Grundtvig Project Budapest 2012

1. Grundtvig Project Budapest 2012

2. Participants

3. Schedule Tuesday, November 20th Arrival in Budapest (Liszt Ferenc Airport) Wednesday, November 21st 9.45 Arrival at Szent László Gimnázium 10.00 Walking around in the school 10.30 Official welcome by Péter Sárkány, headmaster (at Szent László Gimnázium) Plenary session - presentations, ice-breaking games 11.30 Coffee break 11.45 Plenary session – discussing our project 13.30 Lunch at the school (offered) 14.30 Sightseeing Walking by the Danube (Duna Korzó) Boat trip on the Danube Visiting the Castle Of Buda

4. Schedule Thursday, November 22nd 9.45 Arrival at Szent László Gimnázium 10.00 Plenary session 11.30 Coffee break 11.45 Plenary session 13.00 Coffee break 13.15 Workshops 14.00 Lunch at the school (offered) 15.00 Afternoon programmes Friday, November 23rd Leaving Budapest

5. Szent László Secondary School Szent László Secondary School was founded in 1907 in Kőbánya, Budapest. It has approximately 850-900 students, who can choose from six major subjects according to their interests. Specialized classes include an Italian–Hungarian bilingual class, a class specialized in English, as well as a Mathematics and English section, German and Art section, Biology and Chemistry section, Computer Sciences and Mass Media section (the latter are paired specialized subjects). Our school is a member of the Hungarian UNESCO Schools Association, which, with different programs, makes it possible for the students to get to know other cultures. For this reason, our school lays a particular emphasis on languages (our students have a possibility to choose from eight languages.)

6. Budapest That Budapest - one of the most beautiful cities in the world – has developed where it is, is not down to some historical accident. Take a look at Gellért Hill, right next to the River Danube as it flows majestically through the centre of the modern city. It was precisely the combination of the relative ease of crossing the River here and the natural protection the hill offered against invasion that decided the earliest settlers it was the ideal place to build a town. The Eravisci, a tribe of highly cultured Celts, had already settled at Gellért Hill in the third and fourth centuries B.C. They worked with iron, decorated their earthenware pots and even minted their own coins. Later, the Romans built a settlement at today’s Old Buda. They called it Aquincum and it was an important station along the limes which ran alongside the River Danube. The capital city of Hungary, Budapest, was created out of the unification of the separate historic towns of Buda, Pest and Old Buda in 1873. Whilst the area had been inhabited from early times, it was from this date that the city’s expansion into a world capital really began. Budapest is bisected by the River Danube, with the city as much a natural geographical centre as it is the country’s transport hub. Covering an area of two hundred square miles and divided into 23 administrative districts, it is home today to a population of 1.8 million people. Flowing north to south through the centre of the city is the mighty River Danube. Buda and Old Buda, comprising roughly a third of the total, are situated mainly in the hills to the west, with commercial Pest on the plains to the east. There are three islands – Old Buda Island, Margaret Island and Csepel Island – and nine bridges, two of which carry railway lines. Budapest possesses a rich and fascinating history as well as a vibrant cultural heritage. Recognizing the unique value of its traditions it has managed to maintain its magic and charm, and is rightly known as the Queen of the Danube. It has also been called the City of Spas, as there are a dozen thermal baths complexes served by over a hundred natural thermal springs.

7. Heroes' Square The most spectacular square in the capital, sited at the entrance to City Park. Anyone coming up Andrássy Boulevard sees from afar the 36-m-high column in the centre of the Millenium memorial, on top of which is a statue of the Archangel Gabriel holding the Hungarian Holy Crown and apostolic double cross. Quarter-circular colonnades extend to both left and right of the column with 14 figures of the 'greats' from Hungarian history. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is positioned in front of the monument. The magnificent buildings of the Palace of Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts to the right and left of the monument enhance the fine architectural entity of Heroes Square. The Houses of Parliament After long discussion the construction of Parliament began in 1885 according to plans by Imre Steindl. Completed in 1904, it is one of Europe's most splendid Parliament buildings, reflecting its designer's taste and the nation's demands for representation. At the same time it is one of the landmarks of the capital. The neo-Gothic palace is 268 m long and its dome is 96 m high. The outer walls are decorated with statues of Hungarian monarchs and military commanders. Castle Quarter and Castle Hill Part of the World Heritage. Due to its excellent features it was settled as early as the 13th century; King Béla IV built a castle here after the Tartar invasion, and he chose this spot as the seat of royal rule. The Castle quarter on the Castle Hill stands 180 m above sea level. It is around 1.5 km long and in places it is 500 metres wide. It boasts three churches, six museums, many historical buildings, monuments, streets and squares, a theatre, four hotels, numerous atmospheric restaurants, cafés, galleries and gift shops. Breathtaking panoramas open from the Fishermen's Bastion and the promenade in front of the National Gallery. Royal Palace One of the symbols of the nation, the palace has witnessed wars and occupation from the 13th to the 20th century. The Turks occupied it, as did the Habsburgs, it was destroyed three times and then rebuilt, each time in the architectural style of the age. Today's neo-Classical style was taken on after the Second World War. The building hosts several distinguished institutions: the Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest History Museum, National Széchényi Library and the Ludwig Museum.

8. Budapest Matthias Church This was the coronation church of Hungarian kings since King Matthias. The records of 1247 first mention this church as the main church of Buda Castle. The originally French building in early Gothic style has been enlarged and rebuilt over the centuries. In 1526, when the Turks conquered Buda, the church was transformed into a mosque. After the reconquest of the city (1686) the church belonged to the Franciscans and later to the Jesuits. Between the years 1874 and 1896, Frigyes Schulek completely reconstructed the Church of Our Lady in neo-Gothic style. Fishermen's Bastion A relatively youthful structure next to Matthias Church built for the Millennium on the designs of Frigyes Schulek. It was sited on the place of the medieval fish market and the walls here were protected by fishermen, that’s why it was named after them. The neo-Romanesque bastion has only ever had a decorative role: it is a popular place to look out over Pest. The Chain Bridge In 1832, count István Széchenyi, "the greatest Hungarian" began to organize the construction of the bridge. While travelling in England, Széchenyi became personally acquainted with William Thierney Clark, who was commissioned to draft the plans for the bridge, and his namesake Adam Clark was asked to direct the construction , which was finished in 1849. Gellért Hill It towers above the city at 235 m, south of Castle Hill. Half way up the hill there is a monument to Bishop Gellért, who came to Hungary to promote Christianity. He was thrown off this spot by pagan Hungarians in 1046. The statue raised in his honor captures him with a cross held in his raised right hand in a pose as if to bless the city. There is an artificial waterfall at the feet of the statue which is particularly pretty at night. At the top of the hill is the Hungarian statue of Liberty and freedom, built in 1947. A woman's figure with a palm branch in her hands. The height of the monument is 14 m and it is captured in a pose as she seems to be offering the palm leaf to the sky.

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