History’s greatest cities: Budapest
In our series exploring the sights and stories of Europe’s most fascinating historic cities, Thomas Lorman guides us through the ancient, turbulent history of the twin cities straddling the Danube
In episode two of our series exploring the sights and stories of Europe’s most fascinating, enduring and historic destinations, travel journalist Paul Bloomfield is joined by historian Dr Thomas Lorman for a journey to Budapest.
Together they delve into the wide-reaching past of the Hungarian capital, unearthing how it came to have such a prominent place at the heart of central Europe – from ancient origins and its imperial pomp to the more austere recent past.
Along the way, they meet some of the characters who influenced the city’s evolution and discover lesser-known places to visit for insights into its heritage.
- Read the companion piece | The history of Budapest: from hot springs to Cold War
- Listen to all episodes | Explore the entire History's Greatest Cities series
Authors
Thomas Lorman is lecturer in Central European History at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, and author of The Making of the Slovak People's Party: Religion, Nationalism and the Culture War in Early 20th-Century Europe (Bloomsbury, 2019).
Get exclusive access to Ruth Goodman’s six-week Academy course on Victorian Life, featuring two live Q&As + a book of your choice when you subscribe to BBC History Magazine