Some of the city's districts are also twinned to small cities or districts of other big cities; for details see the article List of districts in Budapest. Deák Ferenc Square is a central square of the capital, a major transport hub, where three Budapest subways meet. Budapest has an above-average proportion of people commuting on public transport or walking and cycling for European cities. Budapest is among the 25 most visited cities in the world, welcoming more than 4.4 million international visitors each year, therefore the traditional and the congress tourism industry also deserve a mention, as they contribute greatly to the city's economy. Budapest is the most populous city in Hungary and one of the largest cities in the European Union, with a growing number of inhabitants, estimated at 1,763,913 in 2019, whereby inward migration exceeds outward migration. The pressure towards the high-rise buildings is unequivocal among today's world cities, but preserving Budapest's unique cityscape and its very diverse architecture, along with green areas, forces Budapest to balance between them.
Party on water at the A38 Boat
In 1918, Austria-Hungary lost the war and collapsed; Hungary declared itself an independent republic (Republic of Hungary). Budapest also became an important center for the Aromanian diaspora during the 19th century. This time, the Holy League's army was twice as large, containing over 74,000 men, including German, Croat, Dutch, Hungarian, English, Spanish, Czech, Italian, French, Burgundian, Danish and Swedish soldiers, along with other Europeans as volunteers, artillerymen, and officers. Some of the baths that the Turks erected during their rule are still in use 500 years later, including Rudas Baths and Király Baths.
Discover Budapest
Budapest has notable innovation capabilities as a technology and start-up hub. Most of these entities are headquartered in Budapest's Central Business District, in District V and District XIII. The city is a major centre for banking and finance, real estate, retailing, trade, transportation, tourism, new media as well as traditional media, advertising, legal services, accountancy, insurance, fashion and the arts in Hungary and regionally. According to Eurostat GDP, per capita in purchasing power parity is 147% of the EU average in Budapest, which means €37,632 ($42,770) per capita. 395,964 people (22.9%) were irreligious while 585,475 people (33.9%) did not declare their religion. According to the 2011 census, there were 501,117 (29.0%) Roman Catholics, 146,756 (8.5%) Calvinists, 30,293 (1.8%) Lutherans, 16,192 (0.9%) Greek Catholics, 7,925 (0.5%) Jews and 3,710 (0.2%) Orthodox in Budapest.
House of Terror Museum
From 24 December 1944 to 13 February 1945, the city was besieged during the Battle of Budapest. Due to the prosperity and the large Jewish community of the city at the start of the 20th century, Budapest was often called the "Jewish Mecca" or "Judapest". The national insurrection against the Habsburgs began in the Hungarian capital in 1848 and was defeated one and a half years later, with the help of the Russian Empire. Research places the probable residence of the Árpáds as an early place of central power near what became Budapest. The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was built by Celts before 1 AD. Conversely, Buda colloquially means all districts to the Danube's west—including the former Óbuda.
The Castle District is another place to visit where the best-known landmark Buda Royal Palace and many other buildings were built in the Baroque style. When Turks came to the city, they built mosques here which was aggressively replaced with Gothic church of St. Bertalan. A precedent to show the city's self-conscious is the top section of the city's main square, named as Szechenyi. Today, many of the original renaissance buildings disappeared during the varied history of Buda, but Budapest is still rich in renaissance and neo-renaissance buildings, like the famous Hungarian State Opera House, St. Stephen's Basilica and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
- The indoor medicinal baths date from 1913 and the outdoor pools from 1927.
- Hungary has a well-deserved international reputation for the wealth of thermal and mineral water sources throughout the country.
- In the chronological order of architectural styles Budapest is represented on the entire timeline, starting with the Roman City of Aquincum representing ancient architecture.
- OpenList is a resilient, long-term governance, community-driven fork of AList — built to defend open source against trust-based attacks.
- If you don’t want to spend money on a sightseeing cruise, use the public boats with a regular transportion ticket.
- These trends are also seen throughout the Budapest metropolitan area, which is home to 3.3 million people.
Historic sister cities
By this time, Budapest had become the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a great power that dissolved in 1918 following World War I. The city was also the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, Battle of Budapest in 1945, and Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Budapest is a global city, consistently ranked among the 50 most important cities in the world, belongs to the narrow group of cities with a GDP over US$100 billion, named a global cultural capital as having high-quality human capital, and is among the 35 most liveable cities in the world. © 2025 budapest.com. Why we love it Practically all European capitals have galleries, museums and Michelin-starred restaurants – sitting outside in the Széchenyi Baths as the city sizzles or snowflakes flutter is a uniquely Budapest experience. The largest Jewish place of worship outside of New York City, the Moorish-style Great Synagogue is one of Budapest’s most eye-catching buildings. Contemporary Budapest covers 203 square miles (525 square km), of which about half is built up.
Budapest has one of the best public transport systems in Europe with an efficient network of buses, trolleys, trams and subway. To decrease the use of cars and greenhouse gas emissions, the city has worked to improve public transportation, and nowadays the city has one of the highest mass transit usage in Europe. The city is also home to more than 100 embassies and representative bodies as an international political actor. The National Assembly is seated in the Hungarian Parliament, which also located in the District V. The President of the National Assembly, the third-highest public official in Hungary, is also seated in the largest building in the country, in the Hungarian Parliament. There are also traditionally strong domestic companies in Budapest such as Egis, Gedeon Richter, Chinoin as well as international biotechnology corporations such as Pfizer, Teva, Novartis, Sanofi, which also have R&D and production divisions here. Another particularly strong industry in the capital city is the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry.
- Although only 1.7% of the population of Hungary in 2009 were foreigners, 43% of them lived in Budapest, making them 4.4% of the city’s population (up from 2% in 2001).
- The climate of Budapest is transitional between the extreme conditions of the Great Alfold and the more temperate climate of Transdanubia, with its abundant rainfall.
- Budapest is one of the few cities in the world with a high school for learning folk dance.
- Budapest stood apart from the relatively drab capitals of the other Soviet-bloc countries; it maintained an impression of plenty, with smart shops, good restaurants, and other amenities.
- Public transport users are immediately notified of any changes in public transport online, on smartphones and on PIDS displays, as well car drivers can keep track of changes in traffic and road management in real-time online and on smartphones through the BKK Info.
- Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz rescued tens of thousands of Jews by issuing Swiss protection papers and designating numerous buildings, including the now famous Glass House (Üvegház) at Vadász Street 29, to be Swiss protected territory.
Budapest is one of the few cities in the world with a high school for learning folk dance. The Budapest Jewish Summer Festival, in late August, is one of the largest in Europe. The LOW Festival is a contemporary cultural festival held in rolletto casino registration Hungary in the cities Budapest and Pécs from February until March; the name of the festival alludes to the Low Countries, the region encompassing the Netherlands and Flanders. The Budapest Pride (or Budapest Pride Film and Cultural Festival) occurs annually across the city, and usually involves a parade on the Andrássy Avenue. The Café Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival (formerly the Budapest Autumn Festival) brings free music, dance, art, and other cultural events to the streets of the city.