Some interesting facts about… … HUNGARY :) Some interesting facts about…

Hungary is one of the oldest countries in Europe Hungary is one of the oldest countries in Europe. It was founded in 896, before France and Germany became separate entities, and before the unification of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Around 1000 CE, the Kingdom of Hungary was one of the largest states in Europe, bigger than France. Later, it became of the two "eagle heads" of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Hungary is much smaller now than it was when King Stephan I ruled. It was split up after WWI, leaving only the central part intact. Now, about 10 million people live in Hungary, and many Hungarians live throughout the world.

Hungary is often described as a cultural and linguistic island in the centre of Europe. Hungarian language is known as Magyar. It is the direct descendent of the language spoken by the Huns, and itherefore it is not an Indo-European language. It has only two related languages in Europe: Finnish (Suomi) and Estonian (Eesti keel). In his novel “Budapest” Chico Buarque writes that the Hungarian language is the only one that the devil respects ;)

The official name of Hungary is ‘Hungarian Republic’ Hungary is situated in East-Central Europe and shares its borders with Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. The main religion followed in Hungary is Roman Catholicism, followed by Calvinist, Lutheran and Greek Catholicism. The largest city in Hungary, Budapest, is also its capital and its cultural, economic and industrial center.

Budapest, on the Danube river, was once two cities on two sides of the river, Buda and Pest, but then the people built a bridge, and the two cites became one. Budapest is often called “Paris of the East”. The dazzaling Art Nouveau and Baroque Palaces, Churches, Coffee Houses and Buildings will excite any of travellers visiting this beautiful city.

Budapest can boast with three buildings designed by the Eiffel company: the Western Railway Station, the Margaret Bridge and the Palm House in the Zoo (The Budapest Zoo is the second oldest in Europe and it is home of 5000 animals and 15000 different species of plants). The building of the Western Railway Station is also home of the “most beautiful McDonald’s in Europe”, as tourists say. B U D A P E S T

In Budapest you can see the only square on earth with three parliamentary buildings. There was an international competition to design the Parliament building in the 19th century. There were some excellent designs, therefore, the committee decided to build the first-, the second-, and the third-prize winners on the same square. The first prize winner became the Parliament; the other two are the Ministry of Agriculture and Regional Development and the Museum of Ethnography. B U D A P E S T

The oldest underground on the European continent is to be found in Budapest. It was completed for the Millennium ceremony in 1896, the 1000 year-old anniversary of magyar’s conquest. The opening ceremony took place in the presence of the royal couple of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Franz Joseph and Elisabeth. The first electric underground railway still functions with its original tracks. There is also a small underground museum.

The Ottoman Empire occupied Budapest for 150 years and built several 15-16th century bath houses. Today Budapest boasts more than 100 hot springs that fill more than 20 bathing complexs thus making it the Mineral Bath capital of the world. Budapest’s neo-Gothic Parliament, the gold-plated Grand Synagogue, and the eclectic Széchenyi Bath (you can see here) are all the largest of their kinds in Europe.

The Museum of Fine Arts houses the second largest Spanish collection after the Prado in Madrid and there are excellent Dutch, German, Italian, English and French paintings as well.

Legend says that the lake appeared when a giant named Balaton fell into the valley holding a mermaid-blessed stone. Water flowed from underneath him to create the lake. Hungarians call Balaton the Hungarian Sea because it is the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe and the country is otherwise landlocked. It’s funny nickname is Balcsi (Ball-chee).

Lake Hévíz is the second largest thermal lake in the world and bathers can enjoy a warming wallow at any time of the year – even in the coldest winter.

The Hungarian Grand Prix of 1986 was the first Formula One race to take place behind the Iron Curtain. In 1989, Hungary became the first communist-block country to open its borders with Western Europe.

Hungary was the first football team to defeat England at Wembley. They won 6-3 in 1953.

In 1946, Hungary issued banknotes of a face value of 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 pengo (one quintillion pengo) - the world's highest denomination ever.

Till 2007, 13 Hungarians had received a Nobel Prize. Hungary has won the sixth highest number of Summer Olympic gold medals Numerous established composers, like Franz Liszt, Zoltán Kodály and Béla Bartók, belonged to Hungary.

Two Hungarian scientists were part of the Manhattan Project that led to the development of the atomic bomb. Hungarian inventions include the noiseless match (János Irinyi), Rubik's cube (Erno Rubik), and the krypton electric bulb (Imre Bródy).

, Several other inventions were made by Hungarians who fled the country prior to World War II, including holography (Dennis Gabor), the ballpoint pen (László Bíró), the theory of the hydrogen bomb (Edward Teller), and the BASIC programming language (John Kemeny, with Thomas E. Kurtz).

The Hungarians introduced many things to the world, which people still use today. Following inventions aren't related to individuals, but to all Hungarians. Hungarian inventions are: COPPER STIRRUPS BUTTONS BREAD MADE WITH LEAVEN was discovered in Hungary (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1961) Before the Hungarians, buttons were unknown in Europe STEEL SPRING TARHONYA SOAP UNDERWEAR Every coach, passenger car and freight car in trains is equipped with it. The first vehicle equipped with a steel spring was created in Kocs, a village in Komárom County. This is where the Hungarian name KOCSI comes from, which was taken over by other languages: Kutsche (German), coach (English), coche (French and Spanish), etc. A kind of pasta. The Hungarian soldiers of the 9th and 10th century carried it with them in a leather bag. For a speedily prepared first class meal they cooked it, along with meat powder, also carried in leather bags. This was the secret to their fast movement, and many military victories. Supposedly, soap was also a Hungarian invention and its name in many languages was derived from the Hungarian szappan: soap, Seife, savon, jabon, etc The Hungarians introduced its use to the rest of Europe

Did you know… that medieval Hungary was the greatest source of gold and silver for Europe, providing a rich source of income for the Hungarian kingdom? The mines in the Carpathian ranges were known in Roman times and were at the forefront of advances in mining technology, geology and chemistry. …and that… the Danube, beautiful, majestic river was once a virtually inexhaustible source of gold for many many people? They did what is known as gold-washing professionally for a living.

Hungary is the land of 1,300 thermal springs, 10 national parks, 8 World Heritage sites and 22 wine regions.

Hungarian food is very rich, and red meat is frequently used as an ingredient. Goulash (gulyás), bean soup with smoked meat (jokaibableves), and beef stew (pörkölt) are national dishes. The most distinctive element of Hungarian cuisine is paprika, a spice made from the pods of chilli peppers. Though paprika is not native to Hungary (it was imported either from Spain, India by way of the Turks, or the Americas), it is a fixture on most dining tables in Hungary and an important export. Among Hungary's spicy dishes are halászle, a fish soup, and lecsó, made with hot paprika, tomato, and sausage.

The spicy Pick salami is still made to the original, 150-year-old recipe. Louis XIV, the French monarch declared Tokaji Aszú, the Hungarian dessert wine “the wine of kings, the king of wines”. The traditional cuisine of Hungary has a lot of focus on meats such as beef and pork, an abundance in fresh vegetables and fruits, breads and white cheeses which accompany most meals. The use of spices such as paprika and herbs are also an important part of Hungarian cooking. Drinking is an important part of social life. Hungary produces good wine and fruit brandies, as well as excellent lager beers. Coffee is traditionally taken very strong and black, although other forms including cappuccino are now widely available. Tea will have lemon, honey or rum added (never milk).

There really is no other place quite like Hungary There really is no other place quite like Hungary. This is a country full of surprises and with a wealth of history and culture which is more valuable than the material things in life. The intense music of this nation, the beautiful capital of Budapest with the romantic river Danube running through its heart, the unique taste of its mouthwatering (and at times eye-watering) cuisine. It is the land of Magyars - the people who strive to keep their culture and at the same time to be accepted in an ever-changing world. The Hungarian cultures vary depending on where you are - with unique cultures in the different regions of Budapest, the Great Plain and the mountains. Many of their traditions are linked with their folk heritage such as their decorative arts and crafts and their music and dance style. Classical music has a strong hold in Hungary, as does Gypsy and Roma music. They have also many talents in the field of literature and especially poetry.

23rd of MARCH, IS A DAY OF POLISH-HUNGARIAN FRIENDSHIP  And because… Lengyel, Magyar – két jó barát, együtt harcol, s issza borát (POLE, HUNGARIAN ARE TWO BROTHERS, BOTH FOR FIGHTING AND FOR DRINKING) Thats why… 23rd of MARCH, IS A DAY OF POLISH-HUNGARIAN FRIENDSHIP 

THANK YOU! For your attention