The city of Budapest appeared on the world map relatively recently - its appearance was the result of the merger of three large cities (Buda, Óbuda 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 in terms of beauty and richness of architecture. However, to this day, different parts of the city amaze with their dissimilarity - the streets of old Buda wandering along the hillsides contrast sharply with the modern boulevards of Pest, dressed in the luxury of shops and shopping centers.
The unique appearance of Budapest owes much to the picturesque area in which it is located. The wide Danube, across which several amazingly beautiful bridges are thrown, divides the city into two large historical parts. On one side is the hilly Buda, easily recognizable by its textured medieval buildings, led by the Royal Palace and the snow-white towers of the Fisherman's Bastion. From the windows of the Royal Palace there is a stunning view of the Danube and another part of the city - modern Pest, which today has become the center of 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 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 Margaret Island, on the western bank of the river, lies the oldest part of the city - the Obuda district. Literally everything here reminds of the past - 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 relaxation and restoration of health.
Public transport in Budapest
Budapest has a fairly developed public transport system, represented by buses, metro, trolleybuses, trams and taxis. The most popular form of transport in the city is perhaps the trams - Budapest's tram lines are considered the busiest in the world. By the way, the capital of Hungary has the longest trams on the planet.
Advice: if you want to quickly explore the main attractions of the city and get an unusual experience, take a ride on tram No. 2 - its route runs very well along the Danube embankment, allowing you to appreciate the amazing appearance of Budapest from the outside.
The Budapest metro consists of 3 lines and has 40 stations. All three metro lines intersect at the Deák Ferenc ter station. When using the metro, you should be careful - at most stations the platforms for different directions of movement are divided and it is impossible to cross 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 Hungarian capital has more than 140 routes operating around the clock - special night flights are indicated in the schedule with the letter “E”.
Climate of Budapest
The climate of the capital of Hungary can be described as quite mild; its official definition is temperate continental. The city on the Danube rarely experiences extreme temperatures, the winter is short and not too cold, but the frequent piercing wind can cause a lot of trouble. Summer, on the contrary, is hot and long.
Average temperature in Budapest by month
- The world's longest trams roam 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 also considered a resort
- The man who gave the world the most famous puzzle in the form of a cube, Ernő Rubik, was born in Budapest.
- The city has the largest synagogue in Europe, accommodating 3,000 people.
There are strange people around with faces full of delight, hung with video cameras, two or even three cameras, who every now and then click them and look at maps of the city. Tourists are a separate nation. There are so many of them here that the local residents are almost invisible behind the video and photo anthill. Virtual spectacle! This is what one of the European capitals looks like today.
Budapest. This is not surprising, because not only individual houses, but also entire unique architectural quarters of the city, the center with bridges over the Danube in 1989 were recognized as part of the UNESCO world heritage.
Dossier on Budapest
Everyone probably knows that Budapest is made up of two cities located on both sides of the Danube - ancient Buda and commercial Pest.
Therefore, it was a peculiar discovery to learn that in reality and relatively recently, only in 1873, three cities were united into one: Pest, Buda and Obuda.
It was on the territory of Obuda at the beginning of the 1st century. The ubiquitous Romans took part in the creation of the modern “pearl of the Danube”. There they founded the city of Aquincum (that is, “a lot of water”; there are over 120 hot springs in this territory). In 896, the Magyars came here, creating their own state, headed by King St. Stephen (his name is still very respected today). And from 1541, the Ottoman Empire reigned here for 150 years. It is to the Turks that the city owes many of the baths built on thermal springs. In 1686, the rule of the Ottomans was replaced by the rule of the Habsburgs, followed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867. Therefore, architectural masterpieces of different eras and styles are intricately intertwined in Budapest.
Shall we wander? Buda
...Morning. In the underground passage, we, as tourists, were simply masterfully played a wonderful mix of Hungarian melodies. Full immersion in the national!
Don't try to conquer Budapest right away. The main thing is your own priorities. The most outstanding beauties of Budapest can be divided into two main parts: the city center - both banks of the Danube and a little further away the part of Pest - Heroes' Square with the city park.
As with any Western city, it’s worth starting with its heart - the royal palace.
It rises pathetically on the right steep bank of Buda. The entrance to the palace is decorated with the Turul bird, which protected the tribes that came to the lands of modern Hungary.
The Buda Fortress was founded back in 1241 after Turkish raids. Then, as often happened, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. And only at the end of the 19th century. the palace acquired its familiar forms.
This is a real city with numerous courtyards and courtyards, flower beds (the flower pattern is necessarily changed every month), monuments, fountains, the residence of the President of the Republic, in which, as befits a city, its own excavations are being carried out (the remains of a medieval castle have been discovered).
“Sit down,” the guide invites tourists. And there is no need to repeat it twice - those tired of the midday heat instantly clung to the fountain (even without water in it).
- And the little deer was left alone. And the poor girl Ilonka, who accidentally found herself in the forest there, took pity on him. The king was touched by this, and he invited Ilonka to the palace. To her grief, the girl did not recognize the king in the simply dressed man. And when she found herself in a magnificent palace, she realized that this was not her destiny. Shedding bitter tears, she walked away.
All the characters in the fountain are placed in a hierarchy: the king is at the top, the servants are below, and Ilonka, as befits the poor, is below the royal dogs.
The palace is beautiful not only externally. Its buildings include the Budapest History Museum, the National Gallery and the National Library. Széchenyi.
From the terrace of the royal palace there are beautiful panoramas of the left flat Pest bank, of numerous bridges (2 of which are railway, 7 are road). And, of course, to the Chain Bridge - the first bridge across the Danube, which in 1849 finally connected Buda and Pest.
It took 10 years to build on the initiative of Istvan Széchenyi, an outstanding reformer. The chains piercing the arched gates are secured on the shore underground in special rooms. Now it is one of the most popular symbols of Budapest.
To the side on the Buda shore is Mount Gellert (140 m above the Danube). At the top is the Citadel, the Freedom Monument and the monument to Bishop Gellert himself. According to legend, in 1046 he was thrown from the mountain by pagans for preaching Christianity.
However, the impressions will be doubled - walk about five minutes from the palace to the Holy Trinity Square. Suddenly a light white Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, or Matyasha, XIII century appears. Even through the forests (the cathedral is currently undergoing restoration), its beauty can be seen.
It was here that some of the Hungarian kings were crowned. Thanks to its excellent acoustics and organ, Franz Liszt and Zoltan Kodály gave concerts under its vaults. There's a real buzz around him! Several nuns from the tourist group, recklessly using their mobile phones, at least leave the cathedral “as a souvenir.”
The building is very appropriately surrounded by the towers of the Fisherman's Bastion, 1895. As light as a sand castle, they blend harmoniously with the cathedral.
And at the Fisherman’s Bastion I was struck by a small model of the square itself. Nothing special, but there are texts nearby in Braille. Layout for the blind! For those who, having felt the shapes and fonts, will thus “see” the beauty and “read” about it...
In the middle of the spacious square is the Holy Trinity Monument in memory of the victims of the plague epidemic in 1713.
Are the first signs of heat and fatigue making themselves felt? Nearby are spectacular horse-drawn carriages. Go for a walk!
Along narrow streets, past the Hilton Hotel, built on the remains of historical buildings, to the Vienna Gate Square - a luxurious palace in the neo-Romanesque style (now the State Archives).
And the romance of the streets of Fortress Mountain with houses from the 13th–16th centuries!
Mmmm... My heart melts sweetly...
Shall we take a walk? Pest
You can go down from the Fortress Hill of Old Buda by funicular. The second in the world, it was built in 1870 using the most advanced technologies of that time. If you have children with you, they will be delighted!
...through the already mentioned Chain Bridge we get to Pest.
This summer it rained heavily and the Danube overflowed its banks, flooding piers, nearby roads and cafes. Unfortunately, now it’s hard to call the “blue Danube” that way (like many other European rivers). They don't swim in it.
“I did not want to create a new style for the new Parliament,” said Steindl Imre, winner of the competition for the construction of the Parliament in 1880. Truly classic neo-Gothic lines are combined with Baroque elements, Byzantine and Venetian decoration. The building is decorated with 365 towers (the number of days in a year), and the total length of all stairs is 20 km. The Parliament’s unique ventilation system is 20 degrees in both summer and winter throughout the entire room. Despite the fact that meetings of the National Assembly are held here, tourists are not denied excursions. Such greatness cannot be kept behind seven locks!
On both sides of the Parliament there is a small monument in honor of the 1956 revolution, which was mercilessly crushed by Soviet tanks. Opposite is the ethnographic museum (once the Palace of Justice).
And then your eyes just widen! Here is the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, then the majestic St. Stephen's Basilica. And the white light Erzsebet Bridge! Until 1926, it ranked first in the world as the longest suspension bridge.
What to see in Budapest. Attractions. Walk through the old town of Buda. Report on an independent trip to Hungary
Keywords: Sights of Budapest, tourist routes, Excursions in Budapest, what to see, reviews of the trip.
Literally every European capital has its own “old town” - as a rule, a small part of the city center that 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 lean beyond the old fortress walls and sees the rest of the city only briefly 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, tourists have nothing to do outside the Old Town: administrative districts, business center and residential areas. Nothing interesting, “everything is the same as everywhere else.” Take Prague, for example. Well, honestly, further than 500 meters from the Charles Bridge on both sides of the Vltava there is nothing to see. What about Prague, in Riga and Tallinn, outside the Old Town, which can be walked around in a couple of hours, it’s 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 appearance, then on the opposite bank of the Danube, in Buda, there is the most amazing 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 endlessly through the narrow streets. But not in Old Buda... You can deprive me of the title of “Honorary Tourist”, but the historical center of Buda did not make the 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, a lot of historical events took place here. And if we had agreed on a tour of Buda and the Old Town, then it would have been a completely different story... But, alas, when we “woke up the day before” all the guides were already busy. So I had to walk around the old town on my own.
Old Buda is a very small part of modern Budapest, located on the top of Buda Hill directly opposite (across the Danube) Pest. Tourists usually get to Buda by cable car, which goes to the top of the hill exactly from kilometer zero. But the most desperate tourists, of course, climb the hill exclusively on foot. Honestly, this is not a big problem, it’s 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 activity.
Queue for funicular tickets
But you have to overcome “just nothing”...
The bravest ones :)
Five minutes with stops to explore the views and you are almost there. The sculpture of an eagle with spread wings eloquently communicates 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 away you can clearly see the entire coast and the panorama of Pest (photo can be enlarged)
The picture can be enlarged Like any self-respecting country with 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; rather, 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 indeed becoming the number one problem around the world. Even the Russian Tagil already pales in comparison to the Chinese impudence. This Chinese “photo artist” and his family alone pestered the soldiers for fifteen to twenty minutes. Honestly, I wanted to throw a couple of live rounds at the guys...
Several "sketches" from Old Buda
And, of course, the main attraction of the old town is St. Matthias Church. The building is simply stunning, and the roof is simply a masterpiece - covered with tiles from the famous Zsolnai Pech factory (photo can be enlarged):
The picture can be enlarged 
The picture can be enlarged
Probably the most memorable thing in the Hungarian capital, besides the thermal pools, is Buda. That is, the area of Budapest that was previously an independent city and the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary.
We made our way there after the first day spent in and To get to Buda from Magritte Island 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 Muslim presence here. 
A few facts from the history of Hungary
The Turks conquered Hungary in 1526. We generally consider them to be barbarians who mercilessly oppressed the local (conquered) population, but everything was not quite like that.
During the conquest of Hungary, many peasants greeted the Turks as liberators, hoping that they would help cope with the oppression of 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 was from this moment that the decline of Hungary began; it turned from an independent state into a province, first of the Turks, then of the Austrians, and then smoothly passed 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.” 
And it all started very well for Hungary. After the Huns, the Magyars came to the country. These were fierce warriors - they terrified neighboring countries. Actually, Germany 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, Matt, 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 this was Suleiman the Magnificent, under whom the Ottoman Empire reached its peak, 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 Budapest Historical Museum. The most interesting thing about the museum is that it is located in Buda Castle, and here you can walk around alone and feel the atmosphere of a medieval citadel. 
I was very impressed with the coronation cloak of the kings. It is very similar to Dracula's cloak in the film of the same name. 
On the upper floors of the museum, there is an exhibition telling about the peoples who lived in this territory before the Hungarians. There is a lot of evidence about the Huns here. After all, Attila’s headquarters was located on the territory of this country. 
You can listen in more detail about the golden ages of Hungary here:
The plague epidemic spared the country because it was still relatively sparsely populated. As a result, while the countries of Western Europe were in decline in the 2nd half of the 14th century, there was a rise in Eastern Europe. It was then that the main attractions of Buda were built: Buda Castle and St. Matthias Cathedral. 
Here is another beautiful and colorful building - the Fisherman's Bastion - which cannot boast of such a venerable age. It was built already in the 19th century, purely for beauty. 
In the end, we got to Buda itself late and didn’t have time to go to the museum. We couldn’t see the cathedral, so we 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 Habsburg rule. Perhaps this is why modern Buda is so reminiscent of provincial Austrian towns. This area is also very lively and does not give the impression of a historical reserve. 
A young capital with a thousand-year history
Budapest is a very ancient and very young city at the same time. This is a city with an unusual and complicated history. And everything unusual, and even more so confusing, is always interesting and attractive. Let's start with at least such a question as celebrating City Day. In Budapest it is celebrated twice, and one of the celebrations has a very indirect relation to the birth of the capital. City Day is celebrated for the first time 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 - a decision was made 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 quite difficult to determine a more or less exact date of birth of the capital of Hungary. One thing can be said with a significant degree of certainty: the first settlements arose on the Buda side of the city: the Celts, Scythians, Sarmatians, Huns and other peoples built their fortresses and cities here. And thus provided historians with a topic for numerous disputes about the ruins of which particular settlement should be considered a prototype of the future capital. And yet, despite the existing differences of opinion, the chronicled history of Budapest begins from the moment when here in the 1st century AD. e. The Romans settled. 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 the first baths in their place, the remains of which have survived to this day. By the way, the very name of the Roman city, which is translated as “abundant with water,” is associated with these sources. Aquincum was both a military camp and a civilian city where traders and artisans lived. The ruins of an ancient amphitheater, several temples, baths, the remains of the streets and houses of Aquincum have survived to this day and are located on the territory of modern Obuda. Internal strife and constant raids by Asian and Germanic tribes gradually led to the collapse of the once powerful empire. Pannonia, as well as its other regions, were in danger. The Romans had to leave these territories.
The Magyars appear on the stage
In the 9th century, a significant part of the territory of the Carpathian Basin was inhabited by warlike nomadic tribes of the Magyars, who came from the steppes of the Southern Urals. They were the ancestors of 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 Székesfehérvár, the queen’s residence 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 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 the territory of Hungary, plundering and destroying many cities, including Buda and Pest. In addition, the Tatar-Mongols burned all the 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 had an extremely convenient strategic position, and decided to build a fortress here. This fortress, named Buda after its location, 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 core of the Fortress district was the Istvan Tower and other buildings that have not survived to this day. The royal palace, defensive structures, courtyards and the outer wall of the fortress were repeatedly built and rebuilt under subsequent kings of Hungary over many centuries. Buda became a royal residence, and an increasing number of aristocrats and wealthy merchants began to build their homes here.
During the same period of time, an ancient settlement that arose on the site of the Roman city of Aquincum received the name 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 Corvinus and the Golden Age
At the beginning of the 14th century, the last representative of the Arpad dynasty, King Andras III, died. In subsequent centuries, monarchs of 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 on top of Buda Hill was rebuilt into a magnificent Renaissance palace, whose beauty spread throughout Europe. In addition, Matthias is responsible for creating the largest royal library on the continent. The memory of the great king of the Renaissance is preserved not only by the royal palace, but also by the buildings surrounding it. It is enough to stroll along the streets of the Fortress Quarter, such as Tarnok, Fortuna or Uri, whose elegant 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, a 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 brought by the Turks to Hungarian cities, these people still made a certain contribution to the culture of the country, because the times of the Turkish invasion became a period of new prosperity for the Buda baths. Rudas, Kiraly, Lukács, Csásar (under the Turks it was called Veli Bey’s bathhouse) modern Budapest cannot be imagined without these colorful oriental buildings. Turkish baths are distinguished not only by their magnificent interior decoration, but also by their special atmosphere, conducive to relaxation, both physical and mental.
Thanks to the Turks, the Hungarians first learned about paprika and other types of vegetables, which are now considered an integral part of the national Hungarian cuisine. Coffee culture, which was further developed in the famous coffee houses of Budapest, also appeared here thanks to the Turks.
Birth of a new capital
One 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 became a priority. At the beginning of the 18th century, an extensive reconstruction plan was developed, and soon new residential buildings, palaces and churches in the Baroque style 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 Budapest Administration Building, the Church of St. Anne in Pest, the Zichy Palace, the parish church of St. Peter and Paul in Óbuda). At the same time, the territory of Pest expanded: a new district appeared in its northern part - the Jewish quarter of Lipotvávroš (now part of the Budapest downtown).
The appearance of the Buda Fortress District also changed significantly, 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 disaster soon occurred, leading 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 flat Pest were buried under its waters. The new reconstruction made the city one of the most beautiful and modern in Europe. The unfavorable position of Pest in comparison with Buda 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 traces of bygone eras. 
Despite the increasing importance of Buda, the adjacent Obuda and Pest with each new day, 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 outstanding figures of the Hungarian state, the reformist politician Count István Széchenyi in 1842–1849. As mentioned above, until the middle of the 19th century there were no permanent crossings across the Danube - only pontoon crossings that operated in the summer. In winter, the river was crossed on ice, and during the off-season, ferry sailed here irregularly. In December 1820, Count Istvan Széchenyi received news of his father's death. In the shortest possible time, he rushed from Debrecen to Pest, but he could not cross to the Buda side, where his family was located, for a week - the ice had broken. Szechenyi spent a week in Pest and only after this time was he able to cross to the other side. This sad event led the count to the idea of building a permanent bridge across the Danube. Being a very energetic person, the count went to England to study advanced bridge construction technologies. 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 to its original form in 1949. The construction of the Széchenyi Bridge greatly contributed to the unification of Buda, Óbuda and Pest into a single city, called Budapest. This significant event took place in 1873.
18731914: Budapest golden capital of Europe
The period from the unification of the three cities to the outbreak of the First World War became a century of unprecedented prosperity for the newly formed capital. It was during this period that Budapest acquired that uniquely charming appearance that made millions of travelers from all over the world fall in love with it. The grandiose St. Stephen's Basilica, the majestic Parliament building, the Millennium Monument on Heroes' Square, Városliget Park with its amazing castle, the Great Boulevard Ring, the imposing Andrássy Avenue, listed as a masterpiece of urban planning of the late 19th century on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List... All these attractions arose in a very short period of time: their construction was timed to coincide with the magnificent festivities of 1896, dedicated to the millennium of the “finding of the Motherland by the Hungarians.” At the same time, the Budapest metro line M1 appeared, passing directly under Andrássy Avenue and connecting the city center with Városliget Park. By the way, it became the first subway on the European continent!
The economy and cultural life of the city reached unprecedented prosperity: Pest turned into one of the largest commercial centers, and its numerous coffee shops became a favorite meeting place for intellectuals and bohemians. Yes, indeed, this short but eventful period between the two world wars became Budapest's second golden age.
History of Budapest during the First and Second World Wars
Historically, Hungary was on the side of Austria and Germany in both world wars. And although Hungary became an independent state at the end of the First World War, 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 residents found themselves on the other side of the new state border.
Both wars caused significant damage to the state's capital, especially World War II. Despite the rapid advance of the Soviet army, the Germans decided to provide last resistance to the enemy forces, choosing Budapest as a stronghold. As a result of heavy fighting that lasted for several months, the city was almost completely destroyed, and many historical buildings turned into ruins. In addition, Hitler's troops, retreating, blew up all the bridges across the Danube. It took 30 years to restore the city to its former appearance.
History of Budapest in the post-war period
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 villages were annexed 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 built here - typical creations of social development.
In the fall of 1956, the masses rebelled against the communist dictatorship. This uprising, called the "revolution of minds", was led by then Prime Minister Imre Nagy. In response, Warsaw Pact forces were brought into the country and brutally suppressed the uprising. Many Hungarians were killed, many were forced to leave the country, Imre Nagy himself and his associates were soon executed. Traces of shrapnel can still be seen on some houses in the very center of Budapest - evidence of the bloody drama of 1956. 
During the 70s, the communist regime in Hungary gradually weakened. At that time, the general secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party was János Kádár. 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 number of reforms aimed at reviving the private sector, thereby preparing the country to enter the pan-European market. These reforms and their consequences became the first crack in the Iron Curtain that separated Hungary from other European countries.
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 became a member of the Schengen Agreement in December 2007. These changes were also reflected in the urban landscape of Budapest. All statues from the communist regime were removed from the city streets. However, they did not destroy them, but decided to create a so-called reminder park dedicated to the dark era of totalitarianism. Nowadays this park is called the Budapest XXII Museum of Monuments and is located on the territory of Óbuda.
The era of totalitarianism and general depersonalization is a thing of the past; modern Budapest is one of the most dynamically developing European metropolises. More and more new hotels, restaurants, cafes, shopping centers are appearing here, plans are being developed to improve urban development and restore cultural monuments. And perhaps this is a new golden age in the history of the great capital.
