2. The national emblems took shape over the
course of centuries. Their usage dates back
to the early medieval period.
3. A unique tradition took place in Hungary:
only those who are crowned with the
Holy Crown of Hungary could be the
consecrated king of the country
4. The painter Árpád Feszty’s gigantic work
of art „The Hungarian Conquest” is
exhibited in the National Historical
Memorial Park of Ópusztaszer. It was
considered to be the main attraction of the
millenial exhibition in London
5. The Hungarian Parliament
The Hungarian Parliament is a source of national
pride and the symbol of state, as well as one of
the largest and most beautiful buildings in
Budapest. It was built between 1885 and 1904,
designed by the architect Imre Steindl. The
National Assembly meets here.
6. It’s often compared to Versailles. The period of 1768-90
can be considerd as the golden days of the princely
residence. The master of the mansion was a generous
patron of culture. Joseph Haydn was the most famous
artist who lived and worked here for almost 30 years.
The mansion has got 126 rooms with lavish interior.
7. This is the third largest church in Europe following St
Peter’s Cathedral in Rome and St Paul’s Cathedral in
London and also the tallest building in Hungary. The
country’s first king, Saint Stephen I was crowned here at
the turn of the years 1000-1001.
8. Hungary’s largest Calvinist
Church. The central nave of the
Great Church is 55 metres in
length and 15 metres wide.
Hungary’s independence was
declared in this church on the
14th April 1849 and Lajos Kossuth
was chosen as the country’s
Governor-President within the
walls of the church.
9. The church is a most magnificent feature of the 20th
century Hungarian ecclesiastical architecture and the fourth
largest church in the country. It has a capacity of five
thousand people. There is an open-air theatre festival every
year on the large square in front of the cathedral.
10. A handful group of poorly
equipped, yet fanatically
devoted defenders led by
Captain István Dobó resisted
the overwhelming superiority
of the Turkish attacking forces
for 38 days in 1552. In the
end, due to its severe losses,
the Turkish host disgracefully
retreated under the cover of
the night. Géza Gárdonyi’s
novel, Stars of Eger, records
the heroic story of the Castle
of Eger and its defenders.
11. Hollókő authentically preserves the image and traditions of
a Palóc village; some of its protected buildings are still
inhabited. The ancient, protected part of the village has
been a World Heritage Site since 1987. The village’s tiny,
shingled roof church dates back to 1889 and was built
from public donations.
12. This region is one of the most beautiful landscapes in
Hungary. The land is dotted with a number of picturesque
historical settlements, like Visegrád, Esztergom and
Szentendre.
13. The traditional folk attire of the Hungarians refers to the
dresses worn by the peasant classes. Although the
tendencies vary from region to region the trained eye can
read a person’s life from their clothing. Every single region
of Hungary has its own characterisitc outfit – Matyóföld,
Kalocsa, Sárkör, Karcag or Kazár.
14.
15. Hungarians have always been
a horse – riding nation.
Szilvásvárad has a world-
renowned and recorded
breed of Lipica horses. Apart
from breeding, Hungarian
stock also has a worldwide
reputation in the field of
competition.
16. The handmade articles were all crafted with a specific task
in mind: the earthware was used to cook and store food,
the clothes were designed to keep people warm, the whips
cracked in the air.
17. Numerous branches of craftmanship
have developed over the ages, but
are all down to earth, simple and
practical. Peasant craftmanship is the
pure source of inspiration: simple,
robust and natural.
18. Violin
Sheperd’s pipe
Dulcimer
In the history of folk instruments
there are two distinctive paths of
development: those of brilliantly simple
instruments (reed and jug pipes) or
extremely intricate devices, which
Zither require great skill and proficiency .
19. The lacework of Kiskunhalas won the Grand Prix at the
1937 World Fair in Paris – defeating the renowned lacework
of Brussels – and is thus rightly considered to be one of the
most beautiful examples of lacework in the world.
Lacework was originally the art of royal courts.
20. Matyó
Karádi Mezőségi
Canvas embroidery originates from countrywomen. The
embroidery of the region of Kalocsa encompassed a range
of fantastic colours and a rich conglomerate of shapes.
22. This is the largest alkaline plain in Europe, the most prominent
natural wonder of Hungary. The region is home to the
Hungarian Grey Cattle and the Racka sheep. The longest stone
bridge in Hungary, The Nine – Arch Bridge became a World
Heritage Site in 1999.
23.
24. Lake Balaton or as we call it the Hungarian Sea is the
largest lake in Europe. The water is shallow, the average
depth is 3 -5 metres. It has been a fashionable bathing
resort since the 19th century. A growing number of tourists
discover the hidden treasures of the lakeshore: Tihany,
Badacsony and Szigliget.
25. It is one of the greatest rivers in
Central Europe with over 600
kilometres in Hungary. The
regulation of the river began in
1846 on the initiative of István
Széchenyi. The ‘flowering’ of the
Tisza is a unique natural wonder:
the yearly swarming of may – flies
is an unforgettable sight.
26. The capricious river is also a serious danger. Floods are
quite common and the huge mass of water sometimes
causes breaches in the dike, destroying lives and homes .
27. He won the Nobel Prize in
Physiology and medicine in 1937.
He discovered vitamin C and its
effects. The ascorbic acid
required for his experiements Albert Szent-Györgyi
was taken from the green
peppers of Szeged allowing him
to cure scorbutic guinea pigs.
28. In 1971 he won the Nobel Prize
in Physics for his inventioin
and development of the
holographic method. He worked
in Germany and Hungary and
then settled in England in 1934,
where he became a renowned
researcher.
29. The musical pieces and
educational works of the
composer and musicologist,
Zoltán Kodály, make him one
of the most significant
figures of classical music.
The so called Kodály Method
named after him is used in
numerous countries in the
world to teach music to
children. The basis of this
method is to use singing,
solmization and reading
sheet music strating from
very early age. .
30. He is one of the greatest
composers and pianists of
the 20th century. His works
were unique in the way he
utilized certain elements of
traditional folk music and
the motifs of folk songs,
which he collected and
researched himself. His
works: Bluebeard’s Castle
and the Wooden Prince. He
was a teacher at Columbia
University .
31. In 1870, from an early orphaned
carpenters apprentice and vagabond
.
painter , he quickly became a well-
known painter, after he won the Gold
Medal of the Paris Salon with his
painting ‘The Last Day of a
Condemned Man’. He became ‘the
greatest Hungarian painter’ by virtue of
his large, religious paintings, referred to
as the Trilogy: Ecce homo, Christ
before Pilate and Golgotha.
32. The most successful invention of the architect Ernő Rubik
was the spatial, logical puzzle in 1976, known as ‘Magic
Cube’ or ‘Rubik’s Cube’. In 1980 they sold over one million
of it in Hungary alone. It’s difficult to solve the puzzle,
which requires skill, spatial sense and patience. Nowadays
Mr. Rubik developes game softwares.
33. Timeless figure of Hunfgarian
film art and a maker of valuable
films. His film, Mephisto won an
Oscar in 1982. His directing
skills have gained him over thirty
awards in various film festivals
over the world. Some of his
films: The Age of Illusions,
Lovefilm, Confidence, Meeting
Venus or Taking Sides and
Sunshine.
34. The greatest physician of the 20th century was born in
Budapest but he left Hungary at the age of 18 and
emigrated to the United States in 1934. In the cold war
years, he played a key role in developing the hydrogen
bomb as well as focusing on the peaceful use of atomic
energy.
35. The traditional, aristic work of the 100-Member Gypsy
Orchestra is a highly unique, unparalleled cultural asset.
The orchestra mainly consists of Roma musicians, who play
both classical and traditional Hungarian gypsy music.
Their performance at the opening ceremony of the 1998
Lisbon World Exhibition was memorable.
36. Our county’s most famous musician came from a gypsy
family. He plays both gypsy and classical music on the
violin. He gives concerts all over the world for the most
prominent people – presidents, kings and royal families.
37. The best known Hungarian
football player ever. His shots
were indefensible. He led the
Mighty Magyars to victory as
the captain of the Hungarian
league between 1950 and
1954. They played 32
consecutive matches without
ever losing a game. The most
memorable fray was the
match with England in 1953
at Wembley Stadium: The
Hungarian boys beat the
English team 6 – 3.
38. As an amateur, he won three olympic titles. His career was
ruined by politics: although he was supported for a while,
in the crucial moment he wasn’t allowed to compete for
the World Championship title. He turned his back on fame
and fortune and returned to his home country.
39. Krisztina Egerszegi is the best Hungarian female swimmer
and the youngest Olympic champion. She won five
Olympic gold medals. The fourteen year old girl became an
Olympic champion in Seoul and she came home with three
gold medals from Barcelona. Nowadays she is more proud
of her three children.
40. The best female player in
chess history, the only
woman to achieve the title of
a grandmaster. She managed
to defeat her arch rival,
Kasparov, in 2002. After
giving birth to her children
she didn’t give up chess, she
still possesses a well-
established prestige.
41. Water-polo means just as much to Hungarians as football
means to Brazilians or basketball to Americans: no other
country in the world has gained the kind of achievements
in this sport that Hungary has. The team’s major figures
include: Tibor Benedek, Péter Biros, Tamás Kásás, Gergely
Kiss, Zoltán Szécsi, Dezső Gyarmati.
42. There’s a legend surrounding the establishment of this
sport: an army messenger had to get a message across
enemy lines to the other side of the river. He started on
horseback, yet was soon spoted by the enemy, so he cut
his way through with a rifle and a sword. His horse was
shot, so he swam across the river and continue his journey
on foot, running.
43. Rita Kőbán, Katalin Kovács or
Natasa Janics have done much
to popularise the sport with
their amazing achievements
and multiple Olympic medals.
44. Gulyás
Stuffed cabbage
Meat pancake of Hortobágy Meat soup
45. Strudel Lángos – fried dough
The secret of the international
reputation of Hungarian cuisine
is that nothing is set in stone.
It is still being shaped,
creatively combining the
traditions of other nationalities.
Rich soups, delicious main
courses and desserts can
please the most fussy stomach,
taste or demand.
Dobos cake
46. Tokaj, Villány and Eger are important wine regions in
Hungary. Among the different types of wines, which vary
from region to region, everyone can find the most suitable.
Cheers! - Egészségedre!
