The Country:
Facts about Hungary:
Name: Hungarian Republic
Location: East-Central Europe (borders with Austria, Slovakia, Ukraina, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia)
Area: 93,030 square km
Population: 10,300,000 (21 percent under 14 and 60 percent between 15-59)
Form of government: Republic (parliamentary democracy - 4 year election periods)
Capital: Budapest (2 million inhabitants)
Number of counties: 19
Climate: Continental with Mediterranean and Atlantic influences
Average temperatures: January -2C (28F), July 23C (73F)
Language: Hungarian (a very special language, originating from the Finnougric tribe of languages)
Currency: Hungarian Forint - HUF (1 USD = 193 HUF / January 2010)
Religion: Roman Catholic (majority), Protestant, Jewish
Local time: in the winter GMT+1 hour, in the summer GMT+2 hours (same as in West Europe)
Public holidays: January 1, March 15, May 1, August 20, October 23, December 25, 26
International country phone code: 36
The Hungarian national anthem ♫
History:
Important dates of Hungarian history:
5th century: The Hungarian tribes left the area of the Urals. They passed along the Volga and the Caspian Sea. After several hundred years of wandering, they reached the Carpathian Basin.
896: Under the leadership of Árpád, the Hungarian tribes settled in the Carpathian Basin. They drove out part of the residents and absorbed the other part.
997-1038: King Stephen of the Árpád dynasty ruled the country.
1000: Stephen was converted to Christianity. After his death, he was canonized.
1241: The Mongolian Tatars devastated the country. Their presence, which lasted a year, halted development for at least a century. After the warfare with the Hungarians, the Tatars did not continue towards the west.
1458-1490: The rule of King Matthias. Cultural life of a European standard flourished in his palaces at Buda and Visegrád. For a few decades, Hungary lived on a West European standard.
1526 At Mohács, the present southern frontier of the country, the Turks defeated the Hungarian army. 150 years of Turkish occupation started.
1686 Buda was recaptured from the Turks. (The Turks - similarly to the Tartars - could only advance in Europe to the territory of Hungary. Here they were faced by obstacles, after which no strength was left for the siege of Vienna.)
1703-1711 A freedom war under the leadership of Ferenc Rákóczi II, Prince of Transylvania, against the Habsburgs. The rebels defeated the Imperial army in several battles, but did not receive the promised French support and failed.
First half of the 19th century A national reform movement was launched for the political and economic transformation of the country, for Hungarian language and culture. This was when the National Anthem was born, and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences was set up. The building of the Chain Bridge started. The initiator of these was Count István Széchenyi, an eminent figure of the Reform Age.
1848-1849 A revolution broke out in Pest, which extendedover the entire country. The Habsburg Emperor was dethroned after the Hungarian army won several significant battles. Lajos Kossuth was elected Governor. The longest European national revolution could only be oppressed in the summer of 1849 by the Habsburgs with the help of the Russian army.
1867 The Hungarians concluded a compromise with the Habsburgs. A double-centred monarchy was set up with seats in Vienna and Pest-Buda. A spectacular industrial upswing started.
1918 Germany and its allies, including the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, lost the world war. The monarchy disintegrated.
1920 The Trianon Treaty reduced Hungary's area by two thirds and the population by one third. Since then, considerable Hungarian minorities lived in the neighbouring countries.
1938-1940 Germany concluded treaties in Munich and Vienna, according to which Southern Slovakia and Northern Transylvania were returned to Hungary.
1944 The Nazis occupied Hungary, as they did not consider it a reliable ally. During the Second World War, the Hungarians suffered grave losses on the Soviet front. At the end of the war, Fascists took over the governing of the country.
1945 The Soviet Army liberated, then occupied Hungary. At the hastly held elections, the Communists gained only 17 percent of the votes.
1947 The last, relatively free election was followed by the years of Communist control: show trials, executions, forced settlement of hundreds of thousands, imprisonment, harassment, forced industrial development, a drop in living standards, and Stalinist dictatorship.
1956 A revolution against Stalinism. The uprising was defeated by Soviet troops. János Kádár, who acquired power with their assistance, promised democratic socialism; in the meantime, retaliation and executions started.
1965 The new system became consolidated, and cautious economic reforms were launched. Living standards were rising and the iron curtain became penetrable.
1988 The Hungarian transition period began.
1990 The Communist party voluntarily gave up its autocracy. A multi-party parliamentary democracy came into being in the country. The Soviet army left Hungary.
1999 Hungary became full member of NATO.
Sightseeing:
Southern Transdanubia:
The region, south of Lake Balaton, bordered by the Danube and our southern border river Drava, consists of virgin forests, wide open spaces and little valleys hidden between softly curved hills. This is the southern section of Pannonia, the ancient Roman province, where UNESCO has declared the early Christian cemetery of Pécs to be a World Heritage site. The pleasant climate and clean fresh air encourage people to go hiking, horse-riding, and enjoy the region's rich natural beauty and historic memorials. Tiny villages nestled in the hills carefully guard their rich traditions. The towns offer a wide choice of architectural milestones and cultural programs to the visitor. The soft, full-bodied wines, rich in bouquet, essence and aroma can always be accompanied by something to eat: roast lamb, crispy roast pig, spiced sheep-cheese mixed with butter and tender young onion on rye bread.
Hungarian National Tourist Office South Transdanubian Regional Marketing Office
7621 Pécs, Mária u 9. Phone: 72-514-620, Fax: 72-310-067
E-mail: rmipecs@hungarytourism.hu, or ddrmi@hungarytourism.hu
Website: www.south-transdanubia.hu