The longest river in the European Union and the second longest in Europe (after the Volga) is the Danube. Its source is in the Black Forest mountains. The river on its way to the Black Sea overcomes the territory of ten countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, decorating four European capitals. However, Budapest is considered its real pearl.
The Danube River is much older than the Rhine, scientists believe that its basin is the birthplace of the earliest human cultures and is still an important waterway in Europe, as well as a source of fresh water.
General information
The majestic Danube extends from west to east, the length of the river is 2860 km, and the total basin area is 817 000 km 2 . A third of the total length of the Danube belongs to Hungary. In Budapest, the river is represented by the middle course, on the right it is bordered by mountains, and on the left begins the Middle Danube, or Hungarian, lowland.
The river is fed by rainwater, thawed glaciers and snows of the Carpathians and the Alps, as well as underground sources. Three periods are clearly pronounced on the Danube: high water, low water and winter.
The river basin borders the catchments of the Elba, Vistula, Weser and Odra rivers in the north, the Dniester in the northeast, the Rhine in the west and northwest.
Etymology of the name
The Danube has many names, they are all consonant and come from the Celtic word danu, which means "flow" or "run."
The Greeks called the river Istar. Initially, the name was applied only to its lower reaches, since only the Greeks knew it. In particular, the Argonauts behind the Golden Fleece sailed precisely along the Danube. The ancient Romans named the waterway Danubius in honor of the river god. By the way, now under this name (Danubius) there is a whole network of hotels, not only in the most beautiful capital on the Danube River, Budapest, but also throughout Hungary, as well as in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and England.
It is believed that the Slavs learned about the Danube thanks to the Goths, who pronounced the name of the river, like Donawj. In the mouths of the Slavs a long sound - - turned into - -. So it happened in the future. The Serbs, Croats and Bulgarians have the Dunav, the Russians and Ukrainians have the Danube, the Slovaks have Dunaj, the Germans have Donau, the Hungarians have Duna.
Source and delta
The river takes its beginning in the Black Forest, at an altitude of 678 m above sea level, at the place where two mountain streams merge (Brigach and Breg). The Danube changes direction several times. In the mountains of Germany it flows to the southeast, then changes direction to the northeast, and near Regensburg again turns south.
A marshy delta forms in the lower reaches of the river, where it branches into many branches and forms lakes. Its length is 75 km and its width is 65 km. The Danube Biosphere Reserve is located in the delta.
Tributaries of the Danube
The river basin has an asymmetric shape, the right-bank part is much smaller in size. The Danube tributaries are unevenly distributed, most of them are in the foothills of the Carpathians and the Alps. Of the greatest importance are seventeen tributaries, including Prut, Tisza, Sava, Siret, Morava, Drava, Vag, Inn.
There are islands on the Danube. In Budapest, the river goes around Margaret Island. It is not the largest, but very picturesque and with an interesting history. The largest, Zhitny island, is located in Slovakia.
Cities on the Danube
About which river flows through Budapest is known, if not all, then almost everyone. The capital of Hungary and the Danube is a single entity. The river is perhaps the main attraction of the city. However, few people know that the Danube crosses three more European capitals: Vienna, Bratislava and Belgrade.
Walking along the old streets of Vienna, examining its palaces and admiring the parks, few people think that it stands on the Danube. Tourists are very surprised when they learn about the beaches and the Danube island, but meanwhile the life of the townspeople is closely connected with the river.
In Bratislava, as in Budapest, the river is a conditional border dividing the city into two parts.
The Danube within Belgrade is 60 km long, it is in the capital of Serbia that the river flows into it. Sava.
On the Danube tributary of the Isar River is the capital of Bavaria, Munich. In Serbia, the Danube crosses the city of Novi Sad, in Bulgaria - Vidin and Rousse, in Austria - Linz, in Romania - Galati and Braila, in Croatia - Vukovar.
The most beautiful capital on the Danube River
Budapest is not in vain called the pearl of the Danube. The Hungarian capital was formed in 1873 as a result of the unification of three cities: Obuda and Buda, located on the western bank of the river, and Pest, located on the eastern side.
The Danube crosses Budapest for 25 km and is its main attraction, the water avenue, to which the whole city faces. Between Pest and Buda in the middle of the river is Margaret Island - one of the most beautiful places in the capital. The banks of the Danube are connected by eight magnificent bridges of various designs: Margit, Liberty, Chain, Kossuth, Arpad, Petofi, Rakotsi, Erzhebet.
Numerous attractions are located on the riverbank in Budapest, including the Royal Palace, the Fisherman's Bastion, Mount Gellert and the Hungarian Parliament Building - the largest building in Hungary with 691 rooms, which is the bizarre merger of the Neo-Gothic style and the French Boz-ara.
The life of the largest European capital is inextricably linked with the river by invisible threads. Every day, passenger and cargo ships, barges, river trams and sports boats go along the Danube. The port is located on the left bank.