SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HUNGARIAN CAPITAL
- Although initially inhabited fifty thousand years ago, it has only had its present name for a mere 128 years. Prior to 1873, Óbuda, Buda and Pest were separate towns. Under its hills there is a system of caves with thermal waters gushing from 80 thermal springs which supply 12 spas with 70 million litres of water daily.
- Budapest was not always the capital of Hungary. Until the 13th century Esztergom, the birth and coronation place of St. Stephen the first king of Hungary, was the capital of Hungary. After the Mongolian invasion in 1241-1242 King Béla IV moved the Royal Seat to Buda, seeking protection. Today’s Budapest was formed in 1873 through the joining of three cities: Buda, Pest and Óbuda (Old Buda).
- Budapest is home to the third largest Parliament building in the world. The Parliament Building covers an area of 18,000 sq meters (193,750 sq feet), it has 691 rooms, 20 kilometers (12,5 miles) of stairs and it is 96 meters (315 feet) high. There are 90 statues on the façade and 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of 23-carat gold was used to decorate the interior. Building begun in 1885 and the Neo-Gothic palace was completed in 1902.
- Its monuments include a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatres, 400-year-old Turkish baths and unique Hungarian Art Nouveau buildings from the 19th century. The cityscape owes its uniform appearance to the elegant mansions erected in Eclectic style in the early 20th century.
- Budapest is home to the second largest synagogue in the world and to the largest synagogue in Europe. The Dohány Street Synagogue can accommodate 3,000 worshipers, it is 44 meters (144 feet) high and it covers an area of 2000 sq meters (21,528 sq feet). The synagogue was built between 1854 and 1859 in Neo-Moorish style
- The northernmost holy place of Islam is in Budapest. It’s the burial place of a Turkish dervish, named Gül Baba, who came to Hungary during the Turkish invasion in the 16th century. He was honored as a holy man and after he died in 1541 his tomb in Buda became an Islamic sacred place and a site of pilgrimage. The chapel, built between 1543 and 1548, is one of the few remaining Turkish buildings in Budapest. Other noteworthy buildings include the Király and Rudas Turkish baths.
- Lovers of culture are spoilt for choice with 237 monuments, 223 museums and galleries, 35 theatres, 90 cinemas, 2 opera houses and 12 concert halls.
- Budapest is also home to some major educational institutes in Europe, students from all over the world coming here study in the different colleges and universities. Some major educational institutes include Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Semmelweis University, Corvinus University of Budapest, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design etc.
- The Budapest Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the world. The Budapest Zoo opened its doors in 1865 and in addition to the animals it features a number of noteworthy Art Nouveau buildings and structures, like the Elephant House, the Palm House and the main entrance.
- The transport system also has some interesting features. The first underground railway of Europe has been connecting the downtown with the City Park for over 120 years. The line opened in 1896 in the year when Hungary celebrated its 1000th anniversary, hence the name Millennium Underground. In the Buda hills you will find the world’s third hill railway and a narrow-gauge forest railway operated by children.