Budapest Pocket Guide Summer 1999. [antikvár]

Welcome to Budapest on the 125th anniversary of the unification ofthe city. One hundred and twenty-five years ago three small settlements agreed to "tie the knot". Although everybody was confident about the future prospects of this unión nobody could have known that it would last for so long and be so successfui In the space of a few decades Budapest became the most dynamic city in Europe. For this it had to thank its citizens: both the rich and farnous and the anonymous millions who with their untiring work breathed life into the cityfs inanimate bricks and mortar. Unfortunately this rapid development was interrupted several times by historical events. But now, on the threshold of the new millennium, Budapest has become not just a capital city with high hopes and aspirations but alsó one that has already achieved great things. For the last 125 years the city has been an indispensable participant in the decisions made about the future ofthe region. Indeed the most important decisions were made by Budapest. Things are no different today: at the end of the 20th century Budapest is an economic political and cultural powerhouse and is the guarantee ofa bright future for Hungary. For the Jubilee year a number of important investment projects have been completed in the capital including: the baroque courtyard of the Budapest History Museum, the renovation of the Thália and Tivoli theatres, the new building housing the new Music Library, the restoration ofthe Puskin cinema to its farmer glory, the Trafó House of Contemporary Arts, the new building of the Rehabilitation School, the Mihály Fazekas Grammar School and the renovation ofSaint Stephens Park. I hope that as you walk through the city you alsó will realise that although Budapest is 125 years old it shows no signs ofaging and remains young at heart.