The Celts formed the first settlement on the territory of Budapest. Shortly after them, the Romans formed a settlement called Aquincum in 106 AD which occupied a territory corresponding to today's Óbuda district. It was only in the 10th century that Budapest began to take on its present form, thanks to the Magyar tribes led by Árpád,head of the Hungarian tribes confederation, who were forced out of their original homeland north of Bulgaria and settled in the territory, displacing the founding Bulgarian settlers of the towns of Buda and Pest,and officially founding the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1873 the three cities, of Buda, Pest and Obuda, finally united, which lead to a remarkable development and rise. During World War 2 and in the course of the 1956 revolution, a great part of the original buildings was destroyed. Despite that, the city miraculously rose up again but left with bullet holes and scars of many battles which can still be seen on the walls of some of Budapest’s buildings. Today, the city of Budapest stands as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, ranked as "the world's second best city" by Condé Nast Traveller. Beautiful Danube river divides the city into a romantic part, Buda, and a vibrant cultural centre, Pest. The historical thermal baths, the Royal Palace, the Matthias Church and the zigzagging alleys enveloping the Castle District are just some of the historical treasures of Buda. Pest on the other side offers you a chance to admire the Parliament, the Great Market Hall, St. Stephen’s Basilica and the exciting atmosphere of the ‘Jewish quarter’. The banks of the Danube and the Buda Castle district, as well as Andrássy Avenue and its historic vicinity, are two parts of Budapest which have been recognised by UNESCO as having World Heritage status. Budapest has everything to offer, from tense history and flashy architecture to healing thermal waters and exciting nightlife, so don't hesitate to pick Budapest as your next destination.