This present revised edition is based on the original Hungarian edition: Mesélő Budapest, Kolibri Kiadó, 2016
Text © Kinga Tittel, 2016, 2018 Translation © Dorottya Somlay, 2018 Book design © Eszter Kapitány, 2016 Photos © Doraya Bouandel, 2016 and Kinga Tittel, 2018 Illustration and cover design © Judit Kecskés, 2016, 2018
Consultants: András Büchler, Sándor Csontó, László Lőrinc and István Kopcsik Editor Andrea Vereckei English-language copy editor Catherine Chapman English-language proofreader Sue Tolson For more detailed information on photo credits see p. 343
Hungarians in the world
Emigration became a worldwide moveth
of emigrants decreased until the start of
ment throughout the 19 and 20th cen-
WWI. The emigrants’ reasons were pri-
turies, when several million people left
marily economic: unemployment, poverty,
Europe. There is a saying: Refugees are
as well as the phylloxera epidemic, which
people who vote with their feet. Such “vot-
made daily existence for many vineyard
ing” in Hungary became regular from the
owners and labourers nearly impossible.
th
18 century onwards, and at an increased th
(Around 220,000 Hungarians migrated to
rate from the mid-19 century.
the United States in 1869–99, and around
After the crushing of the 1703–11 War of
400,000 in 1899–1913.)
Independence led by Ferenc Rákóczi II and the later 1848–49 Revolution, the freedom fighters were forced to flee the Emperor’s revenge. The majority were accepted by Turkey and other Western European countries,
Famous Hungarian filmmakers
from where they later emigrated overseas. From the second half of the 1880s, mass
Several famous directors, actors and art-
migration to the United States of Amer-
ists of Hungarian origin are listed below:
ica began. This wave peaked between 1905 and 1907, after which the number
Michael Curtiz (Kertész Mihály born Kaminer Manó, 1886–1962): Oscar-win-
Immigrants arriving in the US (1887)
ning fi lm director born in Budapest. He left Hungary in 1919 and settled in Hollywood in 1927. His best-known work is his 1943 Oscar-winning movie Casablanca.
Sir Alexander Korda (Korda Sándor, 1893–1956): Film director, producer,
an important figure in the British fi lm
Robert Capaa (Friedman Endre, 1913–
industry, also founder of the British fi lm
1954): Born in Budapest, est, he redefined
studio London Films. He was awarded a
wartime journalism by joining soldiers in
knighthood in 1942 ( the fi rst fi lm director
tle the trenches and documenting their battle
in Great Britain to be knighted); the Brit
in grim, close-up detail. During the 1944
Film Academy named their greatest fi lm
landing in Normandy on 6 June,
award after him (Alexander Korda Award),
he arrived on
and in Hungary, the fi lm studio in Etyek
shore as the only
bears his name.
photographer in the first wave and
Adolph Zukor (Zukor Adolf, 1873–
produced a series of
1976): Emigrated to the USA in 1898, he
photographs of his-
founded the Paramount Pictures fi lmmak-
toric significance.
ing corporation in 1916. His works were
He died in 1954
awarded an Honorary Academy Award in
while reporting on
1949; he died aged 103.
the war in Vietnam.
William Fox (Fried Vilmos, 1879–1952):
Bela Lugosi (Lugosi Béla, 1882–1956):
An American fi lmmaker and producer of
Arrived in the USA in 1920 and became
Hungarian origin, founder of Fox Film
famous for portraying Count Dracula in
Corporation. Though he went bankrupt in
the 1931 fi lm and for his roles in various
1936 and sold his interests, his name lives
other horror fi lms.
on in the Fox Television Network and 20 Century Fox companies.
It is not enough to be Hungarian; you must have talent as well. - Alexander Korda
Robert Capa
th
Béla Lugosi in the role of Dracula
About Budapest in general
6 Most beautiful café:
New York Café 1 Longest bridge: Megyeri Bridge (1862m) 2 Tallest building: North Buda
power plant tower (203m) 3 Oldest building:
Red Hedgehog House (circa 1260)
30 30
7 Most attractive market: 4 Biggest church:
St Stephen Basilica 5 Biggest synagogue:
Dohány Street Synagogue
Central Market Hall 8 Narrowest house: 6.2m 9 Highest point in the city:
János Hill (529m)
numbers n i t s e p a Bud Area: 2 525km
Population: 1.74 million inha bitants (17% of the countr y’s population)
Number of district s: 23 (6 in Buda, 17 in Pest)
Proportion of inhabitants in Buda and Pest: Area of largest district: Area of smallest district: Highest point: Lowest point: Longest street: Shortest road name: Longest road name: Longest heritage stretch: Longest bridge: Tallest building: Oldest building: Biggest church: Biggest synagogue (even in Europe!):
About 28% Buda (488,000 people), 72% Pest (1,254,000 people) 17th district (54.82km2) 7th district (2.09km2) János Hill (529m above sea level) Water level of the Danube (95m above sea level) Üllői Road (about 15km) Ó Street Road towards Liszt Ferenc International Airport Buda and Pest banks (12km) - since 2011 Megyeri Bridge (1862m) North Buda power plant tower (203m) - See: “Pencil“ Red Hedgehog House St Stephen Basilica Dohány Street Synagogue
31 31
The shortest street name sign
(in medieval sources Buda can be seen as a fi rst name, for example, Attila the Hun’s brother was called Buda), but another theory is that the origin of the name lies in the Slavic word voda which means water. This theory seems logical since the city is
“The mosts” in Budapest
exceptionally rich in water resources. The generally accepted explanation for
American news channel CNN named
the name Pest is connected to Gellért
Central Market Hall (located on Fővám
Hill on the Buda side. The Slavic word
Square) the most beautiful market in
pest means “cave” or “rock cavity”, and in
Europe. Sziget Fesztivál, one of the best
old Hungarian, an oven was called pest.
music festivals on the continent, is held
The thermal water cave (hot oven) hidden
here. We have the world’s most beautiful
within what is now called Gellért Hill is
café, New York Café, and we are also the
why the name Pest Hill was used in olden
world’s only thermal bath capital! Nation-
days. The river crossing at the foot of the
al Geographic ranks the route of tram 2
hill used since ancient times was named
(which runs parallel to the Danube) as the
Pest Port, and this is how the settlement
seventh most spectacular tramline in the
on the other side of the river came to be
world.
called Pest.
Origins of the name The official birth date of Budapest is Though there is no unequivocal answer,
te of the 17 November 1873, the date
numerous explanations exist as to the or-
ity. official unification of the city.
igin of the words buda and pest. The name Buda could simply have been a fi rst name
32 32
The birth of Budapest The year 1873 opened a new chapter in the history of the city: Buda, with several centuries of history, was unified with the much younger trading city, Pest, as well as with the smaller and less significant settle-
The T Th h hee fr free reeeee ro r royal al ccapitals ap p ls Buda Budda Bu a and a an ndd Pest, P Pest e moreover ver Ó-Buda Ó Ó-Bu udda market ma m arket rk kett town to to and ndd Margar Margaret Marg Ma arg ret ree Isl IIsland, Is sland, lan ndd,, the th thee llatter atter a er disunited dis disu s n from f rom om P om Pe Pest esstt Cas Castle Ca Cas astle Co County, ounty, u ty, un ty a are hereby h reebby y annexed annexed ann a xeedd under u thee nam n ame a mee Bu Buda Buda-Pest da-P a-P Pest Pe est es st Capital Ca apital a tall City CCity under u ndder er r oone on nee municipality. munici mu m iciipa al ty. (T (The (The he 187 1872 18 87722 llegisl legislation, eegislation, gis isla islla lation, tion, pa par paragraph paragr grap gr a h 366 oon n th the hee unif h unification un ification if fica on n oof th hee h capi cca piital pi tal tta al.)) al.)
ment of Óbuda. When it was awarded the title of capital city, the unification of the cities and the large-scale city development
The flag of Budapest
further increased population expansion and created the dynamic evolution of Budapest. This growth is shown by the fact
The flag of Budapest is one of its most
that, by the time of the Millennium in the
important symbols. The fi rst flag accepted
1890s, 600,000 residents were living in the
in the year of unification, 1873, was the tri-
capital. The Chain Bridge – the only direct
colour red-yellow-blue flag with the city’s
physical connection between Pest and
coat of arms. However, there has been a
Buda for a quarter of a century – became
different Budapest flag since 2011, as the
the symbol of the united city.
original was regularly confused with the Romanian flag. Now the city’s coat of arms is set on a white background with a red and green decorative border.
The fl ag of Budapest
33
The coat of arms of Budapest The red coat of arms is divided in two
Óbuda. The coat of arms shield is held by
by the Danube. A gold (yellow) single
a gold (yellow) lion on the right and a gold
tower with one gate (in the upper part)
(yellow) griffi n on the left. The Hungari-
represents Pest while the gold (yellow)
an Holy Crown is at the top. The shield is
castle with three towers and two gates
sometimes used without the crown or the
(in the lower part) represents Buda and
heraldic animals.
The coat of arms of Budapest
Holy Crown
Pest
Lion Griffin
Buda
34 34
Danube
How were the districts of Budapest numbered?
Metropolitan areas as are usually numbered
century, Pest had evolved into the councentury
starting from a central part of the city,
try’s political and economic centre. In the
normally beginning with the oldest orig-
end, the inner Buda district was num-
inal area. It was no different in Budapest,
bered fi rst, and the district numbers grew
where the inner part of Buda was named
outwards from here (just like in other big
the fi rst district. But the situation was
cities), mostly spiralling out in a clockwise
slightly complicated in 1873 when the
direction. The capital only had 10 districts
three cities were united, as it was difficult
when it was founded, but the number grew
to decide which settlement was the oldest.
to 14 in 1930 and 22 in 1950. The newest
Its ancient Roman traditions meant Óbuda
district, the 23rd, was separated from the
could have had priority, while having
20th district in 1994. Each district has its own mayor, and the mayor of Budapest
been a royal seat would have given Buda particular significance, whereas in the 19
th
oversees them all.
35 35
When Budapest people meet for the fi rst time, they do not ask whether the other person is from Buda or Pest, but they ask which district they are from. Each of the districts has its own characteristics (e.g. District I – Castle District, District II – Buda Hills, District III – Old Buda with Roman ruins, etc.)
Changing street and square names The changing political systems and pre-
During the years of communism, several
vailing trends in the past century have re-
streets and squares, for example, were
sulted in the renaming of many streets and
named after communist leaders (e.g. Marx
squares, so maps and textbooks have had
Square, Engels Square, etc.) The fall of
to be reprinted on numerous occasions.
communism was followed by several
36 36
renaming phases during which many streets and squares regained their original
One of Budapest’s attractive manhole covers
name, while others were given yet another different name. It can take several years for people to remember and start to use a new name. A metropolitan regulation states that if a street or a square is renamed, the previous street sign (with the name crossed out in red) must remain visible for at least the next two years. A rule in Budapest now states that a street can be named after a person five years after their death, but 15 years must pass before a street can be
s of Budapest lookIf you wa lk the street are going, you wi ll ing closely where you tif ul, decorative notice incred ibly beau ers wh ich are worth cast-iron ma nhole cov a closer look.
renamed after someone.
Most common street names The three most common street names in Hungary, hence in Budapest too, are the following: Kossuth Lajos Street (see: Heroes’ Square)
Petőfi Street (see: Who’s who)
Rákóczi Ferenc Street (see: Heroes’ Square)
37 37
ungary’s capital is visited by millions of tourists every year but only a few know why Fisherman’s Bastion has seven towers. If you haven’t got the faintest idea when Budapest celebrates its birthday and why there are no skyscrapers in the city, this is the book you are looking for. If you would like to get the answer to these questions and many more, do not miss the unique opportunity and discover with Kinga Tittel, a professional tour guide, what makes Budapest so incredibly fabulous. Fabulous Budapest is a family travel guide that also gives an insight into the history and culture of the Hungarians. The beautifully drawn maps, countless photos and text boxes will give you a colourful and enjoyable experience as well as a better understanding of the city and its people. “I a m for tu nate to have spe m u c nt h ly o ful f uti m d bea y li fe liv in “In this char mi ng an g in g rea c it ie st ate s gre . t A mer ic H e’s owever, e of Eu rop an I have d illustrated tou r of on th is a c t o m v nt e rta y r po e fa im d es v ar o sh u tel r ite city cities, Ki nga Tit in a ll of is Budap id E u r op e est, the www.kolibrikiado.hu anecdotes, and viv ing ris rp su stu n n in y, tor his H g capit a u n ga r y. T www.facebook.com/kolibrikiado r tte ma no t l of tha is ect h is persona lities. The eff Published in Hungary by Kolibri Hungarynew travel g u yoKiadó u m id get a ll e wi n st offers Budape Technical editor Gyöngyi Széplakiy wonder fu what age, a visitor to l desti na well a s s tions a s [ typesetting Franciska ^M I\Q p a V Text design and Kaposvári IV e U c MV ia M^ I\ l events to IgXMZ[XMK\Q^M \P d if feren be enjoy t s e a s on ed in treasu re trove of a d an – s.” vy en uld wo ISBN 978-963-437-051-2 the er aft g lon du res information that en Philip Z imbardo Printed and bound in 2018 d.” de en s s ocia l psy jou rney ha in Hungary by Alföldi Nyomda Zrt. cholog is k zá as t Marianne Szegedy-M Director Géza György st author, jou rnali