Tabán
Encyclopedia
Tabán usually refers to an area within the 1st district of Budapest
, the capital of Hungary
. It lies on the Buda
(i.e. Western) side of the Danube
, to the south of György Dózsa
Square, on the northern side of Elisabeth Bridge and to the east of Naphegy
. Outside of Budapest, several other Hungarian cities and towns also have districts called Tabán.
The Tabán has been inhabited since Neolithic times, due to its location in a protected valley, the thermal waters at the bottom of the Gellért Hill and the ford over the Danube. In the Iron Age
, it was inhabited by a tribe of Celts, who were replaced by the Romans
in the 1st century BC.
In the Middle Ages
, the Tabán was a village right under the Buda Castle
. The Turks
developed the thermal medicinal baths in the area and brought immigrants from the Balkans
. The population increased after the liberation of Hungary
from the Turks as refugees came from Greece
, Bosnia
and Serbia
. The Franciscans from Bosnia established the parish church in the 17th Century which still exists today and the Orthodox inhabitants established their own parish. In the 18th Century, the town was inhabited by Serbs
, Greeks
, Vlachs
, Germans
, Croats
, Slovaks
and Gypsies.
In the 19th Century, the Tabán became known as a Bohemian
quarter of Budapest with many restaurants, bars and bordellos. Its narrow streets on the hillsides echoed a Mediterranean atmosphere.
In the 1930s, the Tabán was demolished in order to facilitate urban planning
in Budapest
. Today, it is a park very popular with the population of the capital.
The history of Tabán is inseparable from that of the neighboring Naphegy
and Gellérthegy districts. After the 1930 urban planning
in Budapest, only a few old Tabán houses were left in the Naphegy
district; one of them was the Tabán school, which was destroyed in January 1945, during the battle of Budapest
. Today a sports field can be found where the school once stood. The only original streets remaining are Orom Street in Gellérthegy and Tabán Czakó Street in Naphegy
.
wrote:
"Köröttem - esős akvarell - Tabán.
Nyugodt lennék itt s boldog is talán..."
"I crossed Tabán - a rainy watercolour.
I would be at peace here and maybe happy too..."
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, the capital of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. It lies on the Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
(i.e. Western) side of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, to the south of György Dózsa
György Dózsa
György Dózsa was a Székely Hungarian man-at-arms from Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary who led a peasants' revolt against the kingdom's landed nobility...
Square, on the northern side of Elisabeth Bridge and to the east of Naphegy
Naphegy
Naphegy is a hill and neighbourhood in Budapest, Hungary. It is part of Krisztinaváros and administratively belongs to the 1st District.-Location:Naphegy is rising south of the center of Krisztinaváros, between Gellérthegy and Tabán...
. Outside of Budapest, several other Hungarian cities and towns also have districts called Tabán.
Maps
- Meyers Lexikon (1905) on the right:
- Google-Maps Satellite http://maps.google.de/maps?ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=47.491667,19.040766&spn=0.004821,0.009559&t=h - streets on the Map:
- Kereszt Street was the center of old Tabán.
- near Naphegy Street and Kereszt Street Memorial 1956 Hungarian Revolution1956 Hungarian RevolutionThe Hungarian Revolution or Uprising of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the government of the People's Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956....
- near Hadnagy Street Rácz fürdő.
- near Apród Street museum: Semmelweiss Orvostöténeti Múzeum.
History
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, it was inhabited by a tribe of Celts, who were replaced by the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
in the 1st century BC.
In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the Tabán was a village right under the Buda Castle
Buda Castle
Buda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, first completed in 1265. In the past, it was also called Royal Palace and Royal Castle ....
. The Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
developed the thermal medicinal baths in the area and brought immigrants from the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. The population increased after the liberation of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
from the Turks as refugees came from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. The Franciscans from Bosnia established the parish church in the 17th Century which still exists today and the Orthodox inhabitants established their own parish. In the 18th Century, the town was inhabited by Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
, Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Vlachs
Vlachs
Vlach is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. English variations on the name include: Walla, Wlachs, Wallachs, Vlahs, Olahs or Ulahs...
, Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
, Slovaks
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
and Gypsies.
In the 19th Century, the Tabán became known as a Bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
quarter of Budapest with many restaurants, bars and bordellos. Its narrow streets on the hillsides echoed a Mediterranean atmosphere.
In the 1930s, the Tabán was demolished in order to facilitate urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. Today, it is a park very popular with the population of the capital.
The history of Tabán is inseparable from that of the neighboring Naphegy
Naphegy
Naphegy is a hill and neighbourhood in Budapest, Hungary. It is part of Krisztinaváros and administratively belongs to the 1st District.-Location:Naphegy is rising south of the center of Krisztinaváros, between Gellérthegy and Tabán...
and Gellérthegy districts. After the 1930 urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
in Budapest, only a few old Tabán houses were left in the Naphegy
Naphegy
Naphegy is a hill and neighbourhood in Budapest, Hungary. It is part of Krisztinaváros and administratively belongs to the 1st District.-Location:Naphegy is rising south of the center of Krisztinaváros, between Gellérthegy and Tabán...
district; one of them was the Tabán school, which was destroyed in January 1945, during the battle of Budapest
Battle of Budapest
The Siege of Budapest centered on the Hungarian capital city of Budapest. It was fought towards the end of World War II in Europe, during the Soviet Budapest Offensive. The siege started when Budapest, defended by Hungarian and German troops, was first encircled on 29 December 1944 by the Red Army...
. Today a sports field can be found where the school once stood. The only original streets remaining are Orom Street in Gellérthegy and Tabán Czakó Street in Naphegy
Naphegy
Naphegy is a hill and neighbourhood in Budapest, Hungary. It is part of Krisztinaváros and administratively belongs to the 1st District.-Location:Naphegy is rising south of the center of Krisztinaváros, between Gellérthegy and Tabán...
.
Tabán in literature
The poet Dezső KosztolányiDezso Kosztolányi
-Biography:Kosztolányi was born in Szabadka, Austro-Hungarian monarchy in 1885, the town belongs today to Serbia. The city serves as a model for the fictional town of Sárszeg, in which he set his novella Skylark as well as The Golden Kite....
wrote:
"Köröttem - esős akvarell - Tabán.
Nyugodt lennék itt s boldog is talán..."
"I crossed Tabán - a rainy watercolour.
I would be at peace here and maybe happy too..."
Sights
Its major sights include- Rác Thermal Baths (opening 2010)
- Rudas Medicinal BathsRudas BathsRudas Bath or Rudas fürdő is a thermal and medicinal bath in Budapest, Hungary. It was first built in 1550, during the time of Ottoman rule. To date, it retains many of the key elements of a Turkish bath, exemplified by its Turkish dome and octagonal pool. It is located at Döbrentei tér 9 on the...
Sources
- Budapest Lexikon (Second edition, revised and expanded). 2 volumes. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1993.
- Narodni Kalendar 1990, Aqua Kiadó és Nyomda, Budapest, 1990.
- Antal Szerb: Budapesti kalauz Marslakók számára (A Guide to Budapest for Martians)
See also
The following are near Tabán:- Gellert HillGellért HillGellért Hill is a high hill overlooking the Danube in Budapest, Hungary. It is part of the 1st and 11th Districts. Gellért Hill was named after Saint Gerard who was thrown to death from the hill. The famous Hotel Gellért and the Gellért Baths can be found in Gellért Square at the foot of the...
- NaphegyNaphegyNaphegy is a hill and neighbourhood in Budapest, Hungary. It is part of Krisztinaváros and administratively belongs to the 1st District.-Location:Naphegy is rising south of the center of Krisztinaváros, between Gellérthegy and Tabán...
- KrisztinavárosKrisztinavárosKrisztinaváros is a neighbourhood in central Budapest, situated just west of Castle Hill, north of Tabán. It is named after Archduchess Maria Christina, daughter of Maria Theresa, who interceded for buildings to be erected in this area...
- Buda CastleBuda CastleBuda Castle is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, first completed in 1265. In the past, it was also called Royal Palace and Royal Castle ....