Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-01-16
PRIDE OF HUNGARIANs.
Budapest. Their Capital Ranks With
the Most Beautiful Cities Of
Europe.

| L. NOV. lc.-l w WlllldIu
Curtis in Chicago Record-Herald.)- y
The people of Hungary are now en-
joying the liberty for which Kossutl
fought. 1t has been theirs since
1866, and they have celebrated 1t by
building city of marvels, one of the
most beautiful and splendid of the
European capitals 1t compares with
Paris, Berlin and St. Petersburg, and
is second only to Vienna in the state
land streets. The world at large Is
less informed about Budapest than
about any other of the important cit
les of Europe, although it could find
there more to admire. Budapest IL
so recent and so modern that people
do not realize that 1t has developed
as rapidly as Chicago or Minneapo-
lis. 1t is 200 years since the Turks
We're driven out of Hungary, after
centuries of occupation, but only
| since 1856 have national pride and
progress been combined in the devel-
opment of the kingdom and its capi-
| tai
Thirty years ago Budapest was a
primitive and forlorn settlement of
not more than 100000 people, living
in tenements that were built in the
18th century. Now its people num-
Der narly 100000, and the town has
undergone a. physical and architec-
, tural transformation that has never
occurred elsewhere. 1t has develop
ed into a splendidly appointed and
symetrical modern metropolis, and itt
construction has been kept so well in
hand. by the authorities that ever,
feature is harmonious and every pub
lie Improvement has been brought
about by the application of the high
est degree of artistic taste and scien.
tific principle.
The independence of Hungary in
vigorated every citizen of the nation
and inspired his ambition. and he Is
satisfied with his own work. The
people will tell you confidentially that
Budapest has no rivals, that its
streets and buildings, its shipping ia
cilities, its parks and all its material
advantages are superior to those of
Vienna, and they believe it. Such
pride and faith have made Budapest
what 1t is.
The river Danube which here be-
comes navigable for large steamers
flows between two ancient cities
One was called Buda and the other
Pest. Both date back to prehistoric
times, and during the days of the
Roman empire Buda was an outpost
of Importance. The city was built
around a rugged promontory occupied
by citadel rising several hundred
feet from the rivers bank Upon the
site of that citadel has been erected
an enormous palace of marble, one of
the largest buildings in Europe, with
more than 600 rooms, with long series
of state apartments richly decorated
and furnished, which are never used
but once or twice year when the en-
peror comes to Budapest to open par
lament, and gives grand ball to
which invitations are extended with
democratic generosity. While to us
this great palace may appear to be
useles sextravagance, to the Hunga-
rians it is a monument commemorate
ing the restoration of the ancient
Magyar kindgdom, which is rapidly
taking its place among the great pow
ers of the world. The national pride
is thus gratified and every morning
when a Hungarian comes into the
street he can look across the river
and be reminded that he is citizen
of great growing country and has
a responsibility to perform.
h., rn1o hot
Hungary are somewhat closer than
those between Sweden and Norway.
for the latter nations have only
king and diplomatic service in COM
mon, while the former have a COM
mon army and navy, common tariff,
a common currency and common
sovereign and diplomatic corps. In
other respects they are like inde-
pendent nations. Each has its own
laws, it's own parliament, passes its
own laws, assesses its taxes and ex-
pends the money in its own way
Each has its own capitol and courts,
and the rivalry between the two ma
tions is good for both. Budapest is
as proud as any city in Europe, and
has more to be proud OF than most
of them. for nowhere outside of vi
emma can such streets. public edices
and public conveniences be found.
In addition to the palace the ma
tional pride has found expression in a
parliament house, which the people
think it is the grandest structure since
the temple of Solomon. 1t is huge
pile of sandstone, covering nearly
4 acres larger than the parliament
house at London or the capitol at
Washington, and is an architectural
medley, with many Gothic spires
and a Byzantine dome $50 feet high
rising from a French Mansard roof.
The building was designed by Pro-
fessor Steindl, director of the archi-
tectural department Of the Royal
Technical school, who has done much
to develop and cultivate the archi-
tectural taste and ambition of the
Hungarian people. One can see the
results of his influence and instruc-
tiOn in tho lnnp lInaa of huildi N ou