From the Slavic renderings, Ungri or Vengri, of the Turkic On-Oğur or Onogur ; denoting (collectively) tribes that joined the Bulgar alliance, literally = ten Ogurs / ten tribes, [as the Onogurs were a component/ ally of the Magyar federation of multiple tribes that migrated from the steppe.]
Possibly from Turkic ongar [oŋ=right or oŋar / oŋgar = to make something better, to put (it) right, or towards the right] meaning right wing, possibly denoting the Magyar Union as the "right wing" (western wing) of the Khazar military forces.
The Hungarians' endonym is Magyarország = Land of the Magyars; their ethnic endonym, from the tribe name of the leading tribe out of 7 major tribes, (likely a Finno-Ugric term possibly meaning man or related to Proto-Ugric roots for speech or people.) + ország = country/ land.
A vibrant mix of history, culture, stunning architecture, and natural beauty along the Danube, with world-class thermal baths.
@ a glance essentials:
.
Language:
Hungarian
-
Hungarian Forint
Water safety
Generally Safe to Drink in tourist areas. Go Bottled when Remote.
Many Locals can speak English, particularly the younger generations in the large cities.
Currency:
HUF
Local Transport
There are metro & bus networks in large cities but smaller towns will require a car.
When out on the town avoid clinking beers to toast - the Austrians clinked their glasses after executing Hungarian generals in 1849, as a result, Hungarians vowed never to clink glasses again out of respect for the ’13 Martyrs of Arad’.
Hot Tip:
The Carpathian🔍 Basin of present-day Hungary, has been inhabited since the Lower Palaeolithic era. During the Iron Age, Illyrian tribes lived in the lowlands before migrations by Celts, like the Boii (namesake of Bohemia🔍) began ~4c BC.
The Roman Empire conquered the region ~9 BC, but began retreating in the 4c AD due to conflict with Germanic tribes, including Ostrogoths, who joined the Huns as Attila established his multi-ethnic Hunnic Empire near modern day Budapest. After both empire's🔍 collapse in the 5c, Goths & Vandals invaded, followed by the Avar in 568 AD, who founded the Avar Khaganate.†
a bit of background...
Slavic🔍 tribes also migrated in from the 6c on, with principalities🔍 like Nitra set up by the 9c, around the time the Frankish Realm🔍 & Charlemagne were dismantling the Khaganate (and founding the Balaton Principality in the west🔍.) and the 1st Bulgarian Empire was conquering Slavs east of the Danube.
At the end of the 9c, Magyars, (Finno-Ugric nomads from the steppes, claiming descent from Attila,) conquered & unified the Basin as Magyarország, raiding from today's Spain to Italy, the Balkans and even to Constantinople until their expansion was stopped by the Franks in 955. In 1000 AD the kingdom🔍 was officially recognized by the pope as the Grand Principality... or Duchy of Hungary.
In the 13c Hungary was hit hard by Mongrol incursions, killing ~half the population, and later by the Ottoman wars in the 16c-17c temporarily divided it into 3 parts; Royal Hungary, the Principality of Transylvania & the Pashalik of Buda,†† until the European Holy League wrested the territory🔍 back from the Turks, and under the control of the Hapsburg of Austria.
The 18c-19c saw a failed war for independence plus years of uprisings against Austria, who due to heavy losses were forced to form a dual monarchy; the Austro-Hungarian Empire††† in 1867. And it was the assignation of it's presumptive heir to the throne, Arch Duke Francis Ferdinand, that kicked off WWI.
The union dissolved after the war, leaving a republic🔍, reduced to 1/3 of its former size; Romania had invaded Transylvania, Bohemia annexed what's today Slovakia (creating Czechoslovakia) and Serbia & France took regions in the south. In 1919, communists declared the country the Hungarian Soviet Republic with accompanying Red Terror, (& counter White Terror) campaigns, but they were quickly ousted by a Romania occupation until the (now much smaller) Kingdom of Hungary was reestablished in 1920.
Despite being an Axis Power in WWII, Hungary was occupied by Nazi Germany and after the war the kingdom was dissolved and a 2nd Hungarian Republic was formed in 1946, until in 1949 when, again dominated by communist it was replaced with the Hungarian People's Republic - a satellite state🔍, of the Soviet Union's Eastern bloc. At the cusp of the Soviet Union's collapse, though, it peaceful transitioned back to democracy in 1989/90, marking the beginning of Hungary as the 3rd, and current republic.
† Turkic or Mongolian equivalent of an Empire, ruled by a Khan.
†† The jurisdiction of a Pasha, a Turkic honorific or military title similar to a regional governor.
††† Compromising the 2nd largest empire by area in Europe (after the Russian Empire), and 3rd most populous (after Russia & the German Empire).
Must Try Local Cuisine:
Hortobágyi Palacsinta - pancakes stuffed w/ meat stew & baked served w/ sour cream
Lángos (or Langosch) - pan fried flat cakes, w/ sweet or savory toppings, a Hungarian Pizza 🍕 of sorts
Paprika is strongly featured in many Hungarian dishes like:
Gulyás† - beef stew/soup ∞ Halaszle - national fish-soup 🍲 ∞ Csabai Kolbász - spicy paprika sausage
Bogračis - wild boar, beef & pork stew w/ , sweet paprika ∞ Stuffed Cabbage - fermented w/ minced pork
Majas Hurka - liver sausage ∞ Uborkasaláta - cucumber dill salad ∞ Pálinka - fermented fruit brandy
Krémes - thin, flakey pastry filled w/ vanilla custard ∞ Rigó Jancsi - chocolate sponge layered w/ cocoa mousse
Somlói Galuska††- elaborate sponge cake & chocolate cream w/ walnut kernels, whipped cream, & rum
➿➰➿
† Named for the Magyar Gulyás, (Hungarian cattle herders) that would prepare it in large iron cauldrons, Gulyás may be the source / name sake of all the subsequent regional goulashes
†† Known as dumpling from Somló, it was created in 1950 by Károly Gollerits, the head waiter of Gundel restaurant, and later featured at the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958. Since then, it's been one of the most recognized Hungarian deserts
I haven't yet had the opportunity to visit
Hungary
(but it's on the list!) - So I don't have any personal
(If you get there first send me your best finds !)
recommendations yet, but you can start with the most popular spots
below, and I'll update with my favorites, hopefully soon!
Most Known For:
♦️ Budapest - "The Pearl of the Danube" w/ gold Parliament, Buda Castle & Chain Bridge,
Fisherman's Bastion, Széchenyi Thermal Baths: Europe's largest (+ one of the oldest) thermal
spa's & Nagy Zsinagóga (Great Synagogue) - world’s 2nd-largest synagogue c.1850's
🔸 Mediterranean🔍-like Pécs - w/ 16c Mosque of Pasha Qasim converted to a church,
🔎Basilica of Sts. Peter & Paul, Sopianae - an early Christian (4c) Necropolis🔍, Ottoman-era
Pasha Memi Bath & it's (former) porcelain factory of famous iridescent Zsolnay ceramics.
♦️ Tokaj Wine 🍷 Region - one of world’s 1st official wine regions, designated in 1737 by Emperor Charles VI
(Charles III of Hungary) & praised by Louis XIV as “Wine of Kings, King of Wines” a slogan still used today
🔸 Hévíz - “City of Baths” spa town w/ 100+ thermal springs + world’s largest bio-active thermal lake
♦️ Lake Balaton's beaches (or the "Hungarian Sea🔍”) - Central Europe’s largest lake which folklore says was created by
mythical beings to protect villagers from invaders
🔸 Historic Eger & Egri Bikavér (Bull's 🐂 Blood† wine) famous for its deep ruby color
♦️ River cruises & Danube Bend by Visegrád Citadel; 13c castle high on a hill, plus near by villages on the banks like
Esztergom; former capital & home to Hungary's largest basilica or colorful cobblestoned artist's village Szentendre
🔸 Hungarian cowboys called Csikos; herding cattle on the steppe for hundreds of years in wide-brimmed black hats &
long blue pleated tunics. In Puszta you can even ride with the Csikós on the plains
† A protected blend supposedly named after a 16c legend that during the Ottoman siege of Eger Castle Hungarian defenders drank large amounts of dark red wine to stay strong which stained their beards and led the Turks to believe they were drinking bull's blood for superhuman power, helping repel the invaders. But in reality, the term "Bikavér" didn't emerged until the 19c
👀 NOTABLE HUNGARIANS:
📰 Joseph Pulitzer | Journalist ⛓️ Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz) | Escape Artist/ Magician
🎭 Zsa Zsa Gabor | Actress ♟️ Judit Polgár | Youngest Chess Grandmaster†
🥁 Tommy (Erdelyi) Ramone | Ramones Drummer
🟦 Ernő Rubik | Architect & Rubik’s Cube Inventor† 💰 George Soros | Hedge Fund Manager
🖊️ László Bíró | Inventor of the Ball Point Pen†† (& Journalist)
† Real life QUEEN'S GAMBIT, she is considered the strongest female player of all time becaming Grand Master in 1991 at age 15
†† c. 1974. As of 2024, over 500 million cubes have been sold. Rubik himself was unsure if it could be actually be solved, it took him a month to unscramble it.
* c. 1938 & known as a Biro in British English
👣
🌀 Hollókő Castle Easter - Renaissance knights' camp w/ weapon demos, medieval games, costume & folk dance
🌀 Festival Of Folk Arts Budapest (St. István's Day ) - 4 day celebration of traditional culture & crafts in
Buda Castle District including a 'guest of honor' country each yearly, which presents in a special pavilion
🌀 St. Stephen’s Day / Hungary’s Independence Day | Budapest; a military parade & air show over the Danube
folk festival, bread festival & fireworks. (Most museums also waive entrance fees for the day)
🌀 Busó Walking (pre-Ash Wednesday) - celebrated in Mohács since the 18c w/ parades, tambourine bands & folk
dancing Busó (men in traditional frighting carved masks.) Based on a Šokac legend where the masks were used
to repel either winter or Ottoman troops depending on the version.*
🌀 Bondoró Festival | Kapolcs (May/ June) - music, marionettes, flame throwers, circus artists, cabaret & light show
🌀 Tihany Lavender🪻 Festival - all things lavender; lavender coffee ☕, beer, lavender perfume making classes &
lavender ice-cream 🍦 enjoyed in the lavender fields around Lake Balaton
🌀 Savaria Historic Carnival - celebrating the history of Szombathely (founded 45 AD) it's a unique twist on
Carnival, w/ Emperor Claudius & concubines, Constantine the Great, rope-jumping girls, belly dancers &
period horse-drawn firetruck & firefighters in it's parade
🌀 Debreceni Virágkarnevál / 🌸 Flower Carnival - 7 day international festival w/ floral floats, flower-costumed
stilt walkers & flower-themed crafts
* The Šokac are an ethnic Croatian people of the region who were driven from their homes & lived in nearby swamps & woods to avoid invading Ottoman troops. One legend connects the mask to a story of them returning to the town wearing frighting masks & using hand-carved weapons to drive the Ottomans away.
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