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 Budapest |
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• Area:
526 km²
• Region: Eastern Europe
• Population: 2,080,000 (approx.)
• Local Time: GMT +1 (+2 in summer)
• Official Language: Hungarian (Magyar)
• Currency: Hungarian Forint (HUF)
• Characteristics:
- The capital of Hungary and the national center of the following
business: watch, metal, nonferrous metal, chemistry,
and petrochemical businesses |
Budapest
is in north-central Hungary, some 250 km (155 mi.) southeast of Vienna.
The focal point is the Danube River, which bisects the city into two
distinct parts: Buda is mostly residential and built on the hills
and high river terraces of the western side; and commercial Pest is
on a large, sandy plain across to the east. It is a sprawling city,
with the areas beyond the Nagykörút (literally the 'Big
Ring Road') in Pest and west of Moskva tér in Buda mostly residential
or industrial and of little interest to visitors. It is also a well
laid-out city; you'll have done well to get yourself lost. Ferihegy
International Airport is 24 km (15 mi.) southeast of central Budapest.
There is more to Budapest than fish soup, paprika and Zsa Zsa Gabor.
With its multifarious and often embittered history, incredible architecture
and rich cultural heritage, Hungary's capital has the justly deserved
sobriquet of "the Paris of Central Europe", set apart from
other Hungarian and European cities by its beauty. The city straddles
a gentle curve in the mighty Danube River, the Buda hills rising dramatically
on the west bank, while the Pest district marks the start of the Great
Plain to the east.
The largest Hungarian city by a mile, Budapest is the heart, soul
and memory of Hungary, with the Danube coursing through its veins.
The city has a complex identity, currently facing something of a crisis
with the allure of modern Western luxury in conflict with the simple
traditions of its Eastern European roots and penchant for all things
classical. |
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Castle
Hill: The Castle District on Castle Hill is the premier destination
for visitors and contains many of Budapest's most important monuments
and museums, not to mention grand views of Pest across the snaking
Danube. The walled area consists of two distinct parts: the Old Town
where commoners lived in the Middle Ages, and the Royal Palace. Stroll
around the medieval streets of the Old Town and take in the odd museum.
A brief tour in one of the horse-drawn hackney cabs is worthwhile
for the leg weary. The Old Town is filled with attractively painted
houses, decorative churches and the famous Fishermen's Bastion. The
latter was built as a viewing platform in 1905, named after the guild
of fishermen responsible for defending this stretch of wall in the
Middle Ages. It has commanding views over the city, and is dominated
by seven gleaming turrets (representing the seven Magyar tribes who
entered the Carpathian Basin in the 9th century), and a statue of
St. Stephen on horseback. Immediately south of the Old Town is the
Royal Palace.
The Royal Palace has been burned, bombed, razed, rebuilt and redesigned
at least half a dozen times over the past seven centuries. What you
see today clinging to the southern end of Castle Hill is an 18th and
early 20th century amalgam reconstructed after the last war. It houses,
among other things, the impressive National Gallery (which has a huge
section devoted to Hungarian art), the National Library and the Budapest
History Museum. At the rear of the museum take a relaxing break in
the palace gardens. Ferdinand Gate under the conical Mace Tower will
bring you to a set of steps. These descend to a historic Turkish cemetery
dating from the decisive Independence battle for Buda of 1686. To
get to the Royal Palace, take the Sikló, a funicular built
in 1870 from Clark Ádám, or for the more energetic,
walk up the 'Royal Steps' or the wide staircase that goes to the southern
end of the Royal Palace. |
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House: In the heart of Pest on Andrássy út,
is the Opera House. The main reason for going here, apart from its
lavishly rich, decorated interior, is to catch a performance. A night
out at the Opera House is authentically Budapest, an absolute must.
Tours of the neo-Renaissance building are also available if you can't
make a gig. Given the number of festivals in Budapest, including the
Budapest Summer Opera & Ballet festival, there is almost a year-round
performance schedule. If the Gyðr Ballet from Western Transdanubia
are in town, jump at the chance of a ticket - they are Hungary's best
classical dance troupe (and not a piano accordion in sight). |
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City
Park: City Park, or Városliget in Pest's northeastern
reaches makes a welcome break from the built-up inner-city area and
incorporates many of Budapest's draw cards. The entrance to City Park
is Heroes' Square, which has the nation's most solemn monument - an
empty coffin representing one of the unknown insurgents from the 1956
Uprising - beneath a stone tile. The inspirational Millenary Monument,
a 36 m (120 ft) pillar backed by colonnades, defines the square. The
Angel Gabriel tops the pillar, offering King Stephen the Hungarian
crown. To the north of the square is the Museum of Fine Arts (1906)
which houses the city's outstanding foreign works (especially the
Old Masters collection), while to the south is the ornate Palace of
Art. Inside the City Park is the City Zoo, a five minute walk to the
west and past Budapest's most famous restaurant, Gundel's. Next to
the zoo is the Grand Circus. The gigantic 'wedding cake' building
south of the circus is the glorious, Széchenyi Bath. In the
middle of the park is the stunning Vajdahunyad Castle on the island
in the lake, which becomes a picturesque setting for ice-skating in
the winter. Outside the church opposite the castle, Ják Chapel,
is a statue of a hooded scribe outside named Anonymous after an unknown
chronicler who wrote a history of the early Magyars. Writers today
touch his pen for inspiration. The surrounding streets on the southeastern
corner of City Park are loaded with gorgeous buildings, residences
and embassies. To get to City Park take the yellow Metro to Hõsök
tere. |
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| November
1993 |
Hungary's President visited
Deajeon's '93 International Expo and made a verbal agreement
to establish a sister city relationship |
April 18, 1994 -
April 24, 1994 |
Daejeon delegate visited Budapest
and established a Sister City Relationship agreement |
| May 11, 1994 |
42 members joined the Daejeon
and Budapest Friendship Organization |
| September
10, 1994 |
Hungary's Ambassador visited
Daejeon and discussed Daejeon's Market Trade Show |
| November 6,
1994 |
Hungary's Ambassador visited
Daejeon and discussed Daejeon's Market Trade Show |
May 15, 1995
-
May 20, 1995 |
Daejeon's non-governmental delegates
visited Hungary to establish business relationship |
| September
1995 |
Discussed the Market Trade Show
in both cities |
April 24,
2000 -
May 4, 2000 |
Sent overseas marketing group |
| June 2002 |
Participated in the sister
city major meeting (commissioner of the sports division) |
| February
2004 |
Visited to Budapest city hall
during the dispatch of Daejeon delegation to east Europe for
market pioneering. Agreement for interchange (youths, culture)
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| November 2004 |
A member of sister city committee attended the International Immunology Society Conference, advertised wholesome foods and held a social meeting with the related corporations. |
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- Business related cooperation
- Established trade shows between the two cities
- Established cultural and art events http://www.budapest.hu |
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It's Daejeon
