by Larry Eder
This is Witness the Wonder, the Preview to the 2023 World Champs in Budapest for Day 28, May 15, 2023.
For the next 17 days, RunBlogRun will be posting a story a day on the buildup to the World Athletics Outdoor Championships, to be held in Budapest, Hungary, from August 19-August 27, 2023.
Budapest is the heart of the Hungarian nation, the capital of the nation.
Just 150 years ago, Budapest was born from the union of three historic cities and several settlements. During this time, it has become the distinctive but ever-renewing city we know today. The Danube, which divides Budapest in the middle, is the central urbanist pattern of the city, making it the city of bridges – it would be impossible to imagine Budapest without its bridges linking Pest and Buda.
Budapest is not only a favorite destination for foreign tourists but also the economic powerhouse, innovation, and cultural center of Central and Eastern Europe. It is a melting pot of diverse Europe, with a unique character and history. Its rich culture has been present since Roman times. In classical music, for example, Hungary has given the world several world-famous composers. Today, the House of Music Hungary in Városliget is the home of universal and Hungarian music history.
Budapest is a meeting place for different cultures, people, and economies, and its characteristics make it a bridge between the surrounding landscapes and countries.
But for the people who live there, it means much more. It is a capital where everything you need is within easy reach. A workplace, a school, a shop, your favorite bookstore, or a café are all just around the corner. The main feature of a compact city is that residents can get to anything they need for their daily lives in a very short time. And they can do so on foot, by bike, or by public transport.
Budapest is the world’s number one tram city. It was one of the first cities to introduce tram services in 1887; it has the world’s busiest tramway system, with almost half a billion passengers a year. Its lines 4 and 6 are the busiest in the world, and its line 2 is the most beautiful tram route in the world. Line 1 has the longest tramway car in the world (56 meters), and the second longest tram operates on the Great Boulevard.
Thanks to developments over the last decade, there is no part of the city that cannot be reached by public transport. You can even cross the city at 3 am if you feel like it.
Interoperability and excellent accessibility are true for the capital and the whole country. There is no city in Hungary that cannot be reached within a few hours of Budapest.
Hungary is placed in the heart of Europe: whether by air, rail, or road, it is easy to travel into the country, and from Europe, it takes only a few hours. Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport is one of the region’s hubs, with flights to all parts of Europe, and it also has an extensive overseas network, with connections to the United States, China, and even Australia.
The bus and rail networks are equally well developed, the Adriatic Sea or even the beautiful Transylvania are just a few hours away.
Although Hungary does not have a sea exit, its well-known lake, Lake Balaton, is Central Europe’s largest lake and often referred to as the Hungarian Sea. For further info, click here!
To read all of our earlier stories in Witness the Wonder, numbers 1-27:
1. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 1; Welcome to the World Champs! https://runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-1-welcome-to-the-world-champs.html
2. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 2, Meeting the Stars of Hungarian Athletics! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-2-meeting-the-stars-of-hungarian-athletics.html
3. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 3, Why you should go to Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-3.html
4. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 4, Mondo Duplantis & Nafi Thiam are Europe’s finest; how will they do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-3-mondo-duplantis-nafi-thiam-are-europes-finest-how-will-they-do-in-budapest.html
5. Witness the Wonder, World Championships Budapest 2023, Day 5, Just What Will Faith Kipyegon Do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-championships-budapest-2023-day-5-just-what-will-faith-kipyegon-do-in-budapest.html
6. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 6, Mutaz Essa Barshim. Will he take a 4th straight title in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-mutaz-essa-barshim-will-he-take-a-4th-straight-title-in-budapest.html
7. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Outdoor Champs Budapest 2023, Day 7; Noah Lyles wants to burn up the track in Budapest in August! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-outdoor-champs-budapest-2023-noah-lyles-wants-to-burn-up-the-track-in-budapest-in-august.html
8. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 8, all About the National Athletics Center https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-8-all-about-the-national-athletics-center.html
9. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 9: Meet Anita Marton, Hungarian star shot putter with deadly last-round throws! What will she do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-9-meet-anita-marton-hungarian-star-shot-putter-who-has-deadly-last-round-throws-what-will-she-do-in-budapest.html
10. Witness the Wonder, 2023 World Athletics Outdoor Championships, Day 10: Karsten Warhold is back; what will he do in Budapest over the 400-meter hurdles? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-2023-world-athletics-outdoor-championships-day-10-karsten-warhold-is-back-what-will-he-do-in-budapest-over-the-400-meter-hurdles.html
11. Witness the Wonder World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 11; Wayde Van Niekerk is coming to Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-11-wayde-van-niekerk-wr-holder-olympic-champions-two-time-world-champion-at-400-meters-has-returned-and-he-wants-to-run-a-sizz.html
12. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 12, Neeraj Chopra, India’s Javelin star, will he move up to gold in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-neeraj-chopra-indias-javelin-star-will-he-move-up-to-gold-in-budapest.html,
13. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 13: Ryan Crouser overcomes a rainy day at the Drake Relays! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-13-ryan-crouser-overcomes-a-rainy-day-at-the-drake-relays.html
14. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Outdoor Championships, Budapest, Day 14: Five Reasons to Go to the World Championships in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-outdoor-championships-budapest-day-14-five-reasons-to-go-to-the-world-championships-in-budapest.html
15. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 15, Old and New Stars in Hammer could shine the first weekend of World Champs for Hungary! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-old-and-new-stars-in-hammer-could-shine-first-weekend-of-world-champs-for-hungary.html
16. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023, Day 16: Five Ways to Better Enjoy the Budapest World Champs! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-15-five-ways-to-better-enjoy-the-budapest-world-champs.html
17. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 17; Ferdinand Omanyala wants to be on the 100m medal podium this summer! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-17-ferdinand-omanyala-wants-to-be-on-the-100m-medal-podium-this-summer.html
18. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 18: What will Sifan Hassan do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-18-what-will-sifan-hassan-do-in-budapest.html
19. Witness the Wonder World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 19; Tomas Walsh is from New Zealand, and you better watch him in the Men’s Shot Put final in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-19-tomas-walsh-is-from-new-zealand-and-you-better-watch-him-in-the-mens-shot-put-final-in-budapest.html
20. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 20, Grant Holloway wants to Three-Peat in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-20-grant-holloway-wants-to-three-peat-in-budapest.html
21. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Budapest 2023, Day 21, Five Big Stories for the World Champs in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-budapest-2023-day-21-five-big-stories-for-the-world-champs-in-budapest.html
22. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Budapest 2023, Day 22, Six Stories on Hungarian Athletes and their Dreams for Budapest 2023! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-budapest-2023-day-22-six-stories-on-hungarian-athletes-and-their-dreams-for-budapest-2023.html
23. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships, Budapest 2023, Day 23: Femke Bol What Will She do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-23-femke-bol-what-will-she-do-in-budapest.html
24. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Budapest 2023, Day 24, What Plans Does Joshua Cheptegai Have for Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-budapest-2023-day-24-what-plans-does-joshua-cheptegai-have-for-budapest.html
25. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Budapest 2023, Day 25, LiJao Gong will again battle for the gold, this time in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-budapest-2023-day-25-lijao-gong-will-battle-for-the-gold-once-again-this-time-in-budapest.html
26. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 26, Sha’Carri Richardson is running towards Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-26-shacarri-richardson-is-running-towards-budapest.html
27. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 27, What you need to know about Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-27-what-you-need-to-know-about-budapest.html
The World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, will be held August 19-27, 2023, and tickets are available now! Click here to learn more about ticket sales: https://tickets.wabudapest23.com/
RunBlogRun suggests a wonderful book on Hungary, The Hungarians, A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat, by Paul Lendvai, Translated by Ann Major, Princeton University Press, www.pupress.princeton.edu.
Need tips for Visiting Budapest and the rest of Hungary? Please go here! Visit Hungary-Wellspring of Wonders! https://visithungary.com/
