Budapest - a Young City, Rich in History

In the form that we know it today, the Hungarian capital of Budapest is a very young city, having only existed since 1873. In that year it was created through the unification of Buda, Pest and Obuda. From this point on the city steadily grew into the dynamic and lively destination that it is today.

Budapest covers an area of 200 square miles and accommodates close to two million people in 23 districts. It is bisected by the River Danube, the mighty waterway that originates in Germany's Black Forest, courses through Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and others before emptying into the Black Sea. The stunning aesthetic that the River lends to Budapest combined with the city's lively and convivial atmosphere has made it one of Europe's most exciting city break destinations.

However the period for which Budapest has been known by its current name is a small one in context of the region's history since it was first occupied by Celts in the first century BC. The first settlers in the area made their homes on Gellert Hill on the slopes of the Danube. This location was chosen as it offered an easy point from which to cross the river, while the rolling hills presented natural protection from invaders.

The area became home to another civilisation at the beginning of the Christian era - the Romans - and throughout the following centuries passed through the hands of various cultures, including the Huns in the fifth century AD and the Magyars, an ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary, in around 896.

A particularly rich phase of Budapest's history came in the 14th century, when the Angevin kings from France established Buda as their royal seat of centralised power, building a number of palaces in the region and fostering a culture that enabled trade and the arts to flourish. However this golden period was followed by one of the bloodiest and most disturbing periods in the history of the city, the Turkish invasion of 1526. At the battle of Mohacs the Hungarians suffered a crushing defeat to the Turks, led by Sultan Suleiman I, which enabled the invading army to occupy Buda and Pest.

This occupation lasted over 150 years and is often seen as one of the darkest periods in the history of the Hungarian capital. However it did give rise to grand baths fed by hot springs, some of which still stand today and are the most conspicuous remnants of the Turkish occupation of Budapest.

Rule of the city was wrested away from the Turks in 1686, following a six-week siege of Buda Castle by a multinational army comprised of soldiers from all over Europe. It took a total of 12 attempts to finally overtake the castle, at the cost of many lives on both sides.

The recapture of the city sparked the next period of development for what we now know as Budapest - the phase that would eventually turn it into the flourishing metropolis it is today. There were myriad social developments, followed by the establishment of the printing press and, perhaps most significantly, the opening of the Chain Bridge in the 19th century, which linked Buda and Pest and led to their inevitable unification to form Budapest.

Today the capital of Hungary is a progressive and modern city, but it is one that is aware of its roots and pays homage to them. Historical locations such as Buda Castle, Gellert Hill and Heroes Square are evocative reminders of the rich history of Budapest and a tribute to the will and determination that made it the city it is today.

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Updated: Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:57:46

Related Links:
Budapest Tourist Board
Budapest Airport