Budapest was built in the middle of the Central Danube basin at the junction of the most favorable river-crossing, and at the meeting-point of territories with varying geographical features and different economic conditions. The determinant components of the city's foundation therefore were its river-crossing location and its market-city potential. Numerous products of many kinds from the territories changed hands here. Already in Roman times a castrum (fort) was erected on the left bank of the river in recognition of the strategic location. It is no accident that the old, forrner marketplace was established in the same spot. Here, too, was built Pest's oldest church, the Central Town Chureb (Belvárosi templom), marking the site of the ancient city-center. We first hear the name 'Pest' being used in the reign of King Géza II, in an AD 1148 deed.

King Béla IV constructed a fortress on Caste Hill in the 13th century and moved the capital here. Along with Pest and the Castle Hill Óbuda (Old Buda) is the third ancestral city-centre. Tbe latter is thought to be the 'Fejéregyháza' mentioned in the chroniele of  Anonymus in the 12th century where Árpád, the Conqueror, was buried.

Several medieval charters rnention "Insula Leporum" (Rabbit Island), now Margaret Island (Margitsziget), as being a part of Óbuda. Finally, these three settlements: Pest, Buda and Óbuda, were joined together in 1873 under the name: Budapest. For the occasion a new, representative royal palace was built. However in the Second World War the building and the Castle Quarter suffered serious damage. With the clearing up of the ruins archaeological digs were started and the excavations are still going on today, as are the restoration of medieval ruins. The majority of the buildings in the Castle are historical monuments, the gateways have Gothic seat niches and the carved stone of the rebuilt facades is reminiscent of the middle ages.

The first stone bridge built here over the Danube, the Lánchíd, has become a symbol of the city. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a chain suspension bridge incorporating architectural elements in the classicist style. This was the fint fixed stone bridge over the Danube in the capital. After Széchenyi's initiative it was constructed from 1839 to 1849. The englishman William Thierney was its designing architect. It was carried out by another englishman, Adam Clark, who later  on settled in the city.

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