Overview :
Hungary Photos
 Located
in central Europe, Hungary is bordered by seven countries: Austria,
Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro.
Apart from its quality wines (red, white and rosé) and Baroque towns, its
strategic location on the continent also attracts thousands of tourists
to the country.
Hungary is slightly larger than Ireland. North to south, the greatest
distance is 268km; east to west, it's 528km. The landscape consists
mostly of plains in the east, low hills to the west, and small mountains
to the north. Kékes Mountain (the blue mountain), the country's highest
point, is a modest 1014m. The major rivers are the Danube and the Tisza.
Since May, 1st 2004 Hungary is a member of the European Union (EU). The
currency is the Forint (1 US$ ~ 185 HUF / 1 Euro [€] ~ 250 HUF).
Originally the Magyars came from the Ural mountains and belong to
finno-ugric language group. These people swept over the plains to Europe
in the ninth and tenth century. Finally they settled in the country they
liked the best. During this period there were Slavonic, Hunnish and Avar
tribes in the Carpatian Basin. These tribes merged to form the Hungarian
nation. When you come to Hungary you can imagine why: the endless puszta
plains are everything a horseman and a farmer could wish for. On these
plains there are many beautiful cities, the greatest of these is the
capital city: Budapest.
Hungary, which lies in the Carpathian basin, was inhabited by the nomadic
Magyars in the 8th century AD. These nomads allied with the Holy Roman
Empire in the 10th century and a Magyar prince named Stephen I was
crowned the 'Christian King'. However, with Stephen's death in 1038, the
emerging nation witnessed constant plots and counterplots by rival
claimants to the throne. It enjoyed stability and prosperity under the
rule of Matthias Corvinus in the 15th century. In 1526, Hungary faced
defeat at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, a defeat that brought to an end
the independence of the country. Hungary participated in both World War I
and II as an ally of Germany. |
Budapest is a beautiful metropolis with a
lively nightlife. The city is known as the Paris of Eastern Europe
because of its monuments. The main downtown railway station called the
'Western Station' (Nyugati Palyaudvar) was even designed by the renowned
Gustave Eiffel who built the tour Eiffel. Budapest is famous for its
broad avenues and well-laid parks, and is best explored on foot. The
Castle District and the Royal Palace are frequented by travellers almost
year round, while the Óbuda area has some Roman ruins and the Kiscelli
Museum. A cruise along the Danube is a wonderful option as well
especially if you are in Budapest.
Lake Balaton, situated about 100 km from Budapest, is the largest in
Europe and has several high-rise hotels and beaches along its shore. The
sea is about 77km long and at the widest place about 14km. At his most
tall place a ferry moves between Tihany and Szántod. This ferry acts for
people and vehicles. An important city lying between the Danube and the
Dráva rivers is Pécs, known for the paradoxically named Mosque Church
built by the Turks.
Though summer is the main tourist season, Hungary is best visited during
spring and autumn when the climate is neither too hot nor too cold. The
temperatures in July and August sometimes reach up to 40°C!
(by
www.world66.com)
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Photo Gallery : Hungary
Artwork,
photos, concept, content and layout are (c) 2005