HUNGARY

1. HUNGARY

2. HUNGARY • In English officially the Republic of Hungary literally Magyar (Hungarian) Republic), is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovaki, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state. The official language is Hungarian, which is part of the Finno-Ugric family, thus one of the four official languages of the European Union that are not of Indo-European origin. Following a Celtic and a Roman period, the foundation of Hungary was laid in the late 9th century by the Hungarian ruler Árpád, whose great-grandson Stephen I of Hungary was crowned with a crown sent from Rome by the pope in 1000. After being recognized as a kingdom, Hungary remained a monarchy for 946 years,and at various points was regarded as one of the cultural centers of the Western world. A significant power until the end of World War I, Hungary lost over 70% of its territory, along with 3.3 million people of Hungarian ethnicity, under the Treaty of Trianon, the terms of which have been considered humiliating by Hungarians. Hungary lost 8 of its 10 biggest Hungarian cities too. The kingdom was succeeded by a Communist era (1947–1989) during which Hungary gained widespread international attention regarding the Revolution of 1956 and the seminal move of opening its border with Austria in 1989, thus accelerating the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. The present form of government is a parliamentary republic (since 1989). Today, Hungary is a high-income economy, and a regional leader regarding certain markers

3. In the past decade, Hungary was listed as one of the 15 most popular tourist destinations in the world The country is home to the largest thermal water cave system and the second largest thermal lake in the world (Lake Hévíz), the largest lake in Central Europe (Lake Balaton), and the largest natural grasslands in Europe (Hortobágy). Lake Balaton Hévíz Hungarian Grey Cattle

4. BUDAPEST • Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation center and is considered an important hub in Central Europe. In 2009, Budapest had 1,712,210 inhabitants, down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million. The Budapest Commuter Area (or Greater Budapest) is home to 3,271,110 people. The city covers an area of 525 square kilometres (202.7 sq mi) within the city limits. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with a unification on 17 November 1873 of right (west)-bank Buda and Óbuda with left (east)-bank Pest Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement, was the direct ancestor of Budapest, becoming the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. Magyars arrived in the territory in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241-42. The re-established town became one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture in the 15th century. Following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule, development of the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest became a global city after the 1873 unification. It also became the second capital of Austria-Hungary, a great power that dissolved in 1918. Budapest was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Hungarian Soviet Republic of 1919, Operation Panzerfaust in 1944, the Battle of Budapest of 1945, and the Revolution of 1956. Regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, its extensive World Heritage Site includes the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, Andrássy Avenue, Heroes' Square and the Millennium Underground Railway, the second oldest in the world Other highlights include a total of 80 geothermal springs, the world's largest thermal water cave system, second largest synagogue, and third largest Parliament building. The collections of the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts are also significant.The city ranked 3rd (out of 65 cities) on Mastercard's Emerging Markets Index (2008) and ranked as the most livable Central/Eastern European city on EIU's quality of life index (2009) It attracts over 20 million visitors a year The headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the first foreign office of the CIPA will be in Budapest.

5. Pictures of Budapest Heroes’ Square Parliament Building Chain Bridge Budacastle Chain Bridge

6. Hungarian National Museum Budapest by air paint Matthias Church Fine Art Museum Concert Hall Ice Rink Stephen’s Basilica Saint Elisabeth Church

7. The cultural and economic centre of region Jászság: Jászberény • Jászberény lies 80 kilometres east of Budapest and 40 kilometres south of the Matra mountains on the banks of the Rivers Zagyva and Tarna. This region is a kind of transition from the Great Hungarian Plain to the slopes of the Matra Mountains, which wheather permitting, can clearly be seen from the town.Jászberény, which has 28 thousand inhabitants, possesses unique geographical, ethnical and historical features. The countryside surrounding the town has preserved its long standing characteristics, an outing, a walk along the river Zagyva in Hajta nature conservation area or along the romantic, almost untouched grovy banks of old -Zagyva, can be an unforgettable experience. The River Zagyva Hajta nature conservation area

8. Jász (or Jazygian) people of Asian origin arrived in the Carpathian basin along with the Kun people in the 13th century. The Hungarian king granted them the territory of Jászság, Kunság and Nagykunság (Triple Boroughs) to settle down. In return they were expected to provide the King with soldiers. The Hungarian sovereigns granted Jász and Kún people special privileges. They had lived freely and cultivated their own land not belonging to any of the royal boroughs for centuries. Jászberény was the administrative, cultural, and religious centre of the independent region. As the Ottoman occupation of Hungary ended, emperor Lipoth I. sold this territory to the German Order of Knighthood. This act ended the privileged position of Jászság and its people sank into serfdom. Headquarters of the one-time Triple Boroughs, nowadays it houses the Law-courts Monument to Jász people

9. However, Jász and Kun people joined their forces to raise the money necessary to redeem themselves and empress Maria Therese granted them their previous privileges. This was the so called "redemption" -redeeming themselves- a peculiar event in Hungarian history. The rapid development after 1745 showed bourgeois characteristics. The people living here were neither rich nor poor, formed a kind of middle class and cultivated their own land independently not as serfs. Jászberény remained the centre of the Triple Boroughs till the reform of the administration in the country in 1867. At present Jászberény is the centre of the smaller region called Jászság. A permanent exhibition in Jász Museum tells us about the events and relics of the past. This museum, which was officially founded by the town in 1873. houses one of the most beautiful and oldest collections in the country. The symbol of Jász people, our precious national relic, Lehel´s horn can be seen here. This beautifully carved ivory horn dates back to the 11th-12th centuries. The permanent exhibition displays the origin of Jász people, their migration, settlement in Hungary, how they lived, cultivated their land, the diverse products of their traditional craftsmen, the spiritual and cultural values of Jászság. Apart from the rich local historical collection the museum houses periodic exhibitions, to provide free scope for showing other aspects of the rich collection as well as to exhibit the masterpieces of local artists. Lehel´s Horn Jász Museum

10. With one long walk starting from the centre of the town the visitor can admire the historic building monuments built in baroque and classicist style, the statues standing in well-kept parks, and the beautifully renovated public buildings. Wherever you go you can see the traces of the talent, diligence and localism of the people living here. Statues in Rococo style along the bank of the River Zagyva The Town Hall A playground on Margaret Island Girl carrying a pitcher

11. The Teacher Training college, which was founded in 1917 as a secondary teacher training institute operates nowadays as the faculty of the University of St. István. Its determining function is still teacher training but it also trains informatical librarians, social organisers, social-pedagogists and human resource managers. University of St. István Jászberény Faculty Botanic garden belonging to the University of St. István Jászberény Faculty

12. Belvárosi Primary school The member school at Bercsényi Street • The main building can be found at Bercsényi Street • In every grade there are two parallel classes • The main profiles of the school are the teaching of mathematics, physical education and foreign languages of high quality. • The classroom technical equipments are outstanding and it helps to promote qualitative teaching

13. In our town there are four primary schools. Our school is the largest of all. It consists of two member schools. • This is Belvárosi Primary School

14. Belvárosi Primary school The large sports centre belongs to our school which is the largest roofed gym in the town, thus, several sports events and other ceremonies are organized here as well.

15. Székely Mihály Member school • Basically the main emphasis is put on musical education. • The classes are divided: they can learn foreign language (on intermediate level) and the others can learn music at the same time. • In a short time in this building a modern classroom will be created for Information Technology lessons.

16. For ages we have been participating in the European Union’s educational programs. • Our schools are successful participants of Comenius, Grundtvig programs. On this website our projects are presented in details

17. Jászberény town is twinned with Vechta

18. The availability of our school is the following: • Adress:11.Bercsényi street Jászberény 5100 Hungary Telefon/fax: 00- 36-57-501-730 E-mail: suli@jbelvarosi.sulinet.hu Web: http://jbelvarosi.sulinet.hu