Budapest Gardens
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Budapest Information

Budapest is the capital of Hungary and it's the country's political, cultural, commercial, industrial and transportation centre. It has a population of over 1.7 million, which is down from the 1980's peak of 2.1 million.

Budapest was originally three separate cities; Buda and Óbuda located on the right bank of the River Danube and Pest on the left bank. They were amalgamated into one city in 1873. Budapest is now the sixth largest city in the European Union. The population grew to around 730,000 - a seven fold increase from 1840 to 1900.

From 1900 the population increase was limited mainly to the suburbs Újpest in particular doubled it's population between 1890 and 1910 and Kispest's population quintupled from 1900 to 1920, as the city itself was becoming more concentred on industry. By 1930 the population was close to 1,400,000 with a million living in the city itself and the reminder in the suburbs.

Between 20% and 40% of Greater Budapest's 250,000 Jewish inhabitants died by Nazi and Arrow Cross genocide during 1944 and 1945. Regardless, Budapest has the highest number of Jewish residents per capita of any other city in Europe. Since the 1980s Hungary's population has been decreasing, mainly due to emigration and natural population decrease.

Budapest is divided into 23 districts, each one with it's own local government. The districts contain several separate parts of the districts.

To the right of the river, on Buda are:

In Pest on the left of the river are:

District XXI (Csepel) is located on the island between Buda and Pest.

Some of the districts are given official names (in brackets above) whilst some are simply referred to by their number.

Surveying Budapest from the embankments or the bastions of Várhegy (Castle Hill), it's easy to see why the city was dubbed the "Pearl of the Danube". Its grand buildings and sweeping bridges look magnificent, especially when floodlit or illuminated by the barrage of fireworks that explode above the Danube every August 20, St Stephen's Day. The eclectic inner-city and radial boulevards combine brash commercialism with a fin-de-siècle sophistication, while a distinctively Magyar character is highlighted by the sounds and appearance of the Hungarian language at every turn.

Since the Communist system expired, Budapest has experienced a new surge of dynamism. Luxury hotels and malls, restaurants, bars and clubs have all proliferated. Though many Hungarians fear the erosion of their culture by foreign influences, others see a new golden age for Budapest, as the foremost world-city of Mitteleuropa.

 

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