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Budapest (pronounced /'b(j)ud??p?st/, also /'b?-/; Hungarian pronunciation ['bud?p??t] ) is the capital city of Hungary.[1] As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation center[2] and is considered an important hub in Central Europe.[3] In 2008, Budapest had 1,702,297 inhabitants[4], down from a mid-1980s peak of 2.1 million, with an official agglomeration of 2,451,418[5]. The city covers an area of 525&_160;square kilometres (202.7&_160;sq&_160;mi)[6] within the city limits. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with the unification on 17 November 1873, of right-bank (west) Buda and Óbuda (Old Buda) together with Pest on the left (east) bank.[7] [6] Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe,[16][1][10][17] its World Heritage Sites include the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, Andrássy Avenue, and the Millennium Underground Railway, the first on the European continent.[16][18] In addition, the largest thermal water cave system in the world was discovered under Budapest in 2008.[19]
The city attracts over 20 million visitors a year.[20] The headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will be in Budapest.[21] The first settlement on the territory of Budapest was Ak-Ink (English Abundant Water) built by Celts[8] before the birth of Christ. It was later occupied by the Romans. The Roman settlement - Aquincum - became the main city of Lower Pannonia[8] in 106 AD[8]. The Romans constructed roads, amphitheaters, baths and houses with heated floors in this fortified military camp[22]. The Hungarians led by Árpád settled in the territory at the end of the 9th century[23][10], and a century later officially founded the Kingdom of Hungary[10]. Research places the probable residence of the Árpáds an early place of central power near what became Budapest. [24] The Tatar invasion in the 13th century quickly proved that defence is difficult on a plain[6][10]. King Béla IV of Hungary therefore ordered the construction of reinforced stone walls around the towns[10] and set his own royal palace[11] on the top of the protecting hills of Buda. In 1361[11] it became the capital of Hungary[6].
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