Tourism in Hungary

1. Importance of tourism to Hungary. (numbers, origin of tourists

• In 2011, the number of tourists that visited Hungary was 10,250,000.
• 98% of Hungary's tourists come from Europe. Most of the tourists come from Austria, Germany, and Slovakia.

2. Major tourist attractions:

• The Buda Castle and Matthias Church in Budapest- This grand palace has 203 rooms and hosts the Historical Museum and the National Art Gallery.

• Hungary Parliament Building- Guided tours are available when the National Assembly is not in session and last about 45 minutes.

• Andrassy Avenue- This is the most famous shopping area in Budapest. Entertainment of all sorts can be found here along with restaurants and boutiques.

• Caves of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst- There are 712 caves! This also includes the world's largest stalagmite and an ice filled abyss.

• House of Terror- It contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist dictatorial regimes in 20th-century Hungary and is also a memorial to the victims of these regimes, including those detained, interrogated, tortured, or killed in the building.

• St. Stephen's Basilica- The church was named after St. Stephen the I of Hungary, the first King of Hungary. It is the third largest church building in Hungary, but the most important church building.

3. National Parks:

• Hortobagy National Park - 1972
• Kiskunsag National Park - 1975
• Bukk National Park - 1976
• Aggtelek National Park - 1985
• Ferto-Hansag National Park - 1991
• Danube-Drava National Park - 1996
• Koros-Maros National Park - 1997
• Balaton Uplands National Park - 1997
• Danube-Ipoly National Park - 1997
• Orseg National Park - 2002

4. Important Museums:

• Hungarian National Museum
• Hungarian Natural History Museum
• Budapest History Museum
• Hungarian National Gallery
• House of Terror
• Museum of Applied Arts
• Museum of Ethnography