Famous people of Hungary 21st century. Sights of Hungary. Catholic Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
At the end of the 9th century, Magyar tribes from Western Siberia moved to the Danube, thus beginning the formation of the state of Hungary. Modern Hungary is visited annually by millions of tourists to see numerous Hungarian historical monuments, visit the famous local balneological resorts, and also swim in the waters of the “Hungarian Sea,” as Lake Balaton is sometimes called.
Geography of Hungary
Hungary is located in Central Europe, bordering Slovakia to the north, Romania and Ukraine to the east, Yugoslavia and Croatia to the south, and Slovenia and Austria to the west. total area This country is 93,030 square kilometers, and the total length of the state border is 2,242 km.
A significant part of Hungary's territory is located on the Middle Danube Plain. It means that most of The territory of Hungary has a flat topography. In the north of Hungary is located mountain range Matra. It is there that tourists can see the highest Hungarian mountain – Kekes, whose height is 1,014 m.
The Danube River flows through the entire territory of Hungary from north to south. Another one largest river in Hungary - Tisza.
Hungary is famous for its lakes, of which there are a lot. The most famous of them is Lake Balaton, whose area is 594 square meters. km, as well as lakes Velence and Ferte.
Capital
The capital of Hungary is Budapest, whose population is this moment is almost 1.9 million people. The history of Budapest begins in the 1st century. BC. – then there was a Celtic settlement in this place.
Official language of Hungary
In Hungary official language is Hungarian, which, according to linguists, belongs to the Ugric group, part of the Uralic language family.
Religion
The main religion in Hungary is Christianity. About 68% of the population of Hungary are Catholics, 21% are Calvinists (a branch of Protestantism), 6% are Lutherans (a branch of Protestantism).
Government system of Hungary
Hungary is a parliamentary republic. Legislative power belongs to a unicameral parliament - the National Assembly, in which 386 deputies sit. Since 2012, a new Constitution has been in force in Hungary.
The head of state is the President, who is elected by the National Assembly.
Hungary consists of 19 regions, as well as Budapest, which is considered a separate administrative region.
Climate and weather
The climate in Hungary is continental with cold, snowy winters and warm summers. In the south of Hungary near the city of Pécs the climate is Mediterranean. The average annual temperature is +9.7C. average temperature in summer - from +27C to +35C, and in winter - from 0 to -15C.
About 600 mm of precipitation falls annually in Hungary.
Rivers and lakes
The Danube River flows through Hungary for 410 km. The main tributaries of the Danube are the Raba, Drava, Sio and Ipel. Another largest river in Hungary is the Tisza with its tributaries Samos, Krasna, Koros, Maros, Hernad and Sajo.
Hungary is famous for its lakes, of which there are a lot. The most famous of them are Lake Balaton, as well as lakes Velence and Ferte.
Length coastline Lake Balaton, which, by the way, the Hungarians themselves call the “Hungarian Sea,” is 236 km. Balaton is home to 25 species of fish, storks, swans, ducks and wild geese. Now Lake Balaton is an excellent beach and balneological resort.
We also note another famous Hungarian lake - Heviz. This lake is a popular balneological resort.
History of Hungary
Celtic tribes lived on the territory of modern Hungary BC. In 9 BC. Hungary (Pannonia) became a province Ancient Rome. Later the Huns, Ostrogoths and Lombards lived here. At the end of the 9th century, the territory of modern Hungary was settled by the Magyars (Hungarians)
Most scientists believe that the homeland of modern Hungarians is somewhere in Western Siberia. This theory is supported by the fact that the Hungarian language belongs to the Ugric group, which is part of the Uralic language family. Those. Hungarian is similar to Finnish and Estonian.
In 895 AD. The Magyars created a federation of tribes, thus forming their own state.
The heyday of medieval Hungary began under King Stephen the Saint (ca. 1000 AD), when the country was officially recognized as a Catholic apostolic kingdom. After some time, Croatia, Slovakia and Transylvania were annexed to Hungary.
The Hungarian king Béla III had an annual income of 23 tons of pure silver. For comparison, at that time the annual income of the French king was 17 tons of silver.
In 1241-1242, the Tatar-Mongols invaded the territory of Hungary, who, however, were unable to conquer the Hungarians.
Since the end of the 14th century, the Hungarians waged constant bloody wars against the Ottoman Empire. In 1526, after the defeat at Mohács, the Hungarian king became a vassal of the Turkish Sultan.
Only in 1687 were the Turks driven out of Hungary, and this country began to belong to Austria, i.e. Habsburgs. In 1867, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was formed, in which the Hungarians actually received equal rights with the Austrians.
After the end of the First World War, in 1918, the Hungarian Soviet Republic was proclaimed in Hungary, which existed until August 1919.
During World War II, Hungary fought on the side of Germany. After the end of World War II, the Hungarian People's Republic was proclaimed (this happened in August 1949).
In 1990, the first multiparty elections were held in Hungary, and political map The Republic of Hungary appeared in the world.
Culture
Hungarians are very proud of their culture, which is noticeably different from neighboring countries. The fact is that the Hungarians (Magyars) are an alien people in Europe who moved to the territory of modern Hungary from Western Siberia in the 9th century.
The Hungarian culture was significantly influenced by Ottoman Empire, as well as Austria. This is understandable, because Hungary was for a long time actually a province of these empires. However, the Magyars (Hungarians) still remain a distinctive people.
The most famous traditional folk festival in Hungary is Farsang (Maslenitsa), which has been celebrated since the Middle Ages. In Charköz, Maslenitsa is celebrated especially magnificently, because... it is believed that “real” Hungarians live in this region, whose ancestors came to the Danube in the 9th century from Western Siberia. During Maslenitsa, before the onset of Lent, Hungarian youth walk the streets wearing scary masks and singing humorous songs.
Every February, the Mangalitsa festival is held in Budapest with numerous competitions, exhibitions and tastings of Hungarian cuisine. The fact is that the Mangalitsa is a famous breed of Hungarian pigs.
Hungarian architecture is closely associated with the name of Odon Lechner, who late XIX century created the national Hungarian architectural style.
Among the Hungarian poets and writers, one should definitely highlight Sándror Petőfi, Sándor Márayi and Péter Esterházy. In 2002, the Hungarian contemporary writer Imre Kertesz received the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The most famous Hungarian composer is Franz Liszt (1811-1886), who created the Weimar school of music. Other Hungarian musicians and composers include Bela Bartók and Zoltán Kodály.
Hungarian cuisine
Hungarian cuisine is as special as the Hungarian culture. The main ingredients of Hungarian dishes are vegetables, meat, fish, sour cream, onions and ground red pepper. In the 1870s, pig farming began to actively develop in Hungary, and now pig meat is traditional in Hungarian cuisine.
Perhaps someone will say that Hungarian cuisine was glorified by the famous goulash, but Hungary still has many traditional, very tasty dishes. In Hungary, we advise tourists to definitely try halasle fish soup, chicken with peppers, potato paprikash, trout with almonds, fried pork with sauerkraut, lecho, salty and sweet dumplings, bean soup and much more.
Hungary is famous for its wines (for example, Tokaj Wine), but this country also produces good beer. By the way, in last years For some reason, Hungarians began to drink more beer rather than wine.
Sights of Hungary
Hungary is a real “treasure” for tourists who love sightseeing tours. In this country there are a large number of historical monuments, among which there are about 1 thousand palaces and medieval fortresses. In our opinion, the top ten best attractions in Hungary include the following:
Cities and resorts
Many of the Hungarian cities were formed on the sites of Roman settlements. This is how Pécs and Székesfehérvár appeared, which are now considered the most ancient cities in Hungary.
At the moment, the largest Hungarian cities are Budapest (1.9 million people), Debrecen (210 thousand people), Miskolc (170 thousand people), Szeged (more than 170 thousand people), Pecs (about 170 thousand people) . people), Gyor (130 thousand people), Niregyhaza (120 thousand people), Kecskemet (110 thousand people) and Szekesfehervar (about 110 thousand people).
Hungary is famous for its balneological resorts, among which the most popular are Heviz, Hajdúszoboszló, Count Széchenyi Baths, Sárvár on the banks of the Raba River and Balatonfüred. In general, there are about 1.3 thousand in Hungary. mineral springs, which can be used for medicinal purposes.
Popular beach resort in Hungary is Lake Balaton, although balneological (thermal) resorts are also located here. On the shores of Balaton there are such popular resorts, like Balatonfured, Keszthely and Siófok.
Souvenirs/shopping
- Paprika (ground red pepper);
- Wine;
- Palinka (fruit vodka made from plums, apricots or cherries);
- Embroidery, including tablecloths, bed linens, towels, napkins and clothing;
- Porcelain (the most famous Hungarian porcelain factories are Herend and Zsolnay);
- Dried meats (especially Mangalitsa pork).
Office hours
Store opening hours:
Mon-Fri: from 9.00 to 18.00
Sat: from 9.00 to 13.00
Large supermarkets are open 24 hours a day, and some are open on Sundays.
Bank opening hours:
Mon-Fri: from 08:00 to 15:00
Sat: from 08:00 to 13:00
Visa
To enter Hungary, Ukrainians need to obtain a visa.
Currency of Hungary
The forint is the official currency of Hungary. International symbol for the forint: HUF. One forint is equivalent to 100 fillers, but now the filler is no longer used.
In Hungary, banknotes in the following denominations are used: 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000 and 20,000 forints. In addition, there are coins in circulation in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 forints.
What is Hungary famous for? Hungary – relatively small country on the map (109th place in terms of territory size and 83rd place in terms of population), but how many interesting things can be found here. The most famous inventions: Rubik's Cube - invented by Hungarian inventor Rubik Ernő in 1974. The ballpoint pen that we are all so accustomed to now was invented in 1938 by the Hungarian journalist Bíró László József. Nature of Hungary: Lake Balaton is the most big lake Central Europe, the Hungarian Sea, as the locals call it. View of Lake Balaton from Tihany Heviz is another amazing lake, is the largest thermal lake in the world. Hungary is one of the top five European countries in terms of the number of thermal healing springs. The most interesting bath in Hungary is the cave bath in Miskolc Tapolca. In Budapest, buildings with baths are entire architectural attractions: the Gellert Bath, the Széchenyi Baths. Mount Kekesh, 1014 meters high, is the most high mountain in Hungary. This is where the television tower with an observation deck is located. Music and literature: Composers: Liszt Ferenc, Béla Bartók, Imre Kálmán and others. Writers: Mikszáth Kálmán, Petőfi Sándor, Jókai Mór ) Architecture: The largest church in Hungary is located in the city of Esztergom - the Basilica of St. Adalbert. Basilica in Esztergom The largest building in Hungary is the Hungarian Parliament, in one part government meetings are held, the other is open to everyone. The most romantic castle in Hungary is Bory Castle, which Bory Jenő built throughout his life for his beloved Ilona. It is not for nothing that it is called a monument to eternal love. Bori Castle, the city of Szekesfehervár In Budapest, there is the largest functioning Synagogue in Europe, which can accommodate up to 3 thousand people at the same time. Transport: One of the oldest subways in the world is in Budapest, the first metro line Földalatti was built under Andrássy Avenue in 1896. Currently, this metro line looks almost in its original form, small yellow cars run here. The longest tram in the world runs on routes No. 4 and 6 along the central streets of the capital, its length is almost 54 meters. Tram in Budapest. Ikarus buses, the buses we all know, have been produced in Hungary since 1895. Objects world heritage Hungary, included in the UNESCO list: Bank of the Danube in Budapest: Mount Gellért, Royal Palace and Andrássy Avenue. Village of HöllököStave church in HollóköHortobágy – national parkTokaj – wine-growing region, probably the most famous wine from Hungary is Takaki wine.Benedictine Abbey of PannonhalmaCultural landscape Lake Fertö - Neusiedlersee (shared with Austria)Early Christian burial in the city of PécsAggtelek caves and Slovak Karst Slovakia ). Hungary now: The world record for jumping rope belongs to Hungarian Bánhegyi Adrienn, a Cirque Du Soleil performer. In one jump, she manages to twist the rope 3 times and so 330 times. Composer Edvin Marton, who performed at Eurovision with Dima Bilan, became well known in Russia and Europe. Like this amazing country, where you can simultaneously enjoy sightseeing and relaxation at Lake Balaton, Heviz or the thermal baths. Of course, Hungary is famous for more than just this, so it’s worth seeing...
Reading time: 3 minutes. Views 75 Published Nov 10, 2010
Hungary is wonderful and beautiful country. Moreover, it is located not far from Russia (God himself ordered to visit it, but I have not visited it yet). I associate Hungary with Lake Balaton (there really is one there) and awesome wine. To get to know the country better, I decided to collect interesting facts about Hungary, because... The RuNet, as usual, is full of only dull copy-paste.
1. Surprisingly, Hungary is almost the most ancient country in Europe. Both were founded in 896 (earlier than France and Germany)
2. The average Hungarian eats about half a kilogram of lard per week. The pigs are indignant, but they can’t do anything about it.
3. Since 1999, Hungary has been a full member of NATO. And in 2004, recruitment into the Hungarian army began to be carried out on a voluntary basis.
4. A little unpleasant. According to EU statistics, Hungary has the highest cancer death rate in Europe, as well as a high female suicide rate (why would that be, I wonder).
5. In 1944, Hungary gave the world Erno Rubik, and he, in turn, in 1974 gave all the inhabitants of the planet the most popular puzzle - the Rubik's cube. Currently, about 350 million units of this toy have been sold worldwide.
6. As it turned out, Hungarians are generally quite inventive people. In addition to the Rubik's cube, they added such useful and convenient things to the modern world as a ballpoint pen (invented by Laszlo Biro), holography (Dennis Gabor), the BASIC programming language, krypton light bulbs, etc.
7. As I already said, in Hungary there is Lake Balaton, which is the largest in Central Europe. For Hungary, the lake is of enormous importance, since its surroundings are the most important resort area of the country. The Hungarians themselves call Lake Balaton the Hungarian Sea, although the depth of the reservoir is extremely shallow. The most deep place– 12.5 meters.
8. Hungary produces one of the most delicious dessert wines (on our planet, of course)) - Tokaj wine. The wine gets its name from the Tokaj area where it is produced.
Although, in fairness, it should be noted that Hungary is famous not only for Tokaji, but also for wonderful dry white wines, and among strong drinks, palinka (fruit vodka) is well known to many.
9. However, Hungary is famous not only for drinks, but also for food. Hungarian cuisine is well known far beyond the borders of this country. Among the popular dishes of Hungarian cuisine are: goulash, paprikash, perkölt, Gyulai and Chabaj sausages, salami, Debrecen sausages, Dobos cake, etc.
The photo shows the well-known goulash
10. And finally, here’s an interesting fact: in Budapest (the capital of Hungary) there is the longest tram in the world. Its length is 53.9 meters!
Useful information about Hungary
Capital
State area– 93,030 km²
official languages– Hungarian
Currency of Hungary
National flag of Hungary
Visa to Hungary – a national visa is required at the Hungarian embassy or a Schengen visa is required
Time difference with Moscow– Hungary is 2 hours less than Moscow
Do you know any other interesting facts about Hungary? We are waiting for you in the comments)
Hungary- a relatively small country on the map (109th place in terms of territory size and 83rd place in terms of population), but how many interesting things can be found here. What is Hungary famous for? Do not know? And I'll tell you now.
Famous inventions:
- Rubik's Cube– invented by Hungarian inventor Ernő Rubik in 1974
Rubik's Cube
- Ball pen, to which we are now all so accustomed, was invented in 1938 by the Hungarian journalist Bíró László József
Nature of Hungary:
- – the largest lake in Central Europe, the Hungarian Sea, as the locals call it.
View of Lake Balaton from Tihany
- – another amazing lake, it is the largest thermal lake in the world.
- Hungary is one of the top five European countries in terms of numbers. The most interesting bathhouse in Hungary is located in Miskolc Tapolca. In Budapest, buildings with baths are entire architectural attractions: , .
- , with a height of 1014 meters, is the highest mountain in Hungary. This is where the television tower with an observation deck is located.
Music and literature:
- Composers: Franz Liszt, Béla Bartók, Imre Kálmán and others.
- Writers: Mikszáth Kálmán, Petőfi Sándor, Jókai Mór
Architecture:
- The largest church in Hungary– located in – Basilica of St. Adalbert.
Basilica in Esztergom
- The largest building in Hungary– , in one part of it government meetings are held, the other is open to everyone. The tour in Russian takes place at 11.00.
- The most romantic castle in Hungary– which Bory Jenő built throughout his life for his beloved Ilona. It is not for nothing that it is called a monument to eternal love.
Bory Castle, Szekesfehervar
- Located in Budapest Europe's largest functioning Synagogue, up to 3 thousand people can be in it at the same time.
Transport:
- One of the oldest metro systems in the world is located in Budapest; the first metro line (Földalatti) was built under Andrássy Avenue in 1896. Currently, this metro line looks almost in its original form, with small yellow cars running here.
- in the world runs on routes No. 4 and 6 along the central streets of the capital, its length is almost 54 meters.
- Ikarus buses, the buses we all know have been produced in Hungary since 1895.
Hungary's UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
- Bank of the Danube in Budapest: Gellért Mountain, Royal Palace and Andrássy Avenue.
Wooden church in Hollokö
- Hortobágy National Park
- Tokaj is a wine-growing region, probably the most famous wine from Hungary is Tokaj wine.
- Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma
- Cultural landscape Lake Fertö - Neusiedlersee (shared with Austria)
- Early Christian burial in
- Caves of Aggtelek and Slovak Karst (shared with Slovakia)
Hungary now:
- The world record for jumping rope belongs to a Hungarian woman. Adrian Banhegyi(Bánhegyi Adrienn), performer at Cirque Du Soleil. In one jump, she manages to rotate the rope 3 times and so on 330 times.
- Composer Edwin Marton(Edvin Marton), who performed at Eurovision with Dima Bilan, became well known in Russia and Europe.
This is such an amazing country where you can simultaneously enjoy sightseeing and relaxing at Balaton, Heviz or thermal baths.
Certainly, Hungary is famous not only this, so expect a continuation soon interesting facts about Hungary and in order not to miss an article, subscribe to our newsletter!
Hungary is undeservedly underestimated by tourists. Picturesque landscapes, authentic National cuisine, interesting story and facts, knowledge of which makes you look at the country from a different perspective.
Fact 1: The Metropolitan in Hungary is amazing on amazing
When talking about the metro in Hungary, they always mention the longest trams in the world with their length of 53.9 m. It is noteworthy that Budapest trams began operating on routes in 1896. At that time, there was no subway in Europe at all, and there were only two subways in the world - in London and New York.
The most famous in Budapest is route number 60. It is served by a modern tram, the interior of which has been recreated according to historical archives. Moreover, this tram, the only commercial (non-tourist) route in the world, goes up the mountain. Any tourist can ride on it for only 350 forints.
Fact 2: Hungarian Sea Balaton
Interestingly, in Hungary there is a sea that every resident of the country knows about. However, it is unlikely that an inquisitive tourist will be able to find it on the map. Hungarians call Lake Balaton the sea. The depth of the lake averages 3 meters, and reaches a maximum of 12.5 meters. 2% of the lake is covered with reeds, which are cut down for export in the fall.
In summer, the coastal zone of the lake becomes the main resort of the country. Basic resort town– Siófok, located on south coast. It got its name from the Shio River, which flows into the lake. There is another attraction in Siófok that will surprise Russian tourist: right on the shore there is an obelisk, donated by Russian residents to the Hungarians in 2012 in honor of the 6th World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples.
Fact 3: Rubik's Cube
In 1941, the creator of the Rubik's cube was born - a puzzle that almost every inhabitant of the civilized world tried to solve. In 1974, Enre Rubik presented his puzzle, and already in 1984 the first competitions in high-speed cube solving started. The author himself spent a whole month to solve his own puzzle.
The Rubik's Cube has become so popular that the number of copies sold today exceeds 350 million pieces.
Fact 4: Vegetarians will have a hard time in Hungary
When Hungarians say “meat,” they always mean pork. The average Hungarian eats 0.5 kg of lard per week. Moreover, all dishes are fried not in vegetable oil, but in pork fat.
Hungarians are very fond of the pre-winter holiday “Pig Wake”. On this day, a master is invited to cut and butcher the pig. Women traditionally salt lard and prepare a festive table, the main dish of which is fried liver.
Fact 5. The ballpoint pen was invented in Hungary
At the end of the 1930s. The Biro brothers invented the ballpoint pen. During the period of Jewish pogroms, they were forced to emigrate to England, where they patented their invention, and then sold the rights to it to an English company. The brothers did not receive a single pound from the sales, so they were forced to return and establish their own pen production, which was later sold to Marcel Bic.
Fact 6. Mount Gellert is a UNESCO heritage
Most beautiful view opens from Mount Gellért, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks to the picturesque landscapes that open up, the mountain has become a place of pilgrimage for photographers. There are rumors that until 1848, witches gathered on the mountain for a Sabbath.
Fact 7. Budapest is the only resort capital in continental Europe
Tourists are accustomed to the fact that the country's capital is a concentration of business centers, active cultural and nightlife. Budapest thanks to the waters lying at a depth of 1 kilometer thermal springs famous big amount medicinal baths.
Fact 8. Budapest is two cities
Until 1873, modern Budapest did not exist, and in its place two independent cities, Buda and Pest, were located. Buda was located on a hilly part of the Danube bank, and Pest was on a flatter part. It is symbolic that today both parts are united not only by the name of the city, but also by many bridges.
Fact 9. Hungarian is one of the most difficult languages in Europe
A foreign tourist will most likely fail if he tries to communicate with a Hungarian in his dialect. The Finno-Ugric language group, which the language belongs to, is rightfully considered one of the most difficult to learn.
Fact 10. In 1944–1946, Hungary experienced the largest currency collapse in the country’s history
The current Hungarian currency, the forint, was introduced into circulation only in 1946 as a means of combating galloping inflation, which reached 400% per day. At that moment, any resident could become a millionaire. The largest banknote, 1 quadrillion, was also issued in 1946.
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