William Penn Life, 2002 (37. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)

2002-07-01 / 7. szám

Budapest: The Capital of Hungary

TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE face of Budapest today, mention must be made of the historical events which have served to define the capital.

The Roman established the province of Pannónia in the first century A.D., building a defensive "limes" line, on which one important center was the civilian and military town of Aquincum. The remains of this town can still be seen in Óbuda.

From the end of the ninth century, the Hungarian princes resided in the former garrison's ampitheater, while on the opposite bank of the Danube, the first roots of the town of Pest were planted where Contra Aquincum once stood protecting the crossing. In Óbuda, a center of commerce and industry was created within the Roman remains, and beside it a royal court, monasteries and churches.

The first era of Óbuda and Pest ended with the invasion of the Tartars. Reconstruction dominated the next chapter of the city's history, with the Castle Hill fortified to secure an effective defense. For almost 200 years a succession of evermore splendid palaces was built, decorated with works of Gothic and Renaissance art to rival any in Europe.

Then, from 1541 to 1686, with the Turks occupying the city, the slow destruction of the medieval buildings began, with the churches becoming mosques and the skyline being punctuated by slender minarets and the domed roofs of bath houses.

Following the victory of the Christian armies, the tri-partite city was rebuilt in the Baroque style, with the Pest side enjoying the greatest room for expansion. In the beginning of the 19th century, Pest had already begun to spill over its own walls and go beyond the city gates. These gates, which stood at the head of the main roads out to Vac, Hatvan and Kecskemet, have since been pulled down. The original National Theater

For those of you who don’t read Hungarian, we present an Englishlanguage version of this month’s “Magyar Nyelv” feature. While not a word-for-word translation, it will give you a general understanding and appreciation of the subject discussed.

was built in 1837, but again, outside the city walls. It was erected with money raised from amongst people nationwide, which illustrates the extent of national feeling at that time and gives us a foretaste of the great events that were to occur.

The idea to build the Hungarian National Museum came from Count Ferenc Széchényi, who donated his collection in 1802, setting an example to his contemporaries. The museum's grand staircase was completed much later in 1876, while its walls were decorated with murals depicting major events in Hungarian and world history.

The National Museum reflects the history of the Hungarians through archeological objects and works of art. The increasingly important commercial center of Pest was shaping up for its new role. The key moment arrived in 1848 when, only a few hundred yards away from the site of the old theater and in the gardens of the new National Museum, the flames of revolution that had swept through Europe flared up. A young poet by the name of Sándor Petőfi, now regarded as the greatest poet of Hungarian Romanticism, recited one of his verses—"Nemzeti Dal"—before a mass gathering of citizens.

Around the museum were built many elegant mansions, the first being the chamber of deputies in 1866. The rapid development of the city increased the influx of people from the provinces.

All of this led to abrupt and enormous changes necessitating a

radical rearrangement of Pest. Following on the large-scale programs of public works widespread in the 19th century, and modelled on those in Paris and Vienna, Budapest set about putting its streets and squares in proper order. Main avenues and boulevards were marked out, and sites were selected for innumerable public buildings. Bridges were built at the ends of the semi-circular boulevards, while radial avenues led out to neighboring settlements. The exception was Andrassy Avenue, which was assigned a more elegant role. The final third of the 19th century saw the building not only of residential districts but also of the offices of civil administration, education, public utilities and transport. Budapest thus became the economic, administrative, communications and intellectual center of a Hungary three times larger than today's. Its energy radiated out to increase the prosperity of smaller towns.

The Castle Hill was settled by Germans in its central part and by Hungarians at its northern end. The former began building the threeaisled Church of our Lady, populary known as the Matthias Church, beginning in 1250. They took their cue from the French Gothic cathedrals. The parish church was later used for coronations and royal weddings. After 1541, it became the Turk's principal mosque and was later taken over by the Jesuits. Today's church is the result of a restoration completed in 1896.

Frigyes Schulek fulfilled his dream of a medieval-style church which became one of the most distinctive elements of the city's skyline. At the center of the square in front of the church stands the statue of the Holy Trinity, erected in 1713 in thanks for the rapid passing of the plague. Behind the statue stands the early 18th century City Hall. At one corner is the statue of Lt. Gen. András

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llillinm Penn lile, July 2002