subject: Seeing The Republic Of Hungary [print this page] Hungary is one of the most culturally rich places on the entire Earth. Located in Central Europe, Hungary is one of the oldest European countries. With big, glittering cities and a long and rich cultural history, Hungary is an awesome place to visit. By going online and downloading a American passport application now, you can be on your way to this beautiful country.
A passport is required to travel to Hungary, and you can get yours online. It literally only requires a couple of clicks to get your passport on its way, along with tons of other services, from getting extra United States passport pages to getting it shipped overnight.
Budapest is the capital and largest city of Hungary. Originally two separated cities, Buda and Pest, they are now connected by the stunning Chain Bridge which spans the sparkling Danube River. One of the most beautiful sights in Budapest is the Fisherman's Bastion, a castle that has turrets and minarets that seem to come straight from a fairytale. The Royal Buda Palace, originally built in the 14th century, is a huge building that houses many opportunities to experience the Hungarian tradition. St. Stephen's Basilica and The Great Synagogue are two religious buildings that are visible throughout Budapest. The Great Synagogue is the second largest in the world, with the one in New York being the largest.
Definitely make the time to explore the castles of Hungary. Over 1,500 different palaces, fortresses, manors, and castles can be found in Hungary, and picking which to visit, and consequently which is your favorite, will be more difficult than you imagine. These buildings are living and breathing works of art as well as valuable history lessons. The aristocratic Eszterhazy family built a huge mansion in the 18th century that has been likened to the Palace of Versailles in France.
Hungary is home to nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, each showing a different facet of Hungary's culture in its own unique way. One of these sites is the Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst. These caves not only hold some of the most unique underground geological formations in the world, but also the amount of fossils of prehistoric humans, cave paintings, and religious monuments. Hortobagy National Park is a great place to experience some of the famous Hungarian wildlife. Included are the wild sheep, pigs, and horses of the rolling plains as well as 342 species of birds.
