Budapest and its environs [antikvár]

The following more than two hundred photos reflect truly Budapest at the beginning of the 21sl century, however, its historical layers shall alsó be mentioned, which sometimes hiddenj sometimes apparently determine the today's view of the capital established in 1872 by uniting Óbuda, Pest and Buda. The oldest or the bottom layer is of the Román age. Somé years before the birth of Christ Emperor Augustus occupied the area located to the south and north of the Danube, that crosses the Carpathian basin. On the right and the left riversides the Romans built up the limes' consisting of watch-towers, fortresses and military camp to defend their empire from the Barbarians' attacks. Later, from the 9"1 century, our sovereigns settled their people in Aquincum under the protection of the high walls of the military amphitheatre of the town. The first sprouts of Pest appeared at the walls of Contra-Aquincum having protected the most important crossing place, the ferry of Tabán. The importance of Óbuda was based on the fact, that among the remains from the Román age and by using them settlements were established by merchants and tradesmen, then royal courts, monasteries and churches were constructed, as well. The first medieval layer of the town, the first golden era of Óbuda and Pest was ceased by the Tartar invasion in 1241 resulting in terrible destruction and massacre. The reconstruction and the settlement on the well-defendable Castle Hill gave opening to the flourishing medieval age. Quarters were established by Germans and Hungarians on the hill, civic houses, parish-churches and monasteries were built under the protection of the town walls and years 100 later the town became suitable to be the seat of King Louis I of the Anjou dynasty of Naples. He and the sovereigns following him developed the town on the Castle Hill to become the centre of the Carpathian basin, their palace erected on the southern part became more and more imposing. In the civic town aristocrats built up brilliant residences and the churches and dwelling-houses were decorated with European rank works of art in the Gothic and early-Renaissance styles. The Empire being governed from here deeply protruded into the Balkan Peninsula, reached the Adriatic Sea and Louis I became the King of Poland, too. At dawn of the modern times, from 1541, the tripartite city was in the possession of the Turks over one and half hundred years, and their presence brought double 'fruits': the brilliant palaces and civic houses were slowly deteriorating while the churches, monasteries were transformed into mosques. In 1686 the unified Christian armies liberated Buda and later on the whole country, however, the medieval brilliance of the Hungárián kingdom has never come back, the nation's freedom and independence was regained only after a long period, as the Habsburgs reigned over the Carpathian basin. Óbuda became a manorial centre and Buda was transformed into a quiet small town, though over the medieval ruins a Baroque palace was built - in a modest manner - for the palatine. The revival of Pest was more dynamic and the area surrounded by town walls became rather tight. Everything, created after forcing out the Turks was complying with the Baroque style, although the country could not keep up with the brilliance of Prague or Vienna for a long time. Then the 19th century set in and Pest started developing rapidly: the conscious úrban development resulted in the organized order of newly built Neoclassical public buildings, churches, civic houses and hotels, which were stretching well beyond the town walls. Due to the unexampled efforts exerted by István Széchenyi, 'the greatest Hungárián', the Chain Bridge was born, representing the first permanent connection between Buda and Pest, i.e. Trans-Danubia and other counties. By the middle of the century Pest had become unambiguously the centre of the country. In 1849 the unión of the Austrian Emperor and the Russian Tsar suppressed the fight for the national independence, whose leaders were condemned to peregrinate or to death, and the Hungárián progress was retarded for two decades. However, during the years of sorrow, fear and terror, the thought of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was born and the Compromise came into existence with the demand for a co-capital. In 1872 Óbuda, Buda and Pest were united, and by the last decades of the 19:i: century Budapest became an adequate capital in the Carpathian basin. The city was not only the centre of public administration in the country being essentially larger that time than now, but became the focus of industry, commerce, communication, art, education and, last but not least, of architecture. The new Budapest born in the spirit of Historicity and Secessionisme, which lived their flourishing life until the First World War. It is true, however, that several historical layers and values from different periods live in harmony .