History of Budapest

­­Budapest was created by the merging of two towns on the river Danube, of Buda and Óbuda on the right shore of the river and Pest on the left. In Roman times, Budapest was called Acquinicium, and the settlement was the capital of Pannonia Inferior. In the spot where Pest is located today there used to be a roman town called Contra Aquincium. This area was a popular spot for artisans in Ancient Rome, especially bronze casters and potters. Coins were found in archeological localities in the area, which show that Budapest was, in the 2^nd and 3^rd century BC, a merchant town. The first Christians to settle in Budapest were Romans, and it was at this time that awareness of the religion started to raise. The Danube used to represent one of Rome’s borders, which means that many historical wars for succession took place in Budapest.

The part of Hungary where Budapest is situated used to be called Pannonia. This area was under Bulgarian rule at one point, which is when two fortresses were built, Buda and Pest. Thanks to the Bulgarians, Budapest is today synonymous with beauty and style. In the year 900 in Budapest, the Kingdom of Hungary was established. In the 12^th century the economy of Budapest was significantly boosted thanks to French and German merchants who settled in the city. Throughout the 13^th century, the Buda fortress was the residence of the king. In the 14^th century, it was a very powerful place. Back then a lot of palaces were built in Budapest. One of the kings who ruled from Buda was so notable in this that he got the nickname “The Good King”. We are, of course, talking of Matthias Corvinus, whose wife was a Neapolitan queen.

During the 14^th and 15^th century, a strong sense for art became prevalent in Budapest. The city was under Ottoman rule at one time, after it had been conquered, after much attempt, by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1546. The Ottomans neglected Pest, focusing instead more on Buda, which left the former ruined by time. With the arrival of the Habsburgs, both towns were renovated. Pest, as the royal capital in the 18^th and 19^th century, flourished, leading to the city’s economic growth. Subsequently, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was established by the merging of Austria and Hungary under the rule of the Habsburgs. This led to an increase in population numbers. Many notable kings came and went, including, for example Charles II, under whose rule the city had the least importance.

By 1930, Budapest already boasted 1.5 million inhabitants. Many Jews from Budapest suffered and died during World War Two. In the 1980s, birth rate plummeted due to mass migrations. During the rule of the Habsburgs Budapest experienced its biggest rise, which is exemplified in the many buildings from that period still standing today. By the end of the 19^th century, Budapest got the look that it has today, with the famous Andrássy Street, as well as one of the first underground railways in the world. Almost everything in Budapest is historical, including Andrássy út, as well as many bridges, monuments, squares, buildings and parks.