Budapest
Budapest (UK: /ˌb(j)uːdəˈpɛst, ˌbʊd-, ˈb(j)uːdəpɛst, ˈbʊd-/, US: /ˈbuːdəpɛst, -pɛʃt, ˌbuːdəˈpɛʃt/;[10][11][12] Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt] (
listen)) 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 the second-largest city on the Danube river;[13][14][15] the city has an estimated population of 1,752,286 over a land area of about 525 square kilometres (203 square miles).[16] 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.[17][18]
Budapest | |
|---|---|
| Capital City of Hungary Magyarország fővárosa | |
Danube with Matthias Church in the background | |
| Nicknames: Heart of Europe, Queen of the Danube, Pearl of the Danube, Capital of Freedom, Capital of Spas and Thermal Baths, Capital of Festivals | |
  Budapest Location within Hungary  Budapest Location within Europe | |
| Coordinates: 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E | |
| Country |  Hungary |
| Region | Central Hungary |
| Unification of Buda, Pest and Óbuda | 17 November 1873 |
| Boroughs |
|
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor – Council |
| • Body | General Assembly of Budapest |
| • Mayor | Gergely Karácsony (Dialogue) |
| Area | |
| • Capital city | 525.2 km2 (202.8 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 2,538 km2 (980 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 7,626 km2 (2,944 sq mi) |
| Elevation | Lowest (Danube) 96 m Highest (János Hill) 527 m (315 to 1,729 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Capital city | 1,752,286[6] |
| • Rank | 1st (9th in EU) |
| • Density | 3,388/km2 (8,770/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 2,997,958[7] |
| • Metro | 3,011,598[8] |
| Demonyms | Budapester, budapesti (Hungarian) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code(s) | 1011–1239 |
| Area code | 1 |
| ISO 3166 code | HU-BU |
| NUTS code | HU101 |
| HDI (2018) | 0.901[9] – very high · 1st |
| Website | BudapestInfo Official Government Official |
| Official name | Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iv |
| Reference | 400 |
| Inscription | 1987 (11th Session) |
| Extensions | 2002 |
| Area | 473.3 ha |
| Buffer zone | 493.8 ha |
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The history of Budapest began when an early Celtic settlement transformed into the Roman town of Aquincum,[19][20] the capital of Lower Pannonia.[19] The Hungarians arrived in the territory in the late 9th century,[21] but the area was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42.[22] Re-established Buda became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century.[23][24][25] The Battle of Mohács, in 1526, was followed by nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule.[26] 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.[16][27] Budapest also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire,[28] a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. The city was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Battle of Budapest in 1945, as well as the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.[29][30]
Budapest is a global city with strengths in commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment.[31][32] Hungary's financial centre,[33] it is the second richest capital and city in the region after Bucharest.[34][35] Budapest is the headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology,[36] the European Police College[37] and the first foreign office of the China Investment Promotion Agency.[38] 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.[39][40] Opened in 1896,[41] the city's subway system, the Budapest Metro, serves 1.27 million, while the Budapest Tram Network serves 1.08 million passengers daily.[42]
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.[43] The city also has around 80 geothermal springs,[44] the largest thermal water cave system,[45] second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament building in the world.[46] Budapest attracts around 12 million international tourists per year, making it a highly popular destination in Europe.[47]