The national culture has rich traditions, however, due to the country's peripheral position in Europe and linguistic isolation, it is relatively little known outside of Hungary.
The birth of Hungarian culture coincides with the conversion of the Hungarian people to Christianity at the end of the 10th century. During the reign of King Stephen I (1000-1038), the state and society were rebuilt according to Western European models, the remnants of old traditions were eradicated, and any influence of Eastern culture was excluded. Latin, which was used by the Roman Catholic Church, became the "official" language of Hungary. This meant, especially in the Middle Ages, that the vast majority of chroniclers, scholars and educators were priests. During the Renaissance, Italian scholars and masters of art flocked to the court of King Matthias I Corvinus (1458–1490), who patronized the activities of the humanists.
Religion in Hungary
In Hungary, the relationship between church and state in the XX century. were quite complex. Despite the fact that the 1949 Constitution nominally guaranteed religious freedom, the communist regime confiscated church property, persecuted the clergy, abolished religious orders, and nationalized parochial schools. Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty was imprisoned in 1949 for opposing these measures.
In the end, the religious organizations and the state reached an agreement in which they accepted the control of the regime. In return, the state allowed churches to hold services and pay for the maintenance of priests. Public administration religious affairs could cancel the appointment of church officials and priests. In 1964, the government entered into an agreement with the Vatican aimed at normalizing relations between the Hungarian Catholic Church and the state. Diplomatic relations with the Vatican were restored in 1978. In the 1990s, the churches reopened their schools and other institutions that had been closed during the communist dictatorship.
With legally guaranteed freedom of conscience, the church is separated from the state, but supported by it financially. Signed in 1997 the agreement with the Vatican provides for the return to the Hungarian Catholic Church of a significant part of the educational, cultural and social facilities and the payment of compensation for the rest. By analogy with this, it is meant to settle the corresponding problems with the rest of the churches.
There are about 260 cult organizations and religious associations in the country, covering 74% of the population with their influence. Among believers, 73% are Catholics and Greek Catholics, 22% are Reformed and Protestants of other directions, 4% are Evangelicals (Lutherans). Approximately 0.2% are Baptists, Orthodox of various persuasions, and Jews. There is a small Buddhist community.
To date religious life In Hungary, it is regulated by the Law on Religion, adopted back in 1990. According to this law, in order to register any religious organization (which is referred to as a "church"), it is necessary that there be 100 followers, a leader, an organization center and a simple charter. In this case, the local court must register the organization as a "church". Each such "church" receives state subsidies for real estate, as well as for the maintenance of a comprehensive confessional school, if the organization has one. Believers can transfer 1% of income tax to their religious organization. The donations that the churches themselves collect from their believers are their private business, and officials do not control this process. The main requirement for all churches is that no church can engage in economic activity, that is, the church is forbidden even to rent out its buildings.
material culture Hungary
In modern Hungary, the traditional branches of folk arts and crafts have not been forgotten. The country-specific types of such art include shepherds' products made of wood, horn, bone, and leather. Since ancient times, shepherds have decorated tools with beautiful ornaments - sticks and whips with skillfully twisted leather weaving, made ax handles, ladles, pipes, wooden flasks, decoratively covered with leather, horns for wine, salt shakers, pepper shakers, caskets. When applying the ornament used various techniques: scratching and then rubbing paint, relief or bas-relief carving, inlay.
The production of decorative ceramics is also developed in Hungary: poured plates, jugs are usually decorated with floral or geometric patterns. Previously, peasants liked to decorate their homes with bright ceramic products, hanging them on the walls and laying them on the shelves.
Pottery had its own regional specificity, for example, black jugs and jugs were made in Mohacs, in the southern part of Alfeld - tetrahedral painted bottles, bowls, clay human figures.
In the area of the city of Kalocha, and now it is very common interesting view arts and crafts - patterned painting of plaster walls. The plastered and whitewashed wall of the room is covered with a continuous patterned ornament, the same as used in embroideries.
Inhabitants Hungary naturally and organically combine healthy love of life and practicality with high spirituality and national romanticism. A careful observer will notice this. One has only to walk around Budapest - the most beautiful of the cities in the world, conveniently and comfortably arranged.
Hungary- land of music and dance. An incendiary mixture of original Hungarian music, with a subtle oriental tinge, and passionate gypsy motifs arose here. The melody inherent in it can be traced in the work of many European composers: Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms. Numerous music, theatrical, dance festivals and flower carnivals are held almost continuously in Hungary.
The culture of baths in Hungary has a two-thousand-year tradition. In fact, the whole country is a huge, comfortable balneological resort. During the time of the Romans, bathing culture reached an unprecedented flowering here, as evidenced by the excavations of Aquincum, a Roman city on the territory of Budapest. Although the Turkish occupation of Hungary in the 16th century caused great damage to the country, the bathing culture did not suffer. Moreover, the Turks - also great admirers of the baths - built new ones that were highly appreciated by their contemporaries.
Hungarian art and architecture based on Romanesque style, gothic style, baroque and art nouveau style. In Hungary, folk art and crafts are well developed; utensils, embroideries, bone and wood products and wall panels are produced here. The country's musical treasury includes rhapsodies by Frank Liszt and operas by Franz Erkel, as well as gypsy and folk music. The literature of Hungary is inseparable from the history of the country, and therefore its main components are odes, heroic poems, realistic stories. Football is by far the most beloved sport, but chess is also popular.
In the rich folklore, songs and ballads stand out (for example, about the Betyar robbers), fairy tales, historical legends, and proverbs. Hungarian folk music is peculiar. Famous Hungarian dances are Verbunkos and Csardas.
Hungarians are very skeptical about the faith (perhaps this is why they have great achievements in science), but nevertheless, many call themselves Catholics, Calvinists or Lutherans. The country also has a Greek Catholic Church and Orthodox Church, as well as the Jewish community in Budapest.
Almost the entire territory of the country is saturated with historical, cultural and natural monuments of world significance. Hungary ("Pannonia") was once the eastern border of the Roman Empire, and even before the arrival of the Hungarians, the Romans, Germanic and Slavic tribes lived in the middle reaches of the Danube. Treasure hunters are still looking for the grave of Attila, the legendary leader of the Huns, who visited here during the great migration of peoples, on the banks of the Tisza. In 896, Hungarian tribes came from the east to the Danube valley.
This small country holds many secrets. Here you will find wooded mountains, fast rivers, endless steppes without a horizon, parks and reserves with a mysterious world of plants and birds, small white houses with tiled roofs, millennial monasteries, centuries-old manors and palaces, underground caves with a kingdom of stalactites, lakes, countless healing springs breaking through to the surface from the hot underground sea, on the waters of which Hungary rests.
Hungary- a country of cordial hospitality.
In 1526, in the battle with the Turks at Mohacs, Hungary lost its state independence for three and a half centuries. Most of it until the end of the 17th century was under the yoke of the Turks; western Hungary, together with the Czech Republic, was under the rule of the Austrian Habsburgs. The country was divided into three parts, of which only the Principality of Erdey (Transylvania), maneuvering between two powerful rulers, retained relative independence.
During the 17th century, the Austrians gradually forced the Turks out of Hungary, but the national oppression did not weaken. The answer was numerous uprisings that shook the whole country. The most formidable was the war of the Kuruts (“crusaders” - mostly serfs), headed by the Transylvanian prince Ferenc Rakoczi II, which lasted eight years (1703-1711). Folk songs glorified the valor of the Kuruc army, and after the defeat of the uprising, they mourned the sad fate of the exiles.
Since 1784 throughout Austrian Empire German is declared the state language - in this way the Habsburgs tried to subjugate the multinational country to their influence. This language was taught in Jesuit schools, in which they accepted only children who spoke German, this language was used theatrical performances. A powerful patriotic movement is rising in defense of the native language, embracing the most diverse segments of the population.
This movement coincided with a new wave of national liberation struggle, aggravated under the influence of revolutionary events in France. AT late XVIII centuries, secret conspiratorial organizations arose in Hungary, which set as their goal not only the liberation from the power of the Habsburgs, but also the revolutionary reorganization of society, the establishment of a republican regime. The conspiracy was uncovered, many of its participants were executed, others were imprisoned or expelled from the country. Among them are the first Hungarian enlighteners: the translator of the Marseillaise, the poet Ferenc Vereshegy, poet and critic Ferenc Kazinci. Having escaped the death penalty and released from prison after a seven-year sentence, Kazintsi led literary life Hungary early XIX century.
A broad educational movement led to the emergence of a number of national cultural organizations:
1779 - The "Hungarian Patriotic Association" is organized in Pest.
1789 - the literary magazine "Hungarian Museum" is published in the native language.
1790 - performances of the Hungarian theater troupe are given in Buda (nineteen plays were staged in six weeks).
1793 - premiere in Buda of the first Hungarian comedy with music ("Prince Picco and Yutka Perzhi" by Jozsef Khudi).
1796 - the performances of the traveling troupes of the Hungarian "wandering theater" begin, the actors of which the people called "the apostles of the Hungarian language."
1819 - the conservatory opens in Kolozhvar (now Cluj - Romania).
1822 - the first Hungarian opera (on a historical plot) "The Flight of Bela" by Jozsef Ruzicka was staged.
1825 - The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is established.
The figures of the first wave of enlightenment - the movement for the "renewal of the language and the revival of literature" - are major poets and playwrights: Mihai Fazekas(1766-1828) - the author of the most popular anti-serfdom poem "Mati Ludash" (1804), which glorifies the mind, intelligence and resourcefulness of a simple peasant guy who takes revenge on the landowner for oppression; the name of this cheerful folk hero has become a household name in Hungary; Mihai Vitez Chokonai(1773-1805) - a playwright and poet who lived in poverty and died untimely from consumption, wrote poetry in the spirit of folk songs, the poets of the next generations called him their teacher; Ferenc Kolchei(1790-1838) - the author of patriotic poems, including "Hymn" (1823).
In the same period, the largest Hungarian playwright creates Jozsef Katona(1792-1830). His main work is the historical drama "Bank-ban" (Bank - Vegerian form of the name Benedict; ban - governor, ruler, governor.), in which the hatred of the people for foreign oppressors is captured with great force and for the first time on the Hungarian stage the image of a serf is displayed, angrily denouncing the rulers - the perpetrators of the disasters of his native country (It biggest achievement Hungarian dramaturgy long years remained unknown: the play, written in 1815 and revised in 1820, was first staged three years after the death of Katona in a small provincial town and only in 1839 hit the stage National Theater in Pest, where it failed. Only in the pre-revolutionary years did the play “Bank-ban” gain recognition and, at the request of the people, was performed on the first day of the revolution - March 15, 1848.).
The second stage of the liberation struggle was called the "epoch of reforms" (1825-1848). In 1825, after a break of thirteen years, the Hungarian Diet met again; here the question of the rights of the Hungarian language was raised (officially recognized only in 1844). At the head of the liberals was the count István Szechenyi; Democratic wing led Lajos Kossuth(1802-1894) - the future leader of the revolution of 1848-1849. The poets and writers of this second generation are grouped around the almanac Aurora (1822). Their work marks the heyday of romanticism.
Among them Jozsef Eötvös(1813-1871), author historical novel about the largest peasant uprising led by György Dozi"Hungary in 1514", public figure, Minister of Education in the first Hungarian government after the revolution of 1848; Janos Garai(1812-1853), who embodied in two small poems the image of the most popular hero of folk tales - a retired soldier, braggart and liar Janos Hari (The comic opera Janos Hari by Zoltan Kodály (1926) was written on the basis of these poems.).
In the pre-revolutionary era, two major poets are put forward: Mihai Vörösmarty(1800-1855), in whose gloomy, tragic verses despair is peculiarly combined with faith in the coming revolution, and Sandor Petofi(1823-1849). “The beautiful, fiery Hungarian nation does not have a greater son than he,” wrote the Czech poet Jan Neruda about Petofi. “If we knew nothing about this nation and knew only Petofi’s poems, then by doing this we would have felt its finest nerves ". The brilliant poet of Hungary, Petofi gave not only his talent, but also his life to the cause of the revolution - he died in one of the last battles of 1849.
The rise of the liberation movement, along with the flourishing of literature and the theater, caused the growth musical culture. A great event in the life of the country was the opening of the National Theater (1837), where opera and drama performances in Hungarian were staged in parallel. Following the conservatory in Kolozsvár, a conservatory was opened in Arad (1833) and, finally, in Pest (1840). The opening of the Moscow Conservatory took place thanks to the efforts of Liszt, who on his very first visit to his homeland gave a number of charity concerts to the Foundation of the Conservatory. It is led by the "Musical Society", headed by a folklorist Gabor Matrai, who published a collection of urban folk songs in the late 1920s. Soon there will be other similar collections.
The defeat of the revolution and the onset of reaction slowed down the development national culture Hungary. German was again declared the state language (until 1860). Leading works are banned, "Bank-ban" is removed from the stage (until 1858), many cultural figures are forced to emigrate. In literature, moods of despair, disillusionment, and tragedy sound louder and louder. They were most pronounced in the work of the outstanding playwright Imre Madach(1823-1864) and his best work - philosophical drama"The Tragedy of Man" (1861), known far beyond the borders of Hungary.
In the 1960s, political unrest flared up again. Weakened by the struggle with the reunited Italy (where the Hungarian detachment of Kossuth is fighting in the ranks of the Garibaldians) and rivalry with Prussia, Austria is forced to make concessions: in 1867, a dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy is formed, which lasted until 1918. National contradictions have not been eliminated, but temporarily muted. The country is undergoing intensive capitalist development, exacerbating social contradictions. Cities grow, in 1872 Buda, the ancient capital, located on the right bank of the Danube, merges with the left bank of Pest; the capital of Hungary becomes a major cultural center.
During this period, the realistic stream in literature is getting stronger. The most prolific author of multi-volume novels is nominated Mor Yokai(his pen also belongs to the drama about the peasant uprising - "Doge"), other novelists and playwrights who exposed the morals and mores of bourgeois society. There is a wide interest in Russian literature (the first critical article about her - "Russian poetry" - appeared in 1828); in a short time, several hundred translations are published (Eugene Onegin, which has withstood several editions, enjoys special love). Hungarian painting flourishes. The biggest realist Mihai Munkacsy captured in his paintings the images of the disadvantaged ordinary people Hungary (he also owns a portrait of Liszt and the painting "Death of Mozart").
Interest in Russian folklore - both in folk poetry and in music - permeated the entire 19th century.
Folk music - peasant, kuruc, urban. Verbunkosh style
By the end of the 19th century, after the death of Moshonya, Liszt, Erkel, the situation in musical life Hungary. Budapest acquired the importance of a major European musical center. But for the prosperity of the conservatory, the Academy of Music, opera house, the Philharmonic lacked the strength of domestic musicians. As a result, these institutions ended up in the hands of foreigners, mainly Austrians, who to a large extent contributed to the improvement of the general musical culture of Hungary, but were not interested in and did not know its national treasure - folk music, did not understand and did not appreciate the “Hungarian” that Erkel and Liszt claimed in their work.
Thus, musical Budapest imperceptibly turned into a “Germanized” city, where the works of German and Austrian composers, primarily Wagner and Brahms, were intensively promoted, and Hungarian music meant only that which was performed by gypsy instrumental ensembles for entertainment purposes. Music for such ensembles was supplied by professionally insufficiently trained composers (“they didn’t even always know how to write down their melodies in notes,” recalled Zoltan Kodaly). But it was precisely in entertaining music, which was especially fond of the inhabitants of provincial towns, that the national traditions of Hungary were preserved, albeit in a salon refraction.
In order to bridge this gulf between cosmopolitan professionalism and national dilettantism, a great, comprehensively educated musician, devoted to his homeland, had to appear. This role fell to the lot of the outstanding composer of the 20th century Bela Bartok(1881-1945), whose first successes as a pianist and author of remarkable compositions come at the beginning of the 20th century. At the same time, the glory of Hungarian music was strengthened by Zoltan Kodai (1882-1967).
(The violinist and composer should also be named Yenyo Gubaya(1858-1937), who headed the Academy of Music in 1919-1934; pianist and composer Erno Donany(1877-1960) - a student of E. d "Albert, who, in turn, studied with Liszt, and others. We also recall that the conductor A. Nikish as well as violinists J. Joachim and L. Auer, were originally from Hungary.)
All his life, Bartók, in his own words, was worried about the "List problem", that is, the place that he rightfully should occupy in the culture of Hungary. With his work and theoretical research as a folklorist, the greatest expert folk art, Bartók proved Liszt's living connection both with Hungarian music, with its national traditions, and with our modernity, for the artistic ideals of the great Hungarian were directed to the future.
M. Druskin, A. Koenigsberg
April 2012 Alexandra
A unique phenomenon in the restaurant life of the city is, of course, the restaurant "Sir Lancelot". This is where you can be surprised at the portions and the surroundings. The atmosphere of an old tavern, waitresses in medieval costumes, huge tables, clay goblets and "silver" dishes with food. And the most important thing is the complete absence of forks. They are simply not there - according to the rules of the restaurant, everyone eats with their hands, cutting off pieces with a knife. A fountain in the form of a lion's head is built into the wall next to each table, where you can wash your hands. Portion "for two persons" (as it is written on the menu) is a tin tray half a meter long, on which food for five - 7 types of meat in pieces (chicken, duck, pork leg, pork, beef), all this in vegetables and sauerkraut. The cost of such luxury in terms of rubles is 1500 rubles. Amazing, isn't it? But this is not the whole charm of the restaurant. In the lower basement hall, performances of artists (fakirs, belly dancers, jugglers) take place in the evenings, and all this against the backdrop of beautiful medieval live music played by two people dressed up as ancient musicians. In short, the restaurant lives by the old principle of "bread and circuses". Very unusual, fun and tasty you can spend the evening. It is wiser to book a table in this restaurant the day before, as there are many people who want to.
There are many restaurants in Hungary. Portions are big. For example, if fate brought you to Vaci Street, go to the restaurant "Fatal" .. at least be surprised. Agree, not every day, ordering a light vegetable salad, you get on the table about a kilo of chopped cabbage with other vegetables, chopped and poured with sauce in a huge salad bowl. I can't say that it was very tasty. But I was really impressed with the size. In another small restaurant, when ordering soup for one, we were solemnly brought a pot with a ladle. This pot contained 5 bowls of soup. More than four just physically did not fit. But the price was like for 1 serving.
Prices for restaurant dishes for Russians are very affordable. Dinner in a fairly good restaurant for two will cost you between 1000-1500 rubles with drinks. Prices for local beer are also pleasing to the eye. For example, two glasses of dark local beer in the heart of Vaci Street will cost you 150-170 rubles in our money. And on the outskirts you can easily find zucchini, where for 2 glasses of the same beer you will give 80 rubles for our money. With wine, the same story: in the cellars of winemakers in Eger (a city near Budapest), a bottle of wine will cost you only 200-250 rubles. And take my word for it - this is a very tasty quality wine. It is not surprising that many Russian tourists buy and bring home Hungarian wine with great pleasure, which will be much more expensive here.
There is a Russian menu in a very small number of restaurants, but there is always one in English.
As for goose liver, don't try to ask the waiter for Foie Gras. They will pretend that they do not understand what you need. In Hungarian cuisine, this dish is called "libamáj" - "libamay". If you see it in the cold appetizers section, then they will bring you a pate and a couple of pieces of canned liver. If you want a hot traditional Libamai - look for it only in the list of hot dishes,
About Budapest cafes and pastry shops
March 2009 tanyacher
In the life of the Hungarian capital, which from the second half of XIX in. until the 1940s, they called the city cafes, these establishments played a special role. The famous cafe "Gerbaud", 1870 (fr. Café Gerbeaud), is known for its confectionery. The cafe is located on Vörösmarty Square, this is the very center of Budapest. From here departs Vaci Street (Vatci utca), a pedestrian street with shops and restaurants, similar to Moscow's Arbat.
I like to eat Hungarian dishes in national cafes, which Hungarians call "chards". They are stylized as rural taverns and immerse you in the atmosphere of ecologically clean Hungary. And their confectionery Hungarians call "tsukrazdy". The strudel is worth trying! In Hungary, as in Austria, strudel is everywhere. And in the city center we found a cafe where a strudel cooking show takes place. The cafe is called "Reteshaz", and "retesh" - ("puff" in Hungarian) is a thin dough roll with a sweet or salty filling. Of course, the show is loudly said, but the strudel is made in front of visitors. The cafe serves not only strudels, here you can fully eat and drink, and the prices are quite reasonable. Cafe address: October 6 str., 22. You can get here from Freedom Square, walking one block.
1. Smoked Hungarian sausages (in any supermarket in Budapest).
2. Marzipan (in specialized stores in the center of Budapest or in the city of St. Endre, if you are there).
3. National Hungarian soup "salami". There is, for example, in the cafe "Paprika" (by the way, almost the only cafe where there is a menu in Russian). I warn you, the portions in this cafe are for a person who has not eaten for a month; it takes about twenty minutes to lick a plate. The cafe is located on Dozza Djerji ("Heroes' Square" in Hungarian). The waiters there, however, are not very friendly, their life, apparently, is not particularly happy.
4. Dessert dish (I don’t remember the name) - a national Hungarian dish similar to cottage cheese hedgehogs with puff pastry shavings (in the Eclectic cafe - a well-known place opposite the Budapest Operetta Theater, Nadzhimetso Utz. Minorities often sit there and the sofas are very smoky ).
5. Banana shake - bubble milk cool drink (well done in the cafe "Mai Mano", directly opposite the Operetta tetra, Nadzhimetso Utsa, 20).
6. Pancakes with cottage cheese or meat (Andrassy, 120, the building of the Russian cultural center in Budapest). If you suddenly want a piece of the homeland.
The culture of Hungary was born at the time of the conversion of the Hungarian people to the Christian faith at the end of the 10th century. Under the reign of King Stephen I, the state and society were rebuilt according to Western European canons, eradicating the old traditions of the past and all the influence of Eastern culture, Hungary embarked on the path of development within the European community.
Little known culture of Hungary
State cultureHungary has rich centuries-old traditions, but due to the peripheral position of the power in Europe and linguistic isolation, it is relatively little known outside of it. Specific to the Hungarian culture is the art of handicraft of shepherds, products from horn, wood, bone and leather.
Since ancient times culture here it developed in an original way - men decorated tools with patterns with elements of national ornament, these were sticks and whips with twisted leather weaving. Shepherds made ax handles, ladles, pipes and wooden flasks, decoratively fitted them with leather. Saltcellars, wine horns, pepper shakers, boxes - all this is not uncommon here. Various techniques were used to apply patterns: scratching, and then rubbing in paints, relief or bas-relief carving, inlay.
Religion in Hungary
A country of many confessions with a long tradition of secularism and religious tolerance - all this Hungary. Main religion of Hungary- Catholicism, Protestantism is in the second position, Orthodoxy, Judaism and Muslims are in the minority. But this is a country where pretty strong exactly religious traditions, which greatly influenced art and culture and was reflected in the architecture of the region. Sights of Hungary- this is an amazing layer of global culture.
Economy of Hungary
Today economy of Hungary is approximately on the same level with Poland, Slovakia and Croatia. National currency- forint. Such money comes from Florence, where in the 13th century they minted gold coin called the golden florin.
Science of Hungary
Having a solid potential, the country actively participates in European cooperation programs. Science of Hungary has reached a high level in the field of research in optics, physical chemistry, nuclear physics, genetics, biochemistry, applied mathematics and other studies.
Art of Hungary
A wide range of pictorial art of Hungary in countless museums in Budapest. The paintings of the world-famous artists Rembrandt, Raphael and El Greco are the cultural heritage of the country.
Cuisine of Hungary
The lakes and rivers of the country are rich in fish, so the national Hungarian cuisine mainly consists of fish dishes. Popular are: Tissai sterlet, Balaton pike perch and Danube catfish. It is also customary to serve a lot of vegetables on the table: eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, various onion cabbage.
Customs and traditions of Hungary
In religious customs and traditionsHungary Stephen's Day entered. It is celebrated by the Hungarians with a special celebration. The main action takes place in St. Stephen's Cathedral, where the relics are stored right hand the Hungarian king. The Esztergom cardinal conducts a festive mass, after which the celebrating people carry the relic through the city streets. The holiday ends with fireworks.
Sports of Hungary
One of the important components of the culture of the country - Hungarian sports. This European powerhouse is one of the most famous sports nations in the entire world, thanks to a generation of legendary soccer players from the 1950s and 1960s.