Who we are...
WHO WE ARE
THE GEOGRAPHY OF HUNGARY
Hungary is situated in Central Europe, in the Carpathian basin. Its territory is about 93 000 km2. It has got about 10 million inhabitants.
It has got seven neighbouring countries:
- Croatia (on the south)
- Serbia (on the south)
- Slovenia (on the south)
- Austria (on the west)
- Slovakia (on the north)
- the Ukraine (on the north-east)
- Romania (on the east)
The official language is Hungarian, but ethnic minorities living near the border also speak German and Slavonic languages.
The Hungarian language belongs to the Finno-Ugrian group of languages, and it’s related to Finnish.
The Finns and the Hungarians may have lived together in the original homeland.
At schools students usually learn English, German and French (in secondary school also Italian and Spanish).
Hungary can be divided into three main regions: Transdanubia, the Great Plain and Northern Hungary.
The Transdanubian part is hilly, with the exception with the Small Plain, which is the northern region.
The Great Plain is in the East. It is the area where most crops and vegetables are grown. It is a flat territory, the lowest point of the Carpathian basin.
Northern Hungary has got a lot of mountains, you can find the highest peak of the country here, it is called Kékes, and it is 1014 m high. These mountains are rich in minerals.
There are two long rivers: the Danube and the Tisza. Hungary has got three big lakes: Lake Balaton, Lake Velence, Lake Fertő. Lake Balaton is the biggest lake in Hungary, and it is the second largest freshwater lake in Central and Western Europe.
Hungary has got eleven national parks.
The country is divided into 19 counties. The capital city, Budapest is in Pest County.
WHO WE ARE
BUDAPEST THE CAPITAL CITY
The capital city has got about two million inhabitants. It has got two parts: Buda and Pest. It’s divided into 23 districts.
Two thousand years ago the Romans called this settlement Aquincum, which means “the city of waters”. The name refers to the hot water springs and medicinal baths in this region. Urbanisation began in the fifteenth century, when the Royal Castle on the Buda hill was also built.
Today Budapest is a busy metropolis, with rich historical and cultural monuments, works of art and natural beauties.
There are many sights in Budapest. The view is great from the Gellért Hill. This hill was named after a bishop, who converted Hungarians to Christianity in the 11th century. His statue can be found on the hill. There is a fortress, the Citadel at the top of the hill, which was built in 1851. The highest point of the hill is the Statue of Liberty.
The Buda Castle is on the top of the Castle Hill. It is in the Royal Castle District. The central square is Trinity Square, here is the beautiful Matthias Church.
Several kings were crowned and buried here. It was built in Gothic style.
Behind the church, you can find the Fishermen’s Bastion. From here you can see the Danube and the Houses of Parliament on the opposite bank.
The most popular park for sport and relaxation is the Margaret Island, in the middle of the Danube. You can find here many facilities for recreation, such as open-air theatre, a swimming pool, and baths.
One of the best known sights in Budapest is the Heroes’ Square. It was built on 1896, for the 1000th anniversary of the founding of Hungary. There is the Millenary Monument, surrounded by statues of the great rulers and leaders of Hungarian history.
The City Park is a place tourists should visit. There is a lake, where you can go rowing in the summer. In the winter you can go ice skating to the City Park Ice Rink. You can also visit the Vajdahunyad Castle, the Zoo, the Fun Fair and the Grand Circus.
WHO WE ARE
OUR SCHOOL
Our school is in the 13th district of Budapest. It is named after József Eötvös, a baron who lived in the 19th century. He was a lawyer, writer and a Minister of Education.
About 500 students attend our school. We have got 21 classes, 13 in the lower and 8 in the upper classes.
The school building is very nice and modern, it was completely renewed in 2008.
Children can play football, floorball, volleyball, and they can have music classes in the afternoons.
Our school celebrates its 25th birthday this year.