Hungarian gingerbread

The history of gingerbread dates back to ancient traditions in Europe. Since honey was quite expensive it gave importance to the swees that were prepared of it. Ancient Greeks used to put it in the mouth of the dead people, and Romans produced it as well. Hungarians produced honey and gingerbread pruducts from the Middle Ages. Pozsony, Kassa, Debrecen were the centres of its production in the 17th -18th centruries. Nowadays gingerbread products preserve old traditions and the creators develope some new some shapes as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvJGwMx5MMY

Art nouveau in Hungary

Art Nouveau in the Hungarian Architecture

 

Art Nouveau is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century (1890-1905). Hungarian Art Nouveau is based on the national architectural characteristics. Ödön Lechner, the most important figure in Hungarian Art Nouveau, was initially inspired by Indian and Syrian architecture, with the synthesis of the different elements he created a version of Art Nouveau that was specific to Hungary. He and his followers designed the most of these buildings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECE5tLtW-zc

Gutenberg House, Budapest

The Gutenberg House is an Art Nouveau building in the 8th district of Budapest (called Józsefváros) on the Gutenberg Square. It was built by Hungarian Association for the Assistance of Bookprinters and Type-founders in 1907. The building was designed by József and László Vágó who were Ödön Lechner's students, the leader of the Hungarian Art Nouveau. The stained glass windows were prepared by Miksa Róth, the most famous glass artist of the Hungarian Art Nouveau. The famous residents of the building were József Vágó, Ödön Lechner (architects), László Négyesy (aesthetes), Iván Mándy (author), Ágnes Heller and Ferenc Fehér (philosophers). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WY_Z25Qoqw

Hungary on old postcards at the turn of the 20th century

This presentation not only shows the most important historical and natural resources but also introduces the everyday life at the turn of the 20th century. It begins with the old capital and leads through the centuries with culture historical reference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N2z3gL6JDc

Pécs on old postcards

Pécs European Capital of Culture 2010

Pécs is the 5th largest city of Hungary, in the south-west of the country, close to the Croatian border. It is regaded as a mediterranian town according its climate and the lifestyle of the citizens.

The city Sopianae was founded by Romans at the beginning of the 2nd century, on an area peopled by Celts and Pannoni tribes. By the 4th century it became the capital of Valeria province and a significant early Christian center.

 


After the Battle of Mohács (1526) in which the invading Ottoman army defeated the armies of King Louis II, the armies of Suleiman occupied Pécs. After the castle of Buda was wrested from Ottoman rule in 1686, the armies went to capture the rest of Pécs.

 Pécs always was a multicultural city where many cultural layers are encrusted melting different values of the history of two thousand years. Magyars, Croatians and Swabians  still live in peace together in economic and cultural polarity. Therefore it is not surprising that Pécs has been selected to be the European Capital of Culture in 2010 sharing the title together with Essen and Istanbul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRL-XGqS_Lw

Budapest at the turn of the 20th century

This video is a tribute to the beauty of Budapest our Nation's Capital. The current character of the city was developed mainly during the 19th century until the Millennium Celebrations in 1896. On the old postcards you can see the city without smog and traffic jams in its original magnificence accompanied with the music composed by Ferenc Erkel.

 

The history of Budapest goes back to the ancient times. In the area of the Gellérthegy and Tabán remains of Celtic villages were found. After the Hungarian Conquest in 896 Árpád and his first troops settled in here. King Béla IV ordered to build the first castle of Buda in the 13th century. In 1361 it became the capital of Hungary. 

King Matthias had his famous Renaissance court in the Castle of Buda during the 15th century. In 1867 the age of the Compromise Buda and Pest became the twin capital of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire with Vienna. In 1873 Buda and Pest were officially merged with the third part, Óbuda (Ancient Buda). At the turn of the 20th century were the golden ages of the city, the most beautiful buildings have already existed, but after the 2nd World War they had to be reconstructed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du80dC4AN6E

Debrecen on old postcards

Today Debrecen is the second largest city in Hungary. Its name was first mentioned by the name "Debrezun" in 1235. By the early 16th century Debrecen was an important market town. In 1693 Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor elevated Debrecen to free royal town status. In 1849 Debrecen was the capital of Hungary for a short time when the Hungarian revolutionary government fled there from Pest-Buda (modern-day Budapest.) These postcards present the town at the turn of the 20th century. Unfortunately some of these buildings have been distroyed during the 2nd World War. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s-fwYYPnl4

Mumus - Fun places in Budapest

If you get lost in Budapest you accidentally bump into funny places like this. Mumus was an old apartment house, which is now designed for young people to hang out. You wouldn't think how peaceful it is in its garden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EePgbRJhZ1o

Lisbon and Cascais in November 2007

Lisbon awes you with its simlicity and gorgeousness. The classical instrumental Fado evokes the spirit of it quite well.

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. The city was under Roman rule from 205 BC, when it was already a 1000 year old town. Julius Ceasar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city for the Christians and since then it has been a major political, economic and cultural center of Portugal. 

Cascais is a coastal town in Cascais Municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres west of Lisbon. It is located in the Estoril Coast (named after Estoril, a civil parish).

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awwsi1AUB9w

Copenhagen, Denmark 2009

Copenhagen by boat:

Copenhagen is one of the most liveable cities on the world. 36% percent of the inhabitants commute by bike.This is a short introduction of the following canals: Nyhavn, Amelienhavn, Christianhavn. The music is Danish folk music. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xz0HPmTwxc

 

Lyrical sightseeing in Copenhagen:

This is a lyrical sightseeing in Copenhagen with The Little Mermaid (Den lille havfrue). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vEry5fT-JU

Kastellet in Copenhagen:

The Frederikshavn Citadel (Kastellet), located in Copenhagen, is one of the best preserved fortifications form the 17th century in Northern Europe. Kastellet has its own church, old prison and a windmill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P_XmZ1FBJA