Budapest

Budapest Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe,[15][1][10][16] its World Heritage Sites include the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, Andrássy Avenue, and the Millennium Underground Railway), the first on the European continent.[15][17] Budapest attracts over 20 million visitors a year.[18] The city ranks 52nd on MasterCard's 'World's Top 75 Financial Centers' list[19] and 74th on Mercer Consulting's 'World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities' list.[20] The headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will be in Budapest.[21] History {draw:a} Left to right: Mária Magdolna Tower, Matthias Church, Castle Quarter, Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Margaret Island, Danube Promenade, Parliament Building, Hungarian Academy of Sciences The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was Ak-Ink (English: Abundant Water) built by Celts[8] before the birth of Christ. It was later occupied by the Romans. The Roman settlement - Aquincum - became the main city of Lower Pannonia[8] in 106 AD[8]. The Romans constructed roads, amphitheaters, baths and houses with heated floors in this fortified military camp[22]. The Hungarians settled in the territory at the end of the 9th century[23][10] and a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary[10]. The Tatar invasion in the 13th century quickly proved that defence is difficult on a plain[6][10]. King Béla IV of Hungary therefore ordered the construction of reinforced stone walls around the towns[10] and set his own royal palace[11] on the top of the protecting hills of Buda. In 1361[11] it became the capital) of Hungary[6]. {draw:a} {draw:a} Buda Castle during the Middle Ages. The cultural role of Buda was particularly significant during the reign of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary[6]. The Italian Renaissance had a great influence on the city[6]. His library, the Bibliotheca Corviniana[6], was Europe's greatest collection of historical chronicles and philosophic and