Budapest

European cities · Danube River · Hungary

Two cities become one. Budapest was actually formed in 1873 when three separate cities, Buda, Óbuda, and Pest, merged together across the Danube River. Before that, they were rivals on opposite banks.

River divides and connects. The Danube River splits Budapest into two very different halves: hilly Buda on the west side and flat Pest on the east side. Bridges link them together so people can easily cross back and forth.

Hungary's mighty heart. Budapest is so important to Hungary that it produces more than 40% of the country's total wealth, even though only about one-third of all Hungarians live there. It's the center of politics, business, and culture.

Ancient crossroads location. Budapest sits right in the middle of the Pannonian Basin on old trade routes that connected different regions for thousands of years. This geography made it a natural place for a major city to grow.

Central Europe's second city. Budapest is the second largest city in all of Central and Eastern Europe and ranks in the top ten biggest cities in the entire European Union.