Budapest, the capital of Hungary, lies astride the Danube. On the west side of the river is Buda, built on the hills rising gradually from the river, on the east, where the flat lands of the Hungarian Plains begin, is Pest. Man has lived in this region for more than two thousand years.

Budapest, which was born in 1873 from the union of three neighboring towns, Pest, Buda and Obuda in the north, is beginning to disintegrate once more. The districts, which developed from the centers of the small towns and villages of the region are only connected to the city center by public transport. The area which is more or less visible from our vantage point on Gellért Hill, the rejuvenated city of the turn of the century, heir of Romans and of Medieval monarchs and citizens alike - this is the real city.

Today the city has a population of over two million people, living in an area of 525 square kilometers in extent.

Budapest is already an elderly lady, slowly getting on in years as she heads towards Europe. Her houses recall a more and more romantic past, and have incredible stories to tell. Looking back from the vantage point of passing time, the stone carvings of the ancient Matthias Church and those of the more recent Fishermen's Bastion merge into one. More and more ghost figures tread the narrow inner-city streets and the wide boulevards; the stories narrated by the shabby houses become more and more exciting. If we manage to ignore the cars parked on the pavement which block our way, and allow ourselves to be carried away by the atmosphere radiating from the stones, the city will tell us the most fascinating tales...

Now, spare a little time, and come with us to discover our beautiful city!