Béla vitéz Imrédy de Ómoravicza was Prime Minister of Hungary from 1938 to 1939. Born in Budapest to a Catholic family, Imrédy studied law as a young man before he started working for the Hungarian Ministry of Finance.
Béla vitéz Imrédy de Ómoravicza (Hungarian: Vitéz ómoraviczai Imrédy Béla; 29 December 1891 in Budapest – 28 February 1946 in Budapest) was Prime Minister of Hungary from 1938 to 1939.
Born in Budapest to a Catholic family, Imrédy studied law as a young man before he started working for the Hungarian Ministry of Finance. Eventually becoming a skilled economist and financier, Imrédy was made Director of the Hungarian National Bank in 1928. In 1932, he was appointed Minister of Finance under the fascist Prime Minister Gyula Gömbös. After resigning in 1935, Imrédy became President of the Hungarian National Bank. Extremely ambitious, Imrédy was known to hold right wing views on matters of domestic and social policy. On matters of foreign policy, Imrédy was pro-British, a sentiment which was to help him gain the position of Minister of Economic Coordination under Prime Minister Kálmán Darányi. When Darányi resigned in May 1938, Imrédy was appointed prime minister by Regent Miklós Horthy. Imrédys attempts to improve Hungarys diplomatic relations with Britain initially made him very unpopular with Germany and Italy. Imrédy realized that he could not afford to alienate the two fascist powers on a long term basis, however, and from the autumn of 1938 onward his foreign policy became increasingly pro-German and pro-Italian. Imrédy also worked to gain a base of power in Hungarian right wing politics, founding the Movement of Hungarian Life. He was quick to suppress any rivals in his quest for power, and influential fascists such as Ferenc Szálasi were harassed by Imrédys administration. As Imrédy drifted further to the right, he proposed that the government be reorganized along totalitarian lines and enacted legislation that restricted the freedom of the press and caused many Jews to suffer economically.
Béla Imrédy on trial before the Peoples Tribunal in Budapest
In February 1939, Imrédys moderate political opponents, angered at his growing compliancy to Germany and Hungarys right wing, presented evidence to Regent Horthy that suggested Imrédys great-grandfather was Jewish. When Horthy confronted Imrédy with the evidence, Imrédy could not deny the claims about his heritage and resigned the premiership on 13 February 1939. Imrédy served in the Hungarian Army for a time in 1940, and in October of that year he founded the pro-fascist, Anti-Semitic Party of Hungarian Renewal. When German troops occupied Hungary in 1944, Imrédy was German Plenipotentiary Edmund Veesenmayer's top choice to replace Miklós Kállay as prime minister. Horthy could not be swayed to accept the idea, however, and Döme Sztójay was made prime minister instead. Imrédy became Sztójays Minister of Economic Coordination in May 1944, but he was forced to resign in August. After German forces were driven out of Hungary, Imrédy was arrested and tried by a Peoples Tribunal in November 1945. Found guilty of war crimes and collaboration with the Nazis, he was sentenced to death and executed by a firing squad in the courtyard of the jail in Markó street, Budapest, in 1946.
The prime minister of Hungary (Hungarian: Magyarország miniszterelnöke) is the head of government of Hungary. The prime minister and the Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Parliament, to their political party and ultimately to the electorate. The current holder of the office is Viktor Orbán, leader of the Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Alliance, who has served since 29 May 2010.[3]
According to the Hungarian Constitution, the prime minister is nominated by the president of Hungary and formally elected by the National Assembly. Constitutionally, the president is required to nominate the leader of the political party who wins a majority of seats in the National Assembly as prime minister.[4] If there is no party with a majority, the president holds an audience with the leaders of all parties represented in the assembly and nominates the person who is most likely to command a majority in the assembly, who is then formally elected by a simple majority of the assembly. In practice, when this situation occurs, the prime minister is the leader of the party winning a plurality of votes in the election, or the leader of the senior partner in the governing coalition.
Official title
The title of Hungarys head of government in Hungarian is miniszterelnök. Literally translated, this means "minister-president". However, since "prime minister" or "premier" is the more usual title in a parliamentary system for a head of government in English-speaking nations, the title is translated as "prime minister" by most English sources.
History of the office
Portrait of Count Lajos Batthyány by Miklós Barabás, 1848. He was appointed as Hungarys first Prime Minister.
Palatine of Hungary
Main article: Palatine (Kingdom of Hungary)
The palatine (Latin: comes palatii, comes palatinus, later palatinus (regni), Hungarian: nádorispán/nádor, Slovak: nádvorný župan / nádvorný špán, later: palatín/nádvorník, German: Palatin) was the highest dignitary in the Kingdom of Hungary after the king (a kind of powerful Prime Minister and supreme judge) from the kingdoms rise up to 1848/1918.
Initially, he was in fact the representative of the king, later the vice-regent (viceroy). In the early centuries of the kingdom, he was appointed by the king, later elected by the Diet of the Kingdom of Hungary. After the Habsburgs solidified their hold of Hungary, the dignity became an appointed position once again. Finally, it became hereditary in a cadet (junior) branch of the Habsburg dynasty after King Francis appointed his brother Joseph.
Creation of the position
Main article: Hungarian Revolution of 1848
During the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 the revolutionaries wanted the creation of a Hungarian cabinet which would be independent from the Austrian Empire and the Buda Chancellery (which was office of the imperial governor-general). One of the 12 points said: 2. A responsible government in Buda-Pest.
Ferdinand V appointed Count Lajos Batthyány for the position of prime minister of Hungary on 17 March 1848. The government was called ministry, differently from the current acceptation. The ministries were called departments. The position was vacant after the defeat of the freedom fight.
List of officeholders
Further information: List of prime ministers of Hungary
See also
Records of prime ministers of Hungary
List of prime ministers of Hungary by tenure
List of prime ministers of Hungary (graphical)
List of heads of state of Hungary
List of Hungarian monarchs
List of palatines of Hungary
Budapest (UK: /ˌb(j)uːdəˈpɛst, ˌbʊd-, ˈb(j)uːdəpɛst, ˈbʊd-/, US: /ˈbuːdəpɛst, -pɛʃt, ˌbuːdəˈpɛʃt/;[8][9][10] Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt] ⓘ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and it was the largest city on the Danube river;[11][12][13] today it is the second largest one. The city has an estimated population of 1,752,286 over a land area of about 525 square kilometres (203 square miles).[14] Budapest, which is both a city and county, forms the centre of the Budapest metropolitan area, which has an area of 7,626 square kilometres (2,944 square miles) and a population of 3,303,786. It is a primate city, constituting 33% of the population of Hungary.[15][16]
The history of Budapest began when an early Celtic settlement transformed into the Roman town of Aquincum,[17][18] the capital of Lower Pannonia.[17] The Hungarians arrived in the territory in the late 9th century,[19] but the area was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42.[20] Re-established Buda became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century.[21][22][23] The Battle of Mohács, in 1526, was followed by nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule.[24] After the reconquest of Buda in 1686, the region entered a new age of prosperity, with Pest-Buda becoming a global city after the unification of Buda, Óbuda and Pest on 17 November 1873, with the name Budapest given to the new capital.[14][25] Budapest also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire,[26] a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. The city was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and the Battle of Budapest in 1945, as well as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.[27][28]
Budapest is a global city with strengths in commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment.[29][30] Hungarys financial centre, Budapest is also the headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology,[31] the European Police College[32] and the first foreign office of the China Investment Promotion Agency.[33] Over 40 colleges and universities are located in Budapest, including Eötvös Loránd University, Corvinus University, Semmelweis University, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.[34][35] Opened in 1896,[36] the citys subway system, the Budapest Metro, serves 1.27 million, while the Budapest Tram Network serves 1.08 million passengers daily.[37]
The central area of Budapest along the Danube River is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has several notable monuments of classical architecture, including the Hungarian Parliament and the Buda Castle.[38] The city also has around 80 geothermal springs,[39] the largest thermal water cave system,[40] second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament building in the world.[41] Budapest attracts around 12 million international tourists per year, making it a highly popular destination in Europe.[42]
Etymology and pronunciation
The previously separate towns of Buda, Óbuda, and Pest were officially unified in 1873[43] and given the new name Budapest. Before this, the towns together had sometimes been referred to colloquially as "Pest-Buda".[44][45] Pest is used pars pro toto for the entire city in contemporary colloquial Hungarian.[44]
All varieties of English pronounce the -s- as in the English word pest. The -u in Buda- is pronounced either /u/ like food (as in US: /ˈbuːdəpɛst/[46]) or /ju/ like cue (as in UK: /ˌb(j)uːdəˈpɛst, ˌbʊd-, ˈb(j)uːdəpɛst, ˈbʊd-/). In Hungarian, the -s- is pronounced /ʃ/ as in wash; in IPA: Hungarian: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt] ⓘ.
The origins of the names "Buda" and "Pest" are obscure. Buda was
probably the name of the first constable of the fortress built on the Castle Hill in the 11th century[47]
or a derivative of Bod or Bud, a personal name of Turkic origin, meaning twig.[48]
or a Slavic personal name, Buda, the short form of Budimír, Budivoj.[49]
Linguistically, however, a German origin through the Slavic derivative вода (voda, water) is not possible, and there is no certainty that a Turkic word really comes from the word buta ~ buda branch, twig.[50]
According to a legend recorded in chronicles from the Middle Ages, "Buda" comes from the name of its founder, Bleda, brother of Hunnic ruler Attila.
Attila went in the city of Sicambria in Pannonia, where he killed Buda, his brother, and he threw his corpse into the Danube. For while Attila was in the west, his brother crossed the boundaries in his reign, because he named Sicambria after his own name Budas Castle. And though King Attila forbade the Huns and the other peoples to call that city Budas Castle, but he called it Attilas Capital, the Germans who were terrified by the prohibition named the city as Eccylburg, which means Attila Castle, however, the Hungarians did not care about the ban and call it Óbuda [Old Buda] and call it to this day.
— Mark of Kalt: Chronicon Pictum[51]
The Scythians are certainly an ancient people and the strength of Scythia lies in the east, as we said above. And the first king of Scythia was Magog, son of Japhet, and his people were called Magyars [Hungarians] after their King Magog, from whose royal line the most renowned and mighty King Attila descended, who, in the 451st year of Our Lords birth, coming down from Scythia, entered Pannonia with a mighty force and, putting the Romans to flight, took the realm and made a royal residence for himself beside the Danube above the hot springs, and he ordered all the old buildings that he found there to be restored and he built them in a circular and very strong wall that in the Hungarian language is now called Budavár [Buda Castle] and by the Germans Etzelburg [Attila Castle]
— Anonymus: Gesta Hungarorum[52]
There are several theories about Pest. One[53] states that the name derives from Roman times, since there was a local fortress (Contra-Aquincum) called by Ptolemy "Pession" ("Πέσσιον", iii.7.§ 2).[54] Another has it that Pest originates in the Slavic word for cave, пещера, or peštera. A third cites пещ, or pešt, referencing a cave where fires burned or a limekiln.[55]
History
Main article: History of Budapest
For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Budapest.
Early history
Buda during the Middle Ages, woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493)
The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was built by Celts[17] before 1 AD. It was later occupied by the Romans. The Roman settlement – Aquincum – became the main city of Pannonia Inferior in 106 AD.[17] At first it was a military settlement, and gradually the city rose around it, making it the focal point of the citys commercial life. Today this area corresponds to the Óbuda district within Budapest.[56] The Romans constructed roads, amphitheaters, baths and houses with heated floors in this fortified military camp.[57] The Roman city of Aquincum is the best-conserved of the Roman sites in Hungary. The archaeological site was turned into a museum with indoor and open-air sections.[58]
The Magyar tribes led by Árpád, forced out of their original homeland north of Bulgaria by Tsar Simeon after the Battle of Southern Buh, settled in the territory at the end of the 9th century displacing the founding Bulgarian settlers of the towns of Buda and Pest,[19][59] and a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary.[19] Research places the probable residence of the Árpáds as an early place of central power near what became Budapest.[60] The Tatar invasion in the 13th century quickly proved it is difficult to defend a plain.[14][19] King Béla IV of Hungary, therefore, ordered the construction of reinforced stone walls around the towns[19] and set his own royal palace on the top of the protecting hills of Buda. In 1361 it became the capital of Hungary.[20][14]
The cultural role of Buda was particularly significant during the reign of King Matthias Corvinus. The Italian Renaissance had a great influence on the city. His library, the Bibliotheca Corviniana, was Europes greatest collection of historical chronicles and philosophic and scientific works in the 15th century, and second in size only to the Vatican Library.[14] After the foundation of the first Hungarian university in Pécs in 1367 (University of Pécs), the second one was established in Óbuda in 1395 (University of Óbuda).[61] The first Hungarian book was printed in Buda in 1473.[62] Buda had about 5,000 inhabitants around the year 1500.[63]
Retaking of Buda from the Ottoman Empire, painted by Frans Geffels in 1686
The Ottomans conquered Buda in 1526, as well as in 1529, and finally occupied it in 1541.[64] The Ottoman Rule lasted for more than 150 years.[14] The Ottoman Turks constructed many prominent bathing facilities within the city.[19] Some of the baths that the Turks erected during their rule are still in use 500 years later, including Rudas Baths and Király Baths. By 1547 the number of Christians was down to about a thousand, and by 1647 it had fallen to only about seventy.[63] The unoccupied western part of the country became part of the Habsburg monarchy as Royal Hungary.
In 1686, two years after the unsuccessful siege of Buda, a renewed campaign was started to enter Buda. This time, the Holy Leagues army was twice as large, containing over 74,000 men, including German, Croat, Dutch, Hungarian, English, Spanish, Czech, Italian, French, Burgundian, Danish and Swedish soldiers, along with other Europeans as volunteers, artillerymen, and officers. The Christian forces seized Buda, and in the next few years, all of the former Hungarian lands, except areas near Temesvár (Timișoara), were taken from the Turks. In the 1699 Treaty of Karlowitz, these territorial changes were officially recognized as the end of the rule of the Turks, and in 1718 the entire Kingdom of Hungary was removed from Ottoman rule.
Contemporary history after Unification
See also: Hungary during World War II
Millennium Underground (1894–1896), the second oldest metro in the world (after the Metropolitan line of the London Underground)
The Hungarian revolutionary army liberates the Buda castle in May 1849.
The 19th century was dominated by the Hungarian struggle for independence[14] and modernisation. The national insurrection against the Habsburgs began in the Hungarian capital in 1848 and was defeated one and a half years later, with the help of the Russian Empire. 1867 was the year of Reconciliation that brought about the birth of Austria-Hungary. This made Budapest the twin capital of a dual monarchy. It was this compromise which opened the second great phase of development in the history of Budapest, lasting until World War I. In 1849 the Chain Bridge linking Buda with Pest was opened as the first permanent bridge across the Danube[65] and in 1873 Buda and Pest were officially merged with the third part, Óbuda (Old Buda), thus creating the new metropolis of Budapest. The dynamic Pest grew into the countrys administrative, political, economic, trade and cultural hub. Ethnic Hungarians overtook Germans in the second half of the 19th century due to mass migration from the overpopulated rural Transdanubia and Great Hungarian Plain. Between 1851 and 1910 the proportion of Hungarians increased from 35.6% to 85.9%, Hungarian became the dominant language, and German was crowded out. The proportion of Jews peaked in 1900 with 23.6%.[66][67][68] Due to the prosperity and the large Jewish community of the city at the start of the 20th century, Budapest was often called the "Jewish Mecca"[20] or "Judapest".[69][70] Budapest also became an important center for the Aromanian diaspora during the 19th century.[71] In 1918, Austria-Hungary lost the war and collapsed; Hungary declared itself an independent republic (Republic of Hungary). In 1920 the Treaty of Trianon partitioned the country, and as a result, Hungary lost over two-thirds of its territory, and about two-thirds of its inhabitants, including 3.3 million out of 15 million ethnic Hungarians.[72][73]
The Hungarian State Opera House, built in the time of Austria-Hungary
Bond of the City of Budapest, issued 1 May 1911
The Chain Bridge was destroyed during the Siege of Budapest.
Soviet tanks in Budapest (1956)
In 1944, a year before the end of World War II, Budapest was partly destroyed by British and American air raids (first attack 4 April 1944[74][75][76]). From 24 December 1944 to 13 February 1945, the city was besieged during the Battle of Budapest. Budapest sustained major damage caused by the attacking Soviet and Romanian troops and the defending German and Hungarian troops. More than 38,000 civilians died during the conflict. All bridges were destroyed by the Germans. The stone lions that have decorated the Chain Bridge since 1852 survived the devastation of the war.[77]
Between 20% and 40% of Greater Budapests 250,000 Jewish inhabitants died through Nazi and Arrow Cross Party, during the German occupation of Hungary, from 1944 to early 1945.[78]
Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz rescued tens of thousands of Jews by issuing Swiss protection papers and designating numerous buildings, including the now famous Glass House (Üvegház) at Vadász Street 29, to be Swiss protected territory. About 3,000 Hungarian Jews found refuge at the Glass House and in a neighboring building. Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg saved the lives of tens of thousands of Jews in Budapest by giving them Swedish protection papers and taking them under his consular protection.[79] Wallenberg was abducted by the Russians on 17 January 1945 and never regained freedom. Giorgio Perlasca, an Italian citizen, saved thousands of Hungarian Jews posing as a Spanish diplomat.[80][81] Some other diplomats also abandoned diplomatic protocol and rescued Jews. There are two monuments for Wallenberg, one for Carl Lutz and one for Giorgio Perlasca in Budapest.
Following the capture of Hungary from Nazi Germany by the Red Army, Soviet military occupation ensued, which ended only in 1991. The Soviets exerted significant influence on Hungarian political affairs. In 1949, Hungary was declared a communist Peoples Republic (Peoples Republic of Hungary). The new Communist government considered the buildings like the Buda Castle symbols of the former regime, and during the 1950s the palace was gutted and all the interiors were destroyed (also see Stalin era). On 23 October 1956 citizens held a large peaceful demonstration in Budapest demanding democratic reform. The demonstrators went to the Budapest radio station and demanded to publish their demands. The regime ordered troops to shoot into the crowd. Hungarian soldiers gave rifles to the demonstrators who were now able to capture the building. This initiated the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. The demonstrators demanded to appoint Imre Nagy to be Prime Minister of Hungary. To their surprise, the central committee of the "Hungarian Working Peoples Party" did so that same evening. This uprising was an anti-Soviet revolt that lasted from 23 October until 11 November. After Nagy had declared that Hungary was to leave the Warsaw Pact and become neutral, Soviet tanks and troops entered the country to crush the revolt. Fighting continued until mid November, leaving more than 3000 dead. A monument was erected at the fiftieth anniversary of the revolt in 2006, at the edge of the City Park. Its shape is a wedge with a 56 angle degree made in rusted iron that gradually becomes shiny, ending in an intersection to symbolize Hungarian forces that temporarily eradicated the Communist leadership.[82]
From the 1960s to the late 1980s Hungary was often satirically referred to as "the happiest barrack" within the Eastern bloc, and much of the wartime damage to the city was finally repaired. Work on Erzsébet Bridge, the last to be rebuilt, was finished in 1964. In the early 1970s, Budapest Metros east–west M2 line was first opened, followed by the M3 line in 1976. In 1987, Buda Castle and the banks of the Danube were included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Andrássy Avenue (including the Millennium Underground Railway, Hősök tere, and Városliget) was added to the UNESCO list in 2002. In the 1980s, the citys population reached 2.1 million. In recent times a significant decrease in population occurred mainly due to a massive movement to the neighbouring agglomeration in Pest county, i.e., suburbanisation.[83]
In the last decades of the 20th century the political changes of 1989–90 (Fall of the Iron Curtain) concealed changes in civil society and along the streets of Budapest. The monuments of the dictatorship were removed from public places, into Memento Park. In the first 20 years of the new democracy, the development of the city was managed by its mayor, Gábor Demszky.[84]
In October 2019, opposition candidate Gergely Karácsony won the Budapest mayoral election, meaning the first electoral blow for Hungarys nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán since coming to power in 2010.[85]
Geography
Topography
Satellite imagery of Budapest
Budapest, strategically placed at the centre of the Pannonian Basin, lies on an ancient route linking the hills of Transdanubia with the Great Plain. By road it is 216 kilometres (134 mi) south-east of Vienna, 545 kilometres (339 mi) south of Warsaw, 1,565 kilometres (972 mi) south-west of Moscow, 1,122 kilometres (697 mi) north of Athens, 1,235 kilometres (767 mi) north-east of Rome, 788 kilometres (490 mi) north-east of Milan, 443 kilometres (275 mi) south-east of Prague, 343 kilometres (213 mi) north-east of Zagreb, 748 kilometres (465 mi) north-east of Split and 1,329 kilometres (826 mi) north-west of Istanbul.[86]
The 525 square kilometres (203 sq mi) area of Budapest lies in Central Hungary, surrounded by settlements of the agglomeration in Pest county. The capital extends 25 and 29 km (16 and 18 mi) in the north–south, east–west direction respectively. The Danube enters the city from the north; later it encircles two islands, Óbuda Island and Margaret Island.[14] The third island Csepel Island is the largest of the Budapest Danube islands, however only its northernmost tip is within city limits. The river that separates the two parts of the city is 230 m (755 ft) wide at its narrowest point in Budapest. Pest lies on the flat terrain of the Great Plain while Buda is rather hilly.[14]
The wide Danube was always fordable at this point because of a small number of islands in the middle of the river. The city has marked topographical contrasts: Buda is built on the higher river terraces and hills of the western side, while the considerably larger Pest spreads out on a flat and featureless sand plain on the rivers opposite bank.[87] Pests terrain rises with a slight eastward gradient, so the easternmost parts of the city lie at the same altitude as Budas smallest hills, notably Gellért Hill and Castle Hill.[88]
The Buda hills consist mainly of limestone and dolomite, the water created speleothems, the most famous ones being the Pálvölgyi cave (total length 7,200 m or 23,600 ft) and the Szemlőhegyi cave (total length 2,200 m or 7,200 ft). The hills were formed in the Triassic Period. The highest point of the hills and of Budapest is János Hill, at 527 metres (1,729 feet) above sea level. The lowest point is the line of the Danube which is 96 metres (315 feet) above sea level. Budapest is also rich in green areas. Of the 525 square kilometres (203 square miles) occupied by the city, 83 square kilometres (32 square miles) is green area, park and forest.[89] The forests of Buda hills are environmentally protected.[90]
The citys importance in terms of traffic is very central, because many major European roads and European railway lines lead to Budapest.[88] The Danube was and is still an important water-way and this region in the centre of the Carpathian Basin lies at the cross-roads of trade routes.[91] Budapest is one of only three capital cities in the world which has thermal springs (the others being Reykjavík in Iceland and Sofia in Bulgaria). Some 125 springs produce 70 million litres (15,000,000 imperial gallons; 18,000,000 US gallons) of thermal water a day, with temperatures ranging up to 58 Celsius. Some of these waters have been claimed to have medicinal effects due to their high mineral contents.[88]
Climate
Main article: Climate of Budapest
Budapest has a humid temperate climate (Köppen: Cfa, Trewartha: Doa) with warm to hot summers and chilly winters.[92] Winter (November until early March) can be cold and the city receives little sunshine. Snowfall is fairly frequent in most years, and nighttime temperatures of −10 °C (14 °F) are not uncommon between mid-December and mid-February. The spring months (March and April) see variable conditions, with a rapid increase in the average temperature. The weather in late March and in April is often very agreeable during the day and fresh at night. Budapests long summer – lasting from May until mid-September – is warm or very warm. Sudden heavy showers also occur, particularly in May and June. The autumn in Budapest (mid-September until late October) is characterised by little rain and long sunny days with moderate temperatures. Temperatures often turn abruptly colder in late October or early November.
Mean annual precipitation in Budapest is around 23.5 inches (596.9 mm). On average, there are 84 days with precipitation and 1988 hours of sunshine (of a possible 4383) each year.[93][94][95] From March to October, average sunshine totals are roughly equal to those seen in northern Italy (Venice).
The city lies on the boundary between Zone 6 and Zone 7 in terms of the hardiness zone.[96][97]
Climate data for Budapest, 1991–2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)18.1
(64.6)19.7
(67.5)25.4
(77.7)30.2
(86.4)34.0
(93.2)39.5
(103.1)40.7
(105.3)39.4
(102.9)35.2
(95.4)30.8
(87.4)22.6
(72.7)19.3
(66.7)40.7
(105.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)4.1
(39.4)6.6
(43.9)11.8
(53.2)18.3
(64.9)22.9
(73.2)26.6
(79.9)28.6
(83.5)28.6
(83.5)22.8
(73.0)16.8
(62.2)10.1
(50.2)4.6
(40.3)16.8
(62.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)1.4
(34.5)3.4
(38.1)7.7
(45.9)13.3
(55.9)17.7
(63.9)21.4
(70.5)23.3
(73.9)23.2
(73.8)18.0
(64.4)12.7
(54.9)7.2
(45.0)2.2
(36.0)12.6
(54.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)−1.2
(29.8)0.1
(32.2)3.6
(38.5)8.3
(46.9)12.6
(54.7)16.2
(61.2)18.0
(64.4)17.7
(63.9)13.2
(55.8)8.6
(47.5)4.3
(39.7)−0.2
(31.6)8.4
(47.1)
Record low °C (°F)−25.6
(−14.1)−23.4
(−10.1)−15.1
(4.8)−4.6
(23.7)−1.6
(29.1)3.0
(37.4)5.9
(42.6)5.0
(41.0)−3.1
(26.4)−9.5
(14.9)−16.4
(2.5)−20.8
(−5.4)−25.6
(−14.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches)37
(1.5)29
(1.1)30
(1.2)42
(1.7)62
(2.4)63
(2.5)45
(1.8)49
(1.9)40
(1.6)39
(1.5)53
(2.1)43
(1.7)532
(20.9)
Average precipitation days7.36.16.46.68.68.77.26.95.95.37.87.284
Average relative humidity (%)79746659616159616772788068.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours629313717723425027125518714169521,988
Average ultraviolet index1235788764215
Source: Average temperatures 1991-2020: OMSZ - Hungarian Meteorological Service.[98]
Architecture
See also: Category:Buildings and structures in Budapest and List of churches in Budapest
Clockwise, from upper left: the ruins of the Celtic and Roman civil town of Aquincum; Romanesque 12th century Gercse Parish Church; the Buda Castle; Kós Károly Square in the Wekerletelep; Ottoman Tomb of Gül Baba; and Gothic Mary Magdalene Church
Budapest has architecturally noteworthy buildings in a wide range of styles and from distinct time periods, from the ancient times as Roman City of Aquincum in Óbuda (District III), which dates to around 89 AD, to the most modern Palace of Arts, the contemporary arts museum and concert hall.[101][102][103]
Most buildings in Budapest are relatively low: in the early 2010s there were around 100 buildings higher than 45 metres (148 ft). The number of high-rise buildings is kept low by building legislation, which is aimed at preserving the historic cityscape and to meet the requirements of the World Heritage Site. Strong rules apply to the planning, authorisation and construction of high-rise buildings and consequently much of the inner city does not have any. Some planners would like see an easing of the rules for the construction of skyscrapers, and the possibility of building skyscrapers outside the citys historic core has been raised.[104][105]
In the chronological order of architectural styles Budapest is represented on the entire timeline, starting with the Roman City of Aquincum representing ancient architecture.
The next determinative style is the Gothic architecture in Budapest. The few remaining Gothic buildings can be found in the Castle District. Buildings of note are no. 18, 20 and 22 on Országház Street, which date back to the 14th century and No. 31 Úri Street, which has a Gothic façade that dates back to the 15th century. Other buildings with Gothic features are the Inner City Parish Church, built in the 12th century,[106] and the Mary Magdalene Church, completed in the 15th century.[107] The most characteristic Gothic-style buildings are actually Neo-Gothic, like the most well-known Budapest landmarks, the Hungarian Parliament Building[108] and the Matthias Church, where much of the original material was used (originally built in Romanesque style in 1015).[109]
The next chapter in the history of human architecture is Renaissance architecture. One of the earliest places to be influenced by the Renaissance style of architecture was Hungary, and Budapest in particular. The style appeared following the marriage of King Matthias Corvinus and Beatrice of Naples in 1476. Many Italian artists, craftsmen and masons came to Buda with the new queen. Today, many of the original renaissance buildings disappeared during the varied history of Buda, but Budapest is still rich in renaissance and neo-renaissance buildings, like the famous Hungarian State Opera House, St. Stephens Basilica and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.[110]
During the Turkish occupation (1541–1686), Islamic culture flourished in Budapest; multiple mosques and baths were built in the city. These were great examples of Ottoman architecture, which was influenced by Muslims from around the world including Turkish, Iranian, Arabian and to a larger extent, Byzantine architecture as well as Islamic traditions. After the Holy League conquered Budapest, they replaced most of the mosques with churches and minarets were turned into bell towers and cathedral spires. At one point the distinct sloping central square in Budapest became a bustling Oriental bazaar, which was filled with "the chatter of camel caravans on their way to Yemen and India".[111] Budapest is in fact one of the few places in the world with functioning original Turkish bathhouses dating back to the 16th century, like Rudas Baths or Király Baths. Budapest is home to the northernmost place where the tomb of influential Islamic Turkish Sufi Dervish, Gül Baba is found. Various cultures converged in Hungary seemed to coalesce well with each other, as if all these different cultures and architecture styles are digested into Hungarys own way of cultural blend. A precedent to show the citys self-conscious is the top section of the citys main square, named as Szechenyi. When Turks came to the city, they built mosques here which was aggressively replaced with Gothic church of St. Bertalan. The rationale of reusing the base of the former Islamic building mosque and reconstruction into Gothic Church but Islamic style architecture over it is typically Islamic are still visible. An official term for the rationale is spolia. The mosque was called the djami of Pasha Gazi Kassim, and djami means mosque in Arabic. After Turks and Muslims were expelled and massacred from Budapest, the site was reoccupied by Christians and reformed into a church, the Inner City Parish Church (Budapest). The minaret and Turkish entranceway were removed. The shape of the architecture is its only hint of exotic past—"two surviving prayer niches facing Mecca and an ecumenical symbol atop its cupola: a cross rising above the Turkish crescent moon".[111]
The most famous Budapest bridge, the Chain Bridge, the icon of the citys 19th century development, built in 1849
After 1686, the Baroque architecture designated the dominant style of art in catholic countries from the 17th century to the 18th century.[112] There are many Baroque-style buildings in Budapest and one of the finest examples of preserved Baroque-style architecture is the Church of St. Anna in Batthyhány square. An interesting part of Budapest is the less touristy Óbuda, the main square of which also has some beautiful preserved historic buildings with Baroque façades. The Castle District is another place to visit where the best-known landmark Buda Royal Palace and many other buildings were built in the Baroque style.[112]
The Classical architecture and Neoclassical architecture are the next in the timeline. Budapest had not one but two architects that were masters of the Classicist style. Mihály Pollack (1773–1855) and József Hild (1789–1867), built many beautiful Classicist-style buildings in the city. Some of the best examples are the Hungarian National Museum, the Lutheran Church of Budavár (both designed by Pollack) and the seat of the Hungarian president, the Sándor Palace. The most iconic and widely known Classicist-style attraction in Budapest is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge.[113] Budapests two most beautiful Romantic architecture buildings are the Great Synagogue in Dohány Street and the Vigadó Concert Hall on the Danube Promenade, both designed by architect Frigyes Feszl (1821–1884). Another noteworthy structure is the Budapest Western Railway Station, which was designed by August de Serres and built by the Eiffel Company of Paris in 1877.[114]
The Hungarian Parliament, completed in 1904
Art Nouveau came into fashion in Budapest by the exhibitions which were held in and around 1896 and organised in connection with the Hungarian Millennium celebrations.[115] Art Nouveau in Hungary (Szecesszió in Hungarian) is a blend of several architectural styles, with a focus on Hungarys specialities. One of the leading Art Nouveau architects, Ödön Lechner (1845–1914), was inspired by Indian and Syrian architecture as well as traditional Hungarian decorative designs. One of his most beautiful buildings in Budapest is the Museum of Applied Arts. Another examples for Art Nouveau in Budapest is the Gresham Palace in front of the Chain Bridge, the Hotel Gellért, the Franz Liszt Academy of Music or Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden.[101]
It is one of the worlds outstanding urban landscapes and illustrates the great periods in the history of the Hungarian capital.
UNESCO[116]
The second half of the 20th century also saw, under the communist regime, the construction of blocks of flats (panelház), as in other Eastern European countries. In the 21st century, Budapest faces new challenges in its architecture. The pressure towards the high-rise buildings is unequivocal among todays world cities, but preserving Budapests unique cityscape and its very diverse architecture, along with green areas, forces Budapest to balance between them. The Contemporary architecture has wide margin in the city. Public spaces attract heavy investment by business and government also, so that the city has gained entirely new (or renovated and redesigned) squares, parks and monuments, for example the city central Kossuth Lajos square, Deák Ferenc square and Liberty Square. Numerous landmarks are created in the last decade in Budapest, like the National Theatre, Palace of Arts, Rákóczi Bridge, Megyeri Bridge, Budapest Airport Sky Court among others, and millions of square meters of new office buildings and apartments. But there are still large opportunities in real estate development in the city.[117][118][119]
From left: Saint Anne Parish; Matthias Church; Fishermans Bastion; and Stigmatisation of Saint Francis Church
Districts
Main article: List of districts in Budapest
Budapests twenty-three districts overview
AdministrationPopulationArea and Density
DistrictOfficial nameOfficial 2013Km2People/km2
IVárkerület24.5283,417.233
IIRózsadomb88.01136,342.426
IIIÓbuda-Békásmegyer123.88939,693.117
IVÚjpest99.05018,825.227
VBelváros-Lipótváros27.3422,5910.534
VITerézváros43.3772,3818.226
VIIErzsébetváros64.7672,0930.989
VIIIJózsefváros85.1736,8511.890
IXFerencváros63.69712,534.859
XKőbánya81.47532,52.414
XIÚjbuda145.51033,474.313
XIIHegyvidék55.77626,672.109
XIIIAngyalföld,
Göncz Árpád városközpont,
Újlipótváros, Vizafogó118.32013,448.804
XIVZugló123.78618,156.820
XVRákospalota, Pestújhely, Újpalota79.77926,952.988
XVIÁrpádföld, Cinkota, Mátyásföld,
Sashalom, Rákosszentmihály68.23533,522.037
XVIIRákosmente78.53754.831.418
XVIIIPestszentlőrinc-Pestszentimre94.66338,612.414
XIXKispest62.2109,386.551
XXPesterzsébet63.88712,185.198
XXICsepel76.97625,752.963
XXIIBudafok-Tétény51.07134,251.473
XXIIISoroksár19.98240,78501
City of Budapest
1,740,041525.23,313.1
Hungary
9,937,62893,030107.2
Source: Eurostat,[120] HSCO[121]
Most of todays Budapest is the result of a late-nineteenth-century renovation, but the wide boulevards laid out then only bordered and bisected much older quarters of activity created by centuries of Budapests evolution as a city. Budapests vast urban area is often described using a set of district names. These are either informal designations, reflecting the names of villages that have been absorbed by sprawl, or are superseded administrative units of former boroughs.[122] Such names have remained in use through tradition, each referring to a local area with its own distinctive character, but without official boundaries.[123] Originally Budapest had 10 districts after coming into existence upon the unification of the three cities in 1873. Since 1950, Greater Budapest has been divided into 22 boroughs (and 23 since 1994). At that time there were changes both in the order of districts and in their sizes. The city now consists of 23 districts, 6 in Buda, 16 in Pest and 1 on Csepel Island between them. The city centre itself, in its broadest sense, comprises Districts V, VI, VII, VIII, IX[124] and XIII on the Pest side, and I, II, XI and XII on the Buda side of the city.[125]
District I is a small area in central Buda, including the historic Buda Castle. District II is also in Buda, in the northwest, and District III stretches along the northernmost part of Buda. To reach District IV, one must cross the Danube to Pest (the eastern side), where it occupies the northernmost point. With District V, another circle begins, located right in the absolute centre of Pest. Districts VI, VII, VIII and IX are the neighbouring areas to the east, going southwards, one after the other. District X is another, more external circle, also in Pest, while one must jump to the Buda side again to find Districts XI and XII, going northwards. No other districts in this circle remain in Buda. We must retrace our steps to Pest again to find Districts XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX and XX (mostly external parts of the city ), lying almost regularly in a semicircle, going southwards again. District XXI is the extension of the above circle between two branches of the Danube, the northern tip of a long island south of Budapest. District XXII is still on the same circle in southwest Buda, and finally District XXIII is again in southernmost Pest, irregular only because it was part of District XX until 1994.[126]
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Budapest
Budapest population pyramid in 2022
Budapest compared to Hungary and EU
BudapestHungaryEuropean Union
Total Population1,763,9139,937,628507,890,191
Population change, 2004 to 2014+2.7%[127]−1.6%[127]+2.2%[128]
Population density3,314 /km2107 /km2116 /km2
GDP per capita PPP$52,770[129]$33,408[130]$33,084[131]
Bachelors Degree or higher34.1%[132]19.0%[132]27.1%[133]
Foreign born7.3%[134]1.7%[135]6.3%[136]
Historical population
YearPop.±%
178457,100—
1850206,339+261.4%
1870302,086+46.4%
1880402,706+33.3%
1890560,079+39.1%
1900861,434+53.8%
19101,110,453+28.9%
19201,232,026+10.9%
19301,442,869+17.1%
19411,712,791+18.7%
19491,590,316−7.2%
19551,713,552+7.7%
19601,804,606+5.3%
19651,877,916+4.1%
19701,945,083+3.6%
19802,059,226+5.9%
19902,005,028−2.6%
20011,773,401−11.6%
20111,729,040−2.5%
20221,682,426−2.7%
1784,[137] Population 2001 to 2019[127]
Present-territory of Budapest
Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.
Budapest is the most populous city in Hungary and one of the largest cities in the European Union, with a growing number of inhabitants, estimated at 1,763,913 in 2019,[138] whereby inward migration exceeds outward migration.[11] These trends are also seen throughout the Budapest metropolitan area, which is home to 3.3 million people.[139][140] This amounts to about 34% of Hungarys population. In 2014, the city had a population density of 3,314 people per square kilometre (8,580/sq mi), rendering it the most densely populated of all municipalities in Hungary. The population density of Elisabethtown-District VII is 30,989/km2 (80,260/sq mi), which has the highest population density figure in Hungary and one of the highest in the world. For comparison, the density in Manhattan is 25,846/km2.[141]
Budapest is the fourth most "dynamically growing city" by population in Europe,[142] and the Euromonitor predicts a population increase of almost 10% between 2005 and 2030.[143] The European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion says Budapests population will increase by 10% to 30% only due to migration by 2050.[144] A constant inflow of migrants in recent years has fuelled population growth in Budapest. Productivity gains and the relatively large economically active share of the population explain why household incomes have increased in Budapest to a greater extent than in other parts of Hungary. Higher incomes in Budapest are reflected in the lower share of expenditure the citys inhabitants allocate to necessary spending such as on food and non-alcoholic drinks.[139]
According to the 2016 microcensus, there were 1,764,263 people living in Budapest in 907,944 dwellings.[145] Some 1.6 million persons from the metropolitan area may be within Budapests boundaries during working hours, and during special events. This fluctuation in the population is caused by hundreds of thousands of suburban residents who travel to the city for work, education, health care, and special events.[146]
By ethnicity there were 1,697,039 (96.2%) Hungarians, 34,909 (2%) Germans, 16,592 (0.9%) Romani, 9,117 (0.5%) Romanians and 5,488 (0.3%) Slovaks.[147] In Hungary people can declare multiple ethnic identities, hence the sum may exceed 100%.[148] The share of ethnic Hungarians in Budapest (96.2%) is slightly lower than the national average (98.3%) due to the international migration.[148]
According to the 2011 census, 1,712,153 people (99.0%) speak Hungarian, of whom 1,692,815 people (97.9%) speak it as a first language, while 19,338 people (1.1%) speak it as a second language. Other spoken (foreign) languages were: English (536,855 speakers, 31.0%), German (266,249 speakers, 15.4%), French (56,208 speakers, 3.3%) and Russian (54,613 speakers, 3.2%).[134]
According to the same census, 1,600,585 people (92.6%) were born in Hungary, 126,036 people (7.3%) outside Hungary while the birthplace of 2,419 people (0.1%) was unknown.[134] Although only 1.7% of the population of Hungary in 2009 were foreigners, 43% of them lived in Budapest, making them 4.4% of the citys population (up from 2% in 2001).[135] Nearly two-thirds of foreigners living in Hungary were under 40 years old. The primary motivation for this age group living in Hungary was employment.[135]
Budapest is home to one of the most populous Christian communities in Central Europe, numbering 698,521 people (40.4%) in 2011.[134] According to the 2011 census, there were 501,117 (29.0%) Roman Catholics, 146,756 (8.5%) Calvinists, 30,293 (1.8%) Lutherans, 16,192 (0.9%) Greek Catholics, 7,925 (0.5%) Jews and 3,710 (0.2%) Orthodox in Budapest. 395,964 people (22.9%) were irreligious while 585,475 people (33.9%) did not declare their religion.[134] The city is also home to one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe.[149]
Economy
Further information: List of companies based in Budapest and Economy of Hungary
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (September 2018)
MOL Group solar powered filling station in Budapest
Research and development centre of Richter Gedeon in Budapest
Budapest Stock Exchange at Liberty Square
Budapest is a significant economic hub, classified as a Beta + world city in the study by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network and it is the second fastest-developing urban economy in Europe as GDP per capita in the city increased by 2.4 per cent and employment by 4.7 per cent compared to the previous year in 2014.[150][30] On national level, Budapest is the primate city of Hungary regarding business and the economy, accounting for 39% of the national income. The city had a gross metropolitan product of more than $100 billion in 2015, making it one of the largest regional economies in the European Union.[151] According to Eurostat GDP, per capita in purchasing power parity is 147% of the EU average in Budapest, which means €37,632 ($42,770) per capita.[129] Budapest is also among the Top 100 GDP performing cities in the world, measured by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The city was named as the 52nd most important business centre in the world in the Worldwide Centres of Commerce Index, ahead of Beijing, São Paulo and Shenzhen and ranking 3rd (out of 65 cities) on the MasterCard Emerging Markets Index.[152][153] The city is 48th on the UBS The most expensive and richest cities in the world list, standing before cities such as Prague, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and Buenos Aires.[154] In a global city competitiveness ranking by the EIU, Budapest stands before Tel Aviv, Lisbon, Moscow and Johannesburg among others.[155]
The city is a major centre for banking and finance, real estate, retailing, trade, transportation, tourism, new media as well as traditional media, advertising, legal services, accountancy, insurance, fashion and the arts in Hungary and regionally. Budapest is home not only to almost all national institutions and government agencies, but also to many domestic and international companies. In 2014 there were 395.804 companies registered in the city.[156] Most of these entities are headquartered in Budapests Central Business District, in the District V and District XIII. The retail market of the city (and the country) is also concentrated in the downtown area, among others, in the two largest shopping centres in Central and Eastern Europe, the 186,000 sqm WestEnd City Center and the 180,000 sqm Arena Plaza.[157][158]
Budapest has notable innovation capabilities as a technology and start-up hub. Many start-ups are headquartered and begin their business in the city. Some of the best known examples are Prezi, LogMeIn and NNG. Budapest is the highest ranked Central and Eastern European city in the Innovation Cities Top 100 index.[159] A good indicator of the citys potential for innovation and research, is that the European Institute of Innovation and Technology chose Budapest for its headquarters, along with the UN, whose Regional Representation for Central Europe office is in the city, responsible for UN operations in seven countries.[160] Moreover, the global aspect of the citys research activity is shown through the establishment of the European Chinese Research Institute in the city.[161] Other important sectors also include, natural science research, information technology and medical research, non-profit institutions, and universities. The leading business schools and universities in Budapest, the Budapest Business School, the CEU Business School and Corvinus University of Budapest offer a whole range of courses in economics, finance and management in English, French, German and Hungarian.[162] The unemployment rate in Budapest is by far the lowest within Hungary. It was 2.7%, with many thousands of employed foreign citizens.[163]
Budapest is among the 25 most visited cities in the world, welcoming more than 4.4 million international visitors each year,[164] therefore the traditional and the congress tourism industry also deserve a mention, as they contribute greatly to the citys economy. The capital is home to many convention centres and there are thousands of restaurants, bars, coffee houses and party places, besides a full range of hotels. As regards restaurants, examples can be found of the highest quality Michelin-starred restaurants, such as Onyx, Costes, Tanti and Borkonyha. The city ranked as the most liveable city in Central and Eastern Europe on EIUs quality of life index in 2010.
Finance and corporate location
Hungarian Stock Exchange Palace on Liberty Square
The Budapest Stock Exchange, a key institution of publicly offered securities in Hungary and Central and Eastern Europe, is situated in Budapests CBD at Liberty Square. BSE also trades other securities such as government bonds and derivatives as well as stock options. Large Hungarian multinational corporations headquartered in Budapest are listed on the BSE, for instance the Fortune Global 500 firms MOL Group, the OTP Bank, FHB Bank, Gedeon Richter, Magyar Telekom, CIG Pannonia, Zwack Unicum and more.[165] Nowadays nearly all branches of industry can be found in Budapest. Although there is no particularly special industry in the citys economy, the financial centre role of the city is strong, with nearly 40 major banks being represented in the city including[166] as well as those like Bank of China, KDB Bank and Hanwha Bank, which are unique in the region.
MOL Campus, a neomodern skyscraper and the headquarters of MOL Group
Many international banks and financial service providers also support the financial industry of Budapest, firms such as Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, GE Capital, Deutsche Bank, Sberbank, ING Group, Allianz, KBC Group, UniCredit and MSCI among others. Another particularly strong industry in the capital city is the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. There are also traditionally strong domestic companies in Budapest such as Egis, Gedeon Richter, Chinoin as well as international biotechnology corporations such as Pfizer, Teva, Novartis, Sanofi, which also have R&D and production divisions here. Further high-tech industries, involved in software development and engineering are notable as well. Nokia, Ericsson, Bosch, Microsoft and IBM employ thousands of engineers in research and development in the city. Game design is also strongly represented with headquarters of domestic companies Digital Reality, Black Hole and the studios of Crytek and Gameloft. Apart from the above, there are regional headquarters of global firms such as Alcoa, General Motors, General Electric, ExxonMobil, BP, BT, Flextronics, Panasonic, Huawei, Knorr-Bremse, Liberty Global, Tata Consultancy, Aegon, WizzAir, TriGránit, MVM Group and Graphisoft. There is a base for major international companies including, but not limited to, Nissan CEE, Volvo, Saab and Ford.
Politics and government
Main article: Politics of Hungary
Model United Nations conference in the assembly hall of House of Magnates
Old building (from 1890) of the Hungarian Royal Curia, that operated as the highest court in the Kingdom of Hungary between 1723 and 1949. Now it houses a museum.
U.S. President George W. Bush meets with Hungarian President László Sólyom at Sándor Palace in Budapest.
Sándor Palace, the official residence and workspace of the president of Hungary
As the capital of Hungary, Budapest is the seat of the countrys national government. The President of Hungary resides at the Sándor Palace in the District I (Buda Cas.
PREMIER MINISTRE Béla Imrédy PHOTO ORIGINALE VINTAGE ancien Premier ministre de points de vente Hongrie
