The grand plaza in the heart of Budapest hosts a major horse race on 31st May-1st June. The National Gallop is planned to be a regular part of an annual cultural festival organized by Péter Geszti, a renowned expert in advertising. Around 100 horse race riders are expected to participate in the event. The winner of the National Gallop will be awarded 200,000 €.

Heroes’ Square in Budapest

- a plaza with lost of historic statues and monuments

If you’ll be in Budapest at the end of May do include this event in your programe. Entry is free of charge. In case you’re not really interested in horse racing it’s still worth dropping by Andrássy Avenue where tents introducing regions of Hungary will be set up.

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2008 is the Year of Renaissance in Hungary celebrating that King Matthias stepped on to the throne of Hungary 550 years ago. During Matthias’ rule (1458-1490) Hungary developed into a cultural centre renowned throughout Europe.

Matthias Corvinus was inspired by Renaissance flourishing in Italy, thus he invited artists, scientists, scholars (Galeotto Marzio, Bonfini) to help establish the roots of Renaissance culture in Hungary. His second wife Beatrice was also from Naples, Italy. King Matthias developed the court in Buda into a stunning royal residence that attracted visitors from foreign countries.

Side of Matthias Church (Church of Our Lady) in Castle District in Buda

A series of cultural events, art exhibitions, gastronomic programs will be organised throughout Hungary including the capital, Budapest.

Four museums in Budapest the History Museum, the Museum of Applied Arts,

the National Gallery, and the National Széchenyi Library (Buda Castle, F wing) launched a joint project titled “4 times about Renaissance”. 4 temporary exhibitions introduce

the Renaissance era in Hungary and the heritage of King Matthias through four different angles.

Matthias Corvinus, the King

Tradition and renewal in the Hungariain royal court 1458-1490

besides Hungarian collections art works from Austrian, Czech, German and Slovakian will be on display introducing the figure of Matthias Corvinus and the life in his royal court.

Date: 20th March-30th June, 2008

Venue: Budapest History Museum

Address: Buda Castle, E building , Szt György tér 2.

Admission: 1600 HUF/adult, 1800/students, seniors free for children under 6 and seniors above the age of 70.

Website: www.btm.hu

The Heritage of King Matthias Corvinus from Gothic to Baroque Art

Renaissance Art in Hungary in 16th-17th centuries

Date: 28th March-27th July 2008, Tue-Mon: 10.00-18.00

Venue: Hungarian National Gallery A building, 1st floor,

Address: Buda Castle Dísz tér 17.,

Admission: 1600 HUF, 50% discount for EU citizens between the ages 6-26, and 62-70, free for children under 6 and seniors above the age of 70.

Website: www.mng.hu

The Dowry of Beatrice

The art of Italian majolica and the Court of King Matthias Corvinus

Date: 26th March-30th June, 2008

Venue: Museum of Applied Arts

Address: Üllői út 33-37, M3 (blue metro), trams 4-6 Ferenc körút station

Website: www.imm.hu

Star in the Shadow of a Raven (Csillag a Holló Árnyékában)

Archbishop János Vitéz and the Beginning of Humanism in Hungary

Around 100 works of art (Corvina codexes, paintings, emgravings, sculptures) will be on display including some rarities like the book first printed in Hungary the Cronica Hungarorum

Date: 14th March-15th June, 2008, Tue-Sat: 10.00-20.00

Venue: Széchényi Library, Buda Castle, F building

Admission: 100 HUF/adult, 500 HUF/studnts, pensioners

Website: www.oszk.hu

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Easter is approaching and Budapest hails the arrival of spring with numerous programs.

A romantic cruise on the Danube is the most romantic way of seeing the sights of Budapest

and the captivating cityscape on the riverbanks.

Find more information and book your

place for the Easter on the Millennium Boat cruise.

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The first Mangalica Festival will take place in Vajdahunyad Castle in City Park on the 2nd weekend of February.

Mangalica is a pig with curly hair indigenouous to Hungary and its breeding has been revived in recent years.
Though mangalica meat is sligthly fatter than that of ordinary pig’s its fat contains higher portion of unsaturated fats than saturated fats which is good news for the health-conscious ones.

Apart from that mangalica meat is healthier it’s much more tasty, too. Nowadays more and more retailers recognise the marketing potential of mangalica products’ health benefits and consequently mangalica sausage, salami and other meat stuff cost much more than products made from ordinary pork meat, even though breeding of mangalica cost less due to its undemanding nature.

So visit the Mangalica Festival to have a taste of fried sausages, black pudding, pickles, Hungarian wines and pálinka, homemade jams and honey.

Sausage stuffing competition, cooking contest, craft fair and folk music are a few selections from the two-day program.

Admission is free. Find more info on the organiser’s website (though it’s only in Hungarian but the photos will surely whet your appetite).

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As of 1st January 2008 you have to pay an entry fee to visit the permanent exhibitions of state owned museums in Hungary.

Before only the temporary exhibitions weren’t free. Larger museums however are going to offer certain discounts to keep up the enthusiasm of museum visitors experienced in the previous couple of years.

For example entry to the Museum of Fine Arts costs 1200 HUF but on every 3rd Saturday visitors under 26 and those who accompany someone under 18 can visit the museum for free.

Another good news is that by buying a ticket to one of the temporary exhibitions you’re entitled to see the permanent exhibitions of the museum.

Admission to other Budapest Museums:

• Hungarian National Gallery: 800 HUF and the museum offers the same discounts as the Museum of Fine Arts

• Hungarian National Museum: 1000 HUF

• Museum of Applied Arts: 800 HUF

Further discounts to museums: those between the age of 62 and 70 pay half of the entry fee, above the age of 70 admission is free

Admission is also free for children up to the age of 6, for the disabled and their escorts.

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