MaNDAHungarian National Digital Archive

The hollows, cave- or shore-dwellings, also known as cellar houses or stone houses, carved into the softer rock of hillsides for human habitation, are a special product of Hungarian folk architecture. These types of dwellings can be found in the mountainous areas of Hungary, mainly in the North Hungarian Mountains, the Buda Hills and the Transdanubian region. Our database contains a large number of images of cave dwellings in the Bükk and Bükkalja, so we will focus on this region in the article. 

Dance is the most varied form of expression of the soul, a truly ancient instinct, but it is undoubtedly much more than movement, just as music is not only a sequence of sounds. Dance is one of the highest forms of art. In our latest selection, to mark World Dance Day, we look at the history of ballet and contemporary dance, illustrated with photographs of Hungarian artists, and pay tribute to our dancers.

Marzipan has been a favourite sweet from ancient times to the present day. Several legends try to explain the emergence of its basic recipe, with just two ingredients, and the origin of its name. Many cultures have their own marzipan specialities, such as the Mediterranean peoples, the Germans and the Hungarians. In our exhibition, we present these gastronomic tales and the various marzipan products.

The story of the Aranybika, "Golden Bull" is an indispensable chapter in the rich history of Debrecen. The Grand Hotel Aranybika is an emblematic place of the civic city, which has nothing to do with the bulls of the plain, but with the Bika (Bull) family. The family’s land was acquired by the city at auction with the aim of building a hotel on it. The house, located on the main street, suited the town, as at that time it had only one guesthouse. The circumstances under which the building you can still see today was built can be learnt from our latest selection of hotel and catering history.

Consuming pickled vegetables is part of our eating habits; there are those who make it themselves, there are those who get it from pickles sellers. Sauerkraut is still one of the most important sources of vitamins in winter, and summer is not real without sour cucumber fermented in the window. Their role in a healthy diet is undisputed and their strong aroma and sour taste is adored by many, less so by others.