 19 inhabitants (2007). Located in the western part of the region, 29 km north-west of Krasnoye, 1 km from the border with Belarus, between the highways and the station Red on the Moscow - Minsk railway line. It is part of the Krasnovsky rural settlement.

Buda (Monastyrshinsky district)

Buda- a village in the Smolensk region of Russia, in the Monastyrshchinsky district. Population - 33 inhabitants (2007). It is located in the western part of the region, 5 km east of the Monastyrshchina, near the Monastyrshchina-Pochinok highway. It is part of the Slobodskoy rural settlement.

Buda (Roslavl district)

Buda- a village in the Smolensk region of Russia, in the Roslavl region. Population - 3 inhabitants (2007). It is located in the southern part of the region, 28 northeast of Roslavl, 1.8 km south of Yekimovichi and the Moscow - Warsaw highway, on the banks of the Boldachevka River. It is part of the Ekimovichi rural settlement.

Buda (Volokovskoe rural settlement)

Buda- the village of the Smolensk district of the Smolensk region of Russia. Population - 6 inhabitants (as of 2007). It is located in the western region, 25 km northwest of Smolensk, on the banks of the Udra River, 11 km southwest of the Smolensk - Nevel highway. There is a platform 4.5 km southeast of the village. 416th km railway line Smolensk - Vitebsk. It is part of the Volokovsky rural settlement.

Buda (Zakharyevskoe rural settlement)

Buda- a village in the Smolensk region of Russia, in the Ugransky region. Population - 1 inhabitant (2007). Located in the eastern part of the region, 36 km west of Ugra, 7 km north of the Ugra river. It is part of the Zakharyevsky rural settlement.

Buda (Shumyachsky district)

Buda- a village in the Smolensk region of Russia, in the Shumyach region. Population - 8 inhabitants (2011). Located in the southwestern part of the region, 11 km northeast of Shumyachaya, 18 km west of Roslavl. It is part of the Ozernoye rural settlement.

Buda (castle)

Buda fortress- the residence of the Hungarian kings in Budapest. The fortress can be reached by the Buda Shiklo funicular and by bus number 16 from the square named after. Sell ​​Kalmana (former Andrássy Avenue were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Buda (Loinskoye rural settlement)

Buda- a village in the Smolensk region of Russia, in the Smolensk region. Population - 7 inhabitants (2007). It is located in the western part of the region, 36 km north-west of the city of Smolensk, 10 km west of the Smolensk-Nevel highway, 15 km north of the Orel-Vitebsk highway, on the banks of the Loina River. It is part of the Loinsky rural settlement.

Buda (Kholmovsky rural settlement)

Buda- a village in the Smolensk region of Russia, in the Ugransky region. Population - 17 inhabitants (2007). It is located in the eastern part of the region, 33 km south-west of Ugra, 1.3 km north of the border with Kaluga region at the source of the Uzhrept river. It is part of the Kholmovsky rural settlement.

Buda (Zhytomyr region)

Buda- a village in Ukraine, founded in 1895, located in the Luginsky district of the Zhytomyr region.

The KOATUU code is 1822884402. According to the 2001 census, the population is 22 people. Postal code - 11321. Telephone code - 4161. Occupies an area of ​​0.27 km².

Buda (eyalt)

Pashalyk or Vilayat Buda also known as Budinsky wilayat- the first and most important of the administrative entities created by the Ottoman Empire on the territory of the conquered Hungarian Kingdom. The center of the vilayet was the city of Buda.

Buda (Chernivtsi region)

Buda- a village in the Novoselytsky district of the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine.

The population according to the 2001 census was 1,452 people. Postal code - 60314. Telephone code - 803733. KOATUU code - 7323083602.

Buda (tributary of the Instruch)

Buda(former Nibudis) - a river on the territory of Russia, flows through the Gusevsky and Chernyakhovsky districts of the Kaliningrad region.

Buda (Zhitkovichi district)

Buda- a village in the Dyakovichi village council of the Zhitkovichi district of the Gomel region of Belarus.

In the east it is bordered by a forest.

Buda (Kiev region)

Buda- a village, part of the Tarashchansky district of the Kiev region of Ukraine.

The population according to the 2001 census was 169 people. Postal code - 09525. Telephone code - 4566. Covers an area of ​​0.889 km². The KOATUU code is 3224481703.

Buda (Dubrovsky district)

Buda- a village in the Dubrovsky district of the Bryansk region, as part of the Ryabchinsky rural settlement. Located 4 km south of the village of Ryabchi. Population - 11 people (2010).

Buda (Rivne region)

Buda- a village, part of the Masevichsky village council of the Rokytnovsky district of the Rivne region of Ukraine.

The population according to the 2001 census was 545 people. Postal code - 34253. Telephone code - 3635. KOATUU code - 5625085002.

Buda (Bryansk district)

Buda(previously also Budy) - a village in the Bryansk district of the Bryansk region, as part of the Novodarkovichi rural settlement. Located 4 km north of the city limits of Bryansk, 3 km north-west of the village of Novye Darkovichi. Population - 155 people (2010).

Buda (Brasovsky district)

Buda- a settlement in the Brasovsky district of the Bryansk region, as part of the Stolbovsky rural settlement.
Located 3 km southeast of the village of Stolbovo. Population - 12 people (2010).

Buda (Zhiryatinsky district)

Buda- a village in the Zhiryatinsky district of the Bryansk region, as part of the Vorobeinsky rural settlement.
Located 6 km west of the village of Vorobeinya. Population - 274 people (2010).

There is a rural library in the village.

Buda (Cherkasy region)

Buda- a village in the Chigirinsky district of the Cherkasy region of Ukraine.

The population according to the 2001 census was 41 people. Postal code - 20933. Telephone code - 4730.

Buda (Chernihiv region)

Buda- a village in the Koryukovsky district of the Chernihiv region of Ukraine. Population 214 people. Covers an area of ​​1.62 km².

KOATUU code: 7422482001. Postal code: 15341. Telephone code: +380 4657.

Buda (Kalinkovichi district)

Buda- a village in the Dudichi village council of the Kalinkovichi district of the Gomel region of Belarus.

An iron ore deposit is located nearby.

Buda (Rogachevsky district)

Buda- a village in the Gorodetsky village council of the Rogachevsky district of the Gomel region of Belarus.

From the devil will spurl from your prison to the dungeon, spur to focus you.

Docks are not virvemo until the last steamer of the curkuln, doti won will sharpen our curvature.

This verdict is valid from now on for a year and one day, and then loses its force, will you will not appear before the expiration of the specified period in Minas Tirith and you will not appear before the eyes of the Steward and the City Ruler.

Further, - continued the Turk, again fixing an owl's gaze on the queen, - my lord and sovereign wishes that His Majesty King Janos Zsigmond would be accompanied by all the gentlemen who distinguished themselves in defense Budy.

It was interesting to watch how the company in small groups, ten people, buried in the shadows, watched the wriggling Budy on the crossbar.

Two hours after the show we will be the hosts Budy and Pest, in twelve hours we will be joined by the main committees on both banks of the Tissa, and in a day we will take possession of the whole of Transylvania.

Father Budach, my friend, let me introduce you to the beautiful charm and first lady of Arkanar Don Okana, the beloved confidante and confidant of our eagle and Chancellor Don Raba!

Among the twisted carriages and smoldering boards, they finally found the remains of their charred bodies and brought them to the Pesochnaya airfield. Buda, where the 54th Bomber Regiment was then stationed.

I foresee that all my life will remember you, Diana, and that my youthful love will always burn in my heart.

I, for my part, will to act with all my energy.

Therefore, now that I am aware of my actions, I will loyal to Gabriel.

If he is no longer alive, I will know for sure, and if he is alive, I can ask him to give me back the floor.

What to see in Budapest. Sights. Walk through the old town in Buda. Self-travel report to Hungary

Keywords: Attractions of Budapest, tourist routes, Excursions in Budapest, what to see, reviews about the trip.

Literally every European capital has its own "old city" - as a rule, a small part of the city center, which has been preserved in its original form. Well, or almost pristine. And, as a rule, it is the Old Town that attracts tourists. I will say more - often a simple tourist does not even stick out behind the old fortress walls and the rest of the city sees only a glimpse from the window of a taxi or bus on the way from the airport and back. At best, you can get a general idea of ​​the rest of a particular capital by taking a ride on the Hop-On-Hop-Off sightseeing buses. In general, by and large, outside of the Old City there is nothing for a tourist to do: administrative districts, a business center and residential areas. Nothing interesting, "everything is like everywhere else." Take Prague, for example. Honestly, there is nothing to see further 500 meters from the Charles Bridge on both sides of the Vltava. Why is there Prague, in Riga and in Tallinn outside the Old Town, which can be bypassed in a couple of hours, it is better not to go out at all - you want to cry. Budapest is another matter! There are two whole Old Towns here! And if the historical part of Pest has a rather modern look, then on the opposite bank of the Danube, in Buda, there is the very old town with classic medieval houses, palaces and cathedrals.

The introduction was quite long, but the content will, alas, be short. Usually Old Town makes an indelible impression and you want to wander through the narrow streets endlessly. But not in Staraya Buda ... You can deprive me of the title of "Honorary Tourist", but the historical center of Buda did not make a proper impression on me. And I even know why. This part of Budapest does not shine with any remarkable and special architecture, but it seems to me that a lot of historical events have happened here. And if we had agreed on a tour of Buda and the Old Town, it would be a completely different story ... But, alas, when "woke up the day before" all the guides were already taken. So I had to walk around the old town on my own.

Old Buda - a very small part of modern Budapest, is located on the top of the Buda hill directly opposite (across the Danube) Pest. Tourists get to Buda, as a rule, by funicular, which goes to the top of the hill exactly from the zero kilometer. But the most desperate tourists, of course, climb the hill exclusively on foot. Honestly, this is not a big problem, it is not so difficult to overcome a hundred meters, in my opinion even the Potemkin Stairs in Odessa looks more ominous for an unprepared tourist :) And the views from the path make you forget about slightly increased physical exertion.

The queue for tickets for the funicular

And you have to overcome "nothing at all" ...

The most daring :)

Five minutes with stops to view the views and you are almost there. A sculpture of an eagle with spread wings eloquently informs that you are already at the walls of the Royal Palace

From here you can clearly see the Parliament on the opposite bank of the Danube

A little further, you can see the entire coast and the panorama of Pest well (photo can be enlarged)

As in any self-respecting country with a history, Budapest has its own guard of honor, which serves at the walls of the Royal Palace. I will not show you postcard photos of the changing of the guard, on the contrary, I will show you a couple of photos from "everyday life". These guys must have nerves of steel! Tourists from China are truly becoming the number one problem in the world. Even the Russian "Tagil" already pales against the background of the Chinese arrogance. Only this Chinese "photo artist" with his family spent fifteen to twenty minutes on the warriors. Honestly, I wanted to give the guys a couple of live ammunition ...

Several "sketches" from Staraya Buda

And, of course, the main attraction of the old city is the Church of St. Matthias. The structure is simply amazing, and the roof is simply a masterpiece - covered with tiles from the famous Zholnay stove factory (photo can be enlarged):

A young capital with a thousand-year history
Budapest is a very ancient and very young city at the same time. It is a city with an unusual and confusing history. And everything unusual and even more confusing is always interesting and attractive. To begin with, at least with such a question as the celebration of the City Day. In Budapest, it is celebrated twice, and one of the festivities has a very indirect relationship to the birth of the capital. The first time the City Day is celebrated on the last weekend of June, in memory of the fact that in 1990 the last Soviet soldier left the country. However, the official birthday of Budapest is still considered November 17, 1873, when at a general meeting of three cities - Buda, Obuda and Pest - it was decided to form the city. It turns out that Budapest is one of the youngest capitals in Europe, but at the same time with more than a thousand years of history.

Generally speaking, it is rather difficult to determine a more or less exact date of birth of the capital of Hungary. One thing can be said with a considerable degree of certainty - the first settlements arose on the Budai side of the city: Celts, Scythians, Sarmatians, Huns and other peoples built their fortresses and cities here. And thus they provided historians with a topic for numerous disputes about which ruins of a particular settlement should be considered a prototype of the future capital. And yet, despite the existing differences of opinion, the chronicle history of Budapest begins from the moment when here in the 1st century AD. NS. settled by the Romans. On the hills of modern Buda, they founded the city of Aquincum, the capital of the province of Pannonia, which was part of the Great Roman Empire. The Romans discovered many thermal springs gushing from the depths of the mountain, and built in their place the first baths, the remains of which have survived to this day. Incidentally, the very name of the Roman city, which translates as "teeming with water", is associated with these sources. Aquincum was both a military camp and a civilian city, where merchants and artisans lived. The ruins of an ancient amphitheater, several temples, baths, the remains of streets and houses of Aquincum have survived to this day and are located on the territory of modern Obuda. Internal strife and constant raids of the Asiatic and Germanic tribes gradually led to the collapse of the once mighty empire. Pannonia, as well as its other areas, were in danger. The Romans had to leave these territories.

Magyars appear on the scene
In the 9th century, a significant part of the territory of the Carpathian basin was inhabited by the warlike nomadic tribes of the Magyars, who came from the steppes of the Southern Urals. They were the ancestors of the modern Hungarians. The Magyars founded a strong state on the site of the lands they conquered, which reached its greatest power under King Istvan. At that time, Buda and Pest were two independent provincial towns, since the royal palace was located in the city of Szekesfehervar, the residence of the queen was in the city of Veszprem, and the main religious center was Esztergom, the residence of the head of the Hungarian Catholic Church.

Arpad dynasty: the first fortress on the Buda Hill
After the death of Istvan, who was canonized for spreading Christianity in Hungary, kings from the Arpad dynasty began to rule Hungary. The beginning of the Middle Ages was an era of calm and prosperity until, in 1241-1242, the country had to face danger: the Tatar-Mongol tribes, led by the legendary Genghis Khan, invaded Hungary, plundering and destroying many cities, including Buda and Pest. In addition, the Tatar-Mongols burned all crops and massacred most of the country's population.
Under King Bela IV, work began on the revival of Hungarian cities. According to chronicle sources, Bela IV drew attention to the mountain located on the right bank of the Danube, which has an extremely convenient strategic position, and decided to build a fortress here. This fortress, named after its location Buda, had an irregular layout and was located on the southern slope of the mountain. A new city began to form around it, taking the place of the destroyed Buda. The Istvan Tower and other buildings that have not survived to this day became the core of the Fortress District. The royal palace, defenses, courtyards and the outer wall of the fortress were repeatedly completed and rebuilt under the subsequent kings of Hungary over the centuries. Buda became a royal residence, an increasing number of aristocrats and wealthy merchants began to build their houses here.
In the same period of time, an ancient settlement that arose on the site of the Roman city of Aquincum was named Obuda, which translates as "old Buda". By 1347, during the reign of King Lajos I the Great, the entire royal court had already moved to Buda, and the palace itself was rebuilt in the Gothic style.

King Matthias Corvin and the golden age
At the beginning of the XIV century, the last representative of the Arpad dynasty, King Andras III, died. In the centuries that followed, monarchs from other European houses succeeded each other on the Hungarian throne. The Hungarian state reached its greatest prosperity during the reign of King Matthias Corvinus. It was under him that Buda turned into a major cultural center. The Gothic fortress at the top of the Buda Hill was rebuilt into a magnificent Renaissance palace, the fame of whose beauty spread throughout Europe. In addition, Matthias is credited with creating the largest royal library on the continent. The memory of the great king of the Renaissance is kept not only by the royal palace, but also by the buildings surrounding it. It is enough to walk along the streets of the Fortress Quarter, such as, for example, Tarnok, Fortuna or Uri, whose graceful buildings have preserved the spirit of antiquity to this day.

Turkish yoke: pros and cons of Ottoman rule
The era of prosperity and prosperity came to an end, as new invaders invaded the territory of Hungary - the troops of the Ottoman Empire. In 1541, the Turks occupied Buda and Pest and held both cities under their rule for 145 years. Only in 1686, the united army under the leadership of Charles of Lorraine, after a long and difficult siege, managed to liberate the cities, which at that time were small settlements with a very small number of inhabitants. Despite the enormous damage inflicted by the Turks on the Hungarian cities, this people nevertheless made a certain contribution to the culture of the country, because the times of the Turkish invasion became a period of a new heyday for the Buda baths. Rudash, Kirai, Lukach, Chasar (under the Turks it was called the Veli Bey Bath) - modern Budapest cannot be imagined without these colorful oriental structures. Turkish baths are distinguished not only by their magnificent interior decoration, but also by a special atmosphere conducive to relaxation, both physical and mental.
Thanks to the Turks, Hungarians first learned about paprika and other types of vegetables, which are now considered an integral part of the Hungarian national cuisine. The coffee culture, which was further developed in the famous coffee houses of Budapest, also appeared here thanks to the Turks.

The birth of a new capital
Some invaders were soon replaced by others: after the liberation of Buda, Pest and other cities captured by the Turks, Hungary became part of the empire of the most powerful European dynasty of that time - the Habsburg dynasty.
After a long siege to liberate Buda and Pest, both of these cities were almost completely destroyed, so their restoration was the primary task. At the beginning of the 18th century, an extensive reconstruction plan was drawn up, and soon new baroque houses, palaces and churches were erected on the site of the destroyed buildings on both sides of the Danube. Many of them have survived to this day (for example, the Servite Church, the building of the Budapest Administrative Office, the Church of St. Anne in Pest, the Zichy Palace, the parish church of St. Peter and Paul in Obud). At the same time, the territory of Pest expanded: a new district appeared in its northern part - the Jewish quarter Lipotvavrosh (now part of the Budapest downtown).
The appearance of the Fortress District of Buda has also significantly changed, most of the buildings of which, including the royal palace, were also rebuilt in the Baroque style. The active reconstruction of Buda and Pest, the gradual growth of their population, led to the fact that by the beginning of the 19th century, these two cities had become the main economic and cultural centers of the country. However, as has often happened in the history of Budapest, another catastrophe soon happened, which led to the almost complete destruction of the city. On March 15, 1838, a severe flood occurred, and if the enraged Danube could not reach the buildings on the Buda side, then a significant part of the houses of the plain Pest were buried under its waters. The newly carried out reconstruction made the city one of the most beautiful and modern in Europe. The disadvantageous position of Pest in comparison with Buda has led to the dynamic development of this side of the city, while the Old Town on the top of the mountain has always carefully preserved the traces of bygone eras.
Despite the growing importance of Buda with each new day, the adjacent Obuda and Pest, they continued to remain autonomous cities on different banks of the Danube, between which at that time there was not even a single permanent crossing. The first stone bridge connecting Buda and Pest was built on the initiative of one of the prominent figures of the Hungarian state, politician-reformer Count Istvan Szechenyi in 1842-1849. As mentioned above, until the middle of the 19th century there were no permanent crossings across the Danube - only pontoon ones that operated in summer. In winter, the river was crossed on ice, and during the off-season there was an irregular ferry. In December 1820, Count Istvan Szechenyi received news of his father's death. In the shortest possible time, he rushed from Debrecen to Pest, but on the Buda side, where his family was, he could not cross within a week - the ice was broken. Széchenyi spent a week in Pest and only after this time was able to cross to the other side. This sad event led the count to the idea of ​​building a permanent bridge over the Danube. A very energetic man, the count went to England in order to study the advanced technology of building bridges. There he met the talented engineer William Clark, the creator of the suspension bridge in Buckinghamshire, and his namesake, the Scottish engineer Adam Clark. The grand opening of the Chain Bridge took place on November 20, 1849. In 1945, the Széchenyi Bridge suffered the fate of all Budapest bridges - it was blown up by the Nazi army. The crossing was restored in its previous form in 1949. The construction of the Széchenyi Bridge greatly contributed to the unification of Buda, Obuda and Pest into a single city called Budapest. This significant event took place in 1873.

1873-1914: Budapest - the golden capital of Europe
The period from the moment of the unification of the three cities until the outbreak of the First World War became a century of unprecedented prosperity of the newly formed capital. It was during this period that Budapest acquired that uniquely charming appearance that fell in love with millions of travelers from all over the world. The grandiose Basilica of St. Stephen, the majestic building of the Parliament, the Millennium monument on Heroes' Square, Varoshliget Park with its amazing castle, the Grand Boulevard Ring, the imposing Andrássy Avenue, listed as a masterpiece of urban planning of the late 19th century in the UNESCO World Heritage List ... All these sights have arisen in a very short time: their construction was timed to coincide with the magnificent festivities of 1896, dedicated to the millennium of "the acquisition of the homeland by the Hungarians." At the same time, the Budapest metro line M1 appeared, passing directly under Andrassy Avenue and connecting the city center with Varoshliget Park. By the way, it became the first subway on the European continent!
The economy and cultural life of the city reached an unprecedented heyday: Pest turned into one of the largest commercial centers, and its many coffee houses became a favorite meeting place for intellectuals and bohemians. Yes, indeed, this short but eventful period between the two world wars marked the second golden age of Budapest.

History of Budapest during the First and Second World Wars
It just so happened historically that in both world wars Hungary was on the side of Austria and Germany. And although at the end of the First World War Hungary became an independent state, the Treaty of Trianon, concluded by the Entente countries on June 4, 1920, became a real wound in the heart of every Hungarian. According to this agreement, Hungary lost 2/3 of its territory, millions of the country's inhabitants ended up on the other side of the new state border.
Both wars caused significant damage to the capital of the state, especially the Second World War. Despite the rapid advance of the Soviet army, the Germans decided to offer the last resistance to the enemy forces, choosing Budapest as their stronghold. As a result of heavy fighting, which lasted for several months, the city was almost completely destroyed, and many historical buildings were turned into ruins. In addition, Hitler's troops, retreating, blew up all the bridges over the Danube. It took as long as 30 years to restore the city's former appearance.

Post-war history of Budapest
Having liberated the city from German troops, the Red Army supported the Hungarian Communist Party, which for many years became the only ruling force in the country. This period, despite all its negative aspects, became an important stage in the transformation of Budapest into a large metropolis. On January 1, 1950, 7 more small towns and 16 settlements were added to it, which led to an increase in the number of districts from 10 to 22. In a short period of time, many dull, similar houses were erected here - typical brainchilds of social construction.
In the fall of 1956, the masses rose up against the communist dictatorship. This uprising, dubbed the "revolution of the minds", was led by then Prime Minister Imre Nagy. In response to this, the forces of the Warsaw Pact were introduced into the country, brutally suppressing the uprising. Many Hungarians were killed, many were forced to leave the country, and Imre Nagy himself and his associates were soon executed. Until now, traces of shrapnel can be seen on some houses in the very center of Budapest - evidence of the bloody drama of 1956.
During the 70s in Hungary there was a gradual weakening of the communist regime. At that time, Janos Kadar was the General Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party. Kadar was loyal to the Soviet Union and was generally obedient to the Kremlin, but his period in power was marked by a noticeable weakening of state control over various spheres of public life. This time, called "goulash communism", was marked by the revival of culture and science. In addition, Kadar carried out a series of reforms aimed at reviving the private sector, thereby preparing the country for entering the European market. These reforms and their consequences were the first crack in the Iron Curtain that separated Hungary from the rest of Europe.
In 1990, the first free democratic elections since 1945 were held in Hungary, and in the same year the last Soviet soldier left the country. Following these events, privatization began, accompanied by significant investments from other Western European countries in the development of the country's economy. Hungary joined NATO in 1998, the European Union in 2005, and in December 2007 became a member state of the Schengen Agreement. These changes were reflected in the urban landscape of Budapest. All statues from the times of the communist regime were removed from the streets of the city. However, they did not begin to destroy them, but decided to create a so-called reminder park dedicated to the dark era of totalitarianism. Now this park is called the Museum of Monuments "Budapest XXII" and is located on the territory of Obuda.
The era of totalitarianism and general depersonalization is in the past, modern Budapest is one of the most dynamically developing European cities. More and more new hotels, restaurants, cafes, shopping centers appear here, plans are being developed to improve urban development and restore cultural monuments. And, perhaps, this is the new golden age in the history of the great capital.