BUDAPEST- Magyarország

BUDAPEST- Magyarország
FROM THE SERIES:
CITIES OF EUROPE
Video: DVD, 13 minutes, 2004
Addressees: pupils from the age of 10 at primary schools, senior
schools and grammar schools
Keywords: EU extension, the capital of Hungary, Celts and
Romans, the Danube, the districts of Buda and Pest, House of
Parliament, National Assembly, St Stephan’s Basilica, Vaci Utca,
Millennium Monument, foreign investors, West End City Centre,
transport junction, economic and business centre, Castle Hill,
Fishermen’s Bastion, St. Matthew’s Church, political turnabout,
European metropolis
Chapters: 1. Parliament, St. Stephan’s Basilica
2. Vaci Utca 3. Millennium Monument 4. Modern Architecture
5. Western Railway Station 6. West End City Centre
7. The Royal Palace 8. Matthew Church, Fishermen’s Bastion
9. Budapest by Night
In the same series appeared:
Praha – Česká Republika; Warszawa – Polska; Kraków – Polska;
Bratislava – Slovensko; Wien – Österreich
A film by Rainer Hahn
Assistance: Simona Bachledová, Jana Bryjová, Conni Goldstein,
Annerose Hahn, Sigrid Hoge-Körnig, Meggi Kölzer, Jakub Ľudma,
Natalia Mervartová, Rastislav Pjontek, Wibke Seifert, Miroslava
Suchánová, Katarína Frečková
Speaker: Ted Norris
Content: The film introduces the capital of Hungary. At first we
catch a glimpse of the Danube, which divides the city into the hilly
Buda and the flat Pest. We experience the city, the history of which
goes back to the times of the Celts and Romans, as a busy
European metropolis, as a centre of politics and economy, as an
attraction for tourists and businessmen from all over the world,
and as a city in constant change. Foreign investors have
progressively changed the image of the city. The camera shows a
beautiful city rich in cultural attractions and leads us to its most
famous sights. The largest House of Parliament in Europe stands
on the bank of the river Danube. The former Royal Palace,
Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthew Church loom high over the
Danube on the Castle Hill. The film is concluded by several takes
of Budapest by night.
Praxis Unterrichtsfilm
Draisendorf 1
91346 Wiesenttal
1
Solution suggestions to the
worksheet:
1a) Budapest - 1 886 000 citizens,
area 525 km²
1b) Danube, Chain Bridge
1c) 1873, Obuda-Buda-Pest
1d) Parlamentary building – symbolizes
the greatness of Austro-Hungarian
Monarchy
2a) Chieftain Arpad
2b) 1000 C.E. King Stephan I.
2c) in 1526
2d) 1867
2e) 1918
3a) Gustave Eiffel
3b) St.Stephan’s Basilica, dedicated to
King Stephan I.
4a) on the Buda side
4b) Governmental quarters
4c) January 1945
4d) Every king had it rebuilt
5a) foreign investors
5b) Vaci Street
5c) district of Pest
5d) Westend City Center
6a) Transport junction, fishing, tourism,
natural borders
6b) Behind the Heroes‘ Square, also
called the City Park
6c) Krast caves with thermal springs
BUDAPEST
From the series CITIES OF EUROPE
Film text to PRAXIS EDUCATIONAL FILM
Film text
The capital of the Hungarian Republic, a modern
European metropolis in the heart of Europe.
The history of settlement in the Budapest area can be
traced back to the Celts and Romans. However, the
present-day city was not founded until 1873.The
wide stream of the River Danube winds through the
city as a silver ribbon and parts the hilly Buda from
the flat Pest.
The House of Parliament is the largest in Europe,
built in the new Gothic style. It is a proud landmark
of the city, which used to symbolise the greatness of
the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. This era triggered
the development of the country and helped Budapest
to achieve her present charm. In 1918 the AustroHungarian Monarchy was abolished. Budapest
became the capital of Hungarian Republic. Today it
is the seat of the National Assembly.
Pest – the modern city
The first permanent connection between the districts
of Buda and Pest is the Chain Bridge. It was built as
late as 1849. At the present time, 9 bridges cross the
Danube.
The largest church in the city is St Stephan’s
Basilica. It is dedicated to King Stephan I, who
founded the first Hungarian state around the year
1000. He also Christianised the country.
Around the Basilica: the Pest inner city. There is a lot
of hustle and bustle. Vaci Utca (street) is a central
pedestrian zone and it was the first important
shopping street in the city. Also, there are business
streets with international company offices.
Heroes Square with the Millennium Monument was
erected in 1896 for the occasion of the one thousandyear-anniversary of the Hungarians’ presence in the
Carpathian Basin. The Hungarians came here under
the leadership of Arpad.
Nowadays, it is a frequently visited tourist attraction.
The details of the Monument refer to the most
important moments of Hungarian history. Equestrian
statues of the seven legendary chieftains are standing
on the pedestal. Between the columns there are
statues of freedom fighters, national heroes, rulers
and other distinguished personalities of Hungarian
history.
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The typical concrete blocks of the communist era
did not infiltrate into the centre and are restricted
to the fringes of the city. Budapest managed to
retain its flair.
The contemporary occupation of public space.
The pace of transformation is enormous. Foreign
investors took over most of the real estates,
shopping centres and recently, more money has
been invested into the building of luxurious flats.
The number of architecturally interesting new
buildings and successfully reconstructed old ones
is striking.
Budapest has several railway stations at her
disposal. The Western Railway Station is situated
on the Grand Boulevard, and it is probably the
most beautiful of them all. In 1877, the famous
French architect Gustave Eiffel was called to
build an impressive ironwork hall for the station,
during the building the railway operation
continued undisturbed in a small hall underneath.
The name of the station is, in fact, misleading, as
the trains depart to the west as well as to the east.
Budapest is not only famous for its beauty and
cultural riches. The Hungarian hospitality is also
legendary: 1000 years ago, King Stephan, the
first of the Hungarian kings, ordered protection
and care of wandering pilgrims. At the time they
had to pass through the city on a raft.
The city district Pest, on the left side of the river,
is the centre of economy, politics and business.
Beautiful old buildings harmonise with modern
architectural buildings.
New coffee houses, shops and cinemas are
popular zones of public entertainment and the
citizens of Budapest go there to enjoy the
radiance of the new.
The top of the shopping world: Next to the
above-mentioned railway station there is the
West End City Centre, a huge modern shopping
centre. After a long period of denial, people are
able to enjoy the glittering world of western style
shopping!
BUDAPEST
From the series CITIES OF EUROPE
Film text to PRAXIS EDUCATIONAL FILM (continuation)
Film text (continuation)
Hungary became an independent country
shortly after the end of World War I and the
breakdown
of the Austro-Hungarian
Monarchy. Many centuries of foreign
dominance have still not been forgotten. The
political turnabout in Eastern Europe should
hopefully bring an ultimate deliverance from
foreign oppression in Hungary.
The former Royal Palace on the Buda side.
The Palace was a governmental residence after
the liberation from Turkish oppression. After a
long period of peacetime, the Palace was
destroyed during World War II. In January
1945, the surrounded German troops were
entrenched in the Palace for the whole month –
this was the 31st siege in the city’s history, and
fortunately, also the last.
The city adorns itself for the new times.
People rise to challenges of the new Europe
to meet all the forthcoming tasks on the way
towards integration.
The renewal project of the Palace after World
War II took a long time and the government
facilities are not located there anymore.
We say goodbye to the towering European
metropolis with a view of Budapest by night,
the flame of which has never gone out and
nowadays, it shines brighter than ever...
The river Danube has always played a crucial
role in the development of Budapest because
of its navigability. Also, it was important for
fishing. These days, it is a tourist venue, which
means that the ships are kept for tourist trips.
The Fishermen’s Bastion is right above the
river Danube and Matthew Church.
Matthew Church was built at the same time as
the Palace and it was named after its most
important patron, the Hungarian King
Matthew.
Each ruling king had the church rebuilt, for a
short period of time it even used to serve as a
mosque. It obtained its final Neo-Gothic form
around the turn of the century.
In front of Matthew Church there is a statue of
Holy Stephan, the first ruler of Hungary.
The Fishermen’s Bastion. It has never served
as a defensive device. The bastion was
completed in 1905 and was named after the
fish market, which was held there in the
Middle Ages.
Since 1988, it has been part of UNESCO
World Heritage.
The Parliament
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BUDAPEST
From the series CITIES OF EUROPE
Supplementary material to PRAXIS EDUCATIONAL FILM
HISTORY OF BUDAPEST:
The territory settled for 2000 years
Ak Ink: in English – a lot of water – the name of the
first Celtic settlement (on the Buda side on the
Gellért Hill)
In the 1st century – the territory was occupied by the
Romans.
The town of Aquincum was established in the 3rd
district of Budapest.
In the year 106, Aquincum became the capital of the
province Pannonia Inferior
Later the territories belonged to the Hunna Empire,
then to the Eastern Goats, the Lang bards.
For 200 years they were dominated by the Avars.
896 – The Hungarians (Magyars) seized the territory
under the leadership of Arpad and Obuda (the old
town) was declared the royal city.
King István I, who Christianised his people, became
the first crowned king of Hungary. This led to a civil
uprising in 1046 and to Bishop Gellért’s martyr
death. (He was rolled down from the present-day
Gellért Hill into the Danube.)
1241-1242 – Mongolian invasion
1458-1490 – during King Matthew Corvinus’
reign the city developed into a burgher’s city.
Matthew Corvinus encouraged science and
Renaissance art
1541-1686 – Turkish dominance – the
significance of the city decreased
1740-1780 – Marie Therese established a new
royal palace
Tyrnau University (1635) was taken to Buda
in 1777 and in 1784 to Pest
1791-1860 – Earl Széchenyi’s reforms
influenced the boom of Obuda, Buda and Pest
1873 – the three cities became the present-day
capital of Hungary
1896 – after the 1000-year-anniversary of
Hungarians’ presence in the area, the first
underground in Europe was opened in
Budapest
1918 – the end of Austro-Hungarian Monarchy
Budapest – becomes the capital of the
Hungarian Republic
Afterwards King Béla IV fortified the hill on the
right bank of the Danube and established the first
royal castle on Castle Hill.
Buda developed into a royal residence and Pest
became a business centre.
1387-1437 – The reign of Sigismund of Luxemburg
Buda obtained the status of a capital city.
Széchenyi‘s Medicinal Baths
Budapest today:
Area: 525 km2
Population: 1 886 000
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BUDAPEST
From the series CITIES OF EUROPE
Supplementary material to PRAXIS EDUCATIONAL FILM (continuation)
History
In the year 1000, the Romans settled in the area of
today’s Hungary, and Obuda became the capital.
From 1541 to 1681, the country was under Turkish
rule until it was conquered and destroyed by an
Austro-German army.
In the late 18th century, the Habsburgs reigned in
Hungary and in 1867 originated the AustroHungarian imperial & royal monarchy.
During the times of the Austro-Hungarian double
monarchy, Budapest rose to the status of
a European metropolis.
Hungary experienced WWI, an economic crisis and
entered WWII on the side of Hitler’s Germany.
After the Red Army liberation, Budapest was
largely in ruins. There were no bridges over the
Danube because the German SS-troops had blown
them up.
In 1956, similar to the Uprising of workers in
Germany and the Prague Spring of 1968, in
Hungary it came to a bloody suppression of the
revolution, during which about 3 000 people were
killed.
In 1989, the Iron Curtain began to loosen in
Hungary. The Foreign Minister of the Federal
Republic of Germany (the former West Germany)
Hans Dietrich Genscher declared, from the balcony
of the German embassy in Budapest, an official
permit of free entry for the citizens of the German
Democratic Republic (the former East Germany).
The Chain Bridge
Around the Danube
The best-known and probably most beautiful
bridge over the Danube is the Chain Bridge built in
the Classicist style. It was the first solid bridge
crossing the Danube and thus the first connection
between Pest and Buda. The view of the
illuminated bridge is especially enchanting late in
the evening.
Sightseeing
The landmark of the city is the building of the
Hungarian parliament located in the district of Pest,
on the bank of the Danube. Its construction was
finished in 1902.
The Parliament of Budapest is a monumental
building similar to the one in Westminster,
London. With its length of 270 meters, it is the
longest building in the whole country.
The Parliament
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BUDAPEST
From the series CITIES OF EUROPE
Supplementary material to PRAXIS EDUCATIONAL FILM (continuation)
Pest is the modern part of the city – the focus of the vibrant urban life. The innumerable stores and boutiques
invite shopping sprees and afterwards one can escape the tumult in one of the cafes or restaurants.
Probably the prettiest park in Budapest is on
Margaret Island. It is 2.5m long and lies in the
middle of the Danube. On the Island, which was
once inhabited by the Romans, there were two
monasteries, the remnants of which are still
preserved.
With its large and varied gardens and shady
chestnut avenues, Margaret Island is an oasis of
peace and quiet. During hot the summer days it is
best to find refreshment in the largest swimming
pool in the city – Palatinus. Besides, many open-air
festivals take place on the Island and visitors can
watch ballet and opera pieces in the amphitheatre
of the Hungarian State Opera.
Fishermen’s Bastion
At the end of the first really metropolitan avenue in
Budapest called Andrássy Avenue, there is the
most attractive of all squares in the city – Heroes
Square. One can get to this remarkable square by
the oldest underground on the Continent. In the
middle of the square looms a statue of the
Archangel Gabriel on a pillar 36m high.
Archangel Gabriel’s statue
Next to Heroes’ Square is the City Park, the largest
park in Budapest. The main sights can be found in
one of the streets running along the city park: the
Municipal Zoological and the Botanical Gardens,
the Széchenyi Medicinal Baths and Swimming
Pool and the Gundel restaurant, which is due to the
exclusive cuisine still one of the most popular in
the capital. The pond in the city park is a favourite
place for rowing in the summer. In the winter, the
pond transforms into a huge ice rink. It is also a
location of regular evening disco parties.
Millennium Monument on Heroes‘ Sq.
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BUDAPEST
From the series CITIES OF EUROPE
Supplementary material to PRAXIS EDUCATIONAL FILM (continuation)
HUNGARIAN CUISINE
Hungarian cuisine is undoubtedly known for its spicy
goulash, pancakes and perhaps also paprika, the typical
Hungarian spice. Hungarian cuisine was influenced by
elements from several nations; it is a mixture of
Austrian, French and traditional Hungarian cuisine
with a bit of Asian flavour. The highlight of each
Hungarian menu is the traditional wine from the
Budapest region.
A typical menu: Hungarian pancakes or Haláslé – an
original fish soup – as hors d'oeuvre, for the main
course a hearty goulash, homemade Pörkölt – a paprika
chicken – or roasted goose liver and as a dessert sweet
chestnut purée or hot apple strudel. The world famous
Hungarian wine is Tokay. The French king Louis XIV,
a great connoisseur of the drink, named it “the king of
wines”.
Can you say ‘Bon appetite’ in Hungarian? Jó étvágyat!
Hungarian goulash
SPAS AND MEDICINAL BATHS
Hungary is a country of spas. In Budapest there are over 100 thermal springs, located on top of the
underground krast caves system, which provide a permeable bed for the streams of water. The springs can be
very hot with temperatures between 30 and 80 °C.
The internationally famous Gellért Spa, built in a style of youthful ambience, is to be found in Gellért Hotel.
Further spas are the Széchenyi Medicinal Baths and Swimming Pool, with the refined style of the ancient
Greek and Roman spas, the thermal Margitsziget on Margaret Island, or the Lukács Spa.
NIGHTLIFE
Budapest is doubtless a metropolis and, as every
other city of such a size, the capital of Hungary has
also a lot to offer as to the night life: there are a
number of restaurants with traditional cuisine but
also culinary specialities, various bars, cafes and
night clubs; rock concerts, parties with rave, techno
and alternative music, as well as opera and folklore
festivities.
Budapest is the centre of Hungarian theatre and
music events. The building of the Hungarian State
Opera is certainly worth visiting. Just as the Pest
Concert Hall, which can be considered one of the
most beautiful in the world. There are more than
forty theatres in Budapest. Musical performances
in the cupola hall of the Parliamentary Basilica and
St.Stephan Basilica are truly valuable.
The Chain Bridge by night
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BUDAPEST
From the series CITIES OF EUROPE
Worksheet to PRAXIS EDUCATIONAL FILM
HUNGARY
Describe the
geographical
location of Hungary.
THE CAPITAL
1a) What is the name of the Hungarian capital?
How many citizens are there and what is its area?
1b) Which River flows through the city? What
bridge was the first to connect its banks?
1c) When did the capital originate and what
districts were joined to form it?
1d) What is the landmark of the city and what is its
symbolic value?
Stephan I.
HISTORY
2a) What chieftain brought Hungarians to the
Carpathian Basin?
2b) When was the first Hungarian kingdom
founded? Who was its founder?
2c) When did the Habsburg Monarchy emerge?
Western Railway Station
2d) When was it abolished?
2e) When was the Hungarian
recognised as a sovereign state?
3a) What company constructed the hall of the
Western Railway Station in Budapest?
3b) What is the name of the largest church in the
capital? To whom is it dedicated?
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Republic
BUDAPEST
From the series CITIES OF EUROPE
Worksheet to PRAXIS EDUCATIONAL FILM (continuation)
4a) In which district of the capital lies the Royal
Palace?
4b) What was its function after the liberation from
the Turkish invasion?
4c) When was the last siege of the Palace?
4d) What is Mathew Church famous for?
The Royal Palace
ECONOMY
5a) Who is in charge of most of the real estates in
Budapest?
5b) What is the name of the main shopping
street?
5c) Which part of Budapest is the economic,
political and business centre?
5d) What is the name of the most popular
shopping centre?
West End City Centre
6a) What is the role of the Danube in Budapest’s
history and economy?
6b) Where is the largest park in Budapest? What is
its name?
6c) What are the renowned spas of Budapest built
on?
6d) Describe Hungarian cuisine.
The Danube
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