Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1984. július-december (38. évfolyam, 27-48. szám)
1984-12-20 / 48. szám
Thursday, Dec. 20. 1984. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO 9. DEEP IN THE HEART OF EUROPE: HUNGARY! Budapest developed with split personality BUDAPEST, Hungary - Most of what you have heard about Hungary is true, if what you have heard involves a predilection to goulash parties and wild-eyed gypsy violinists. But you may be unprepared for the sheer beauty and romance of its largest city and capital, Budapest. The first-timd visitor who stands amid the Italianate pomp of the State Opera House or neoclassic Museum of Fine Arts, both on the city's grandest avenue, Népköztársaság útja, may feel a twinge of deja vu. More familiar places such as Paris or Vienna immediately come to mind. Any similarity between Budapest's architecture - and its mood and feel - and that of either Vienna or Paris is not coincidental. The architecture of both Budapest and Vienna reflect the influence of the imperial Hapsburg dynasty that ruled over Austria and Hungary. And Népköztársaság útja (in English, People's Republic Avenue) was fashioned in the 1870's after Paris's Champs Elyse'es. But Budapest (population 2 million) is not just another pretty face. Part of the capital's appeal lies in its manageability and the ease with which travelers can get their bearings. Actually two distinct cities, Budapest is bisected by the Danube River. On the west side of the Danube lies Buda; Pest is on the eastern bank. The two separate townships reluctantly merged in 1873 to form present-day Budapest, but a feeling of separation exists today. Buda offers the most reminders of the region's colorful past set against a backdrop of forested hills. Here, too, are most of Budapest's residential neighborhoods. The Pest side represents a bustling central business district and modern industrial areas. The first-time visitor usually is directed to the historical sites in Buda first and works back to Pest for other worthwhile sights and the best shopping. Pest offers a wider-choice of hotels, although the Budapest Hilton is in the heart of Buda's historical district. Where to enjoy Hungarian cuisine. Because of its ideal location atop a hill and on the Danube River, Buda was occupied first. Romans came almost 2,000 years ago and built the forerunner of Budapest, the town of Aquincum, the ruins of which can be seen today. At that time, Buda was at the very edge of the Roman Empire, which followed the river. The milestone on display in the lobby of the Budapest Hilton marked that boundary and was uncovered when the hotel was built in 1977. Other historical sights are bunched together closer to the river on what is known as Castle Hill, a' medieval walled city. Four narrow cobblestone streets wide, it is comprised of Buda Castle, Mathias Church, the Hilton Hotel complex, Fisherman's Bastion, and several one-of-a-kind shops (such as an equestrian store) and restaurants. The centerpiece is the castle built by Bela IV. in the 13th Century, occupied by the Germans in Budapest in World War II, and nearly destroyed when the Soviets took the city. The neo-Baroque structure is being painstakingly rebuilt and is about 75 percent complete. ~v The building today houses the Hungarian National Gallery (Hungarian works from the Middle Ages to contemporary), the National Library, and other small museums including the Budapest Museum of History and Museum of the History of the Hungarian Working Class. The latter deals with exploitation under capitalism and is certainly worth a look. Clustered together north of the castle are the church, Hilton, and the Disneyesque Fisherman's Bastion. Matthias Church was (Cont. on p. 10.) Drawing by J. Doman HUNGARY
