The construction of the Mohács Danube Bridge marks the culmination of more than a century of persistence and lobbying symbolising the city’s economic and transportation development Although the need for a permanent crossing was first voiced in the mid-19th century historical events repeatedly delayed its realisation the project moved forward under the investment of the Ministry of Construction and Transport as the contractor—bringing an end to over 120 years of unsuccessful advocacy The economic boom of the 19th century gave new momentum to bridge-building efforts the Pécs-Mohács railway line was completed further highlighting the need for a fixed crossing fertile lands emerged on the opposite bank it often struggled to keep up with increasing demand particularly during harvest season when congestion became a major issue for farmers and traders ice flows frequently brought traffic to a standstill The early 20th century saw renewed efforts for a bridge local advocates gained the support of the Minister of Commerce the outbreak of World War I halted progress The issue remained on the agenda between the wars and following World War II and shifting infrastructure priorities repeatedly derailed the plans transportation needs had grown significantly yet residents and agricultural producers remained dependent on the ferry and limited capacity restricted economic opportunities regional development was hindered by the absence of a reliable road link that could have facilitated more efficient logistics and trade The bridge construction project, launched in 2024 by Duna Aszfalt is not only an infrastructural development but also a historic vindication for Mohács The new Danube bridge promises to boost the local economy and enhance transportation efficiency and safety it stands as a testament to over a century of perseverance and community determination finally turning a long-standing vision into reality According to BAMA To read or share this article in Hungarian, click here: Helló Magyar and website in this browser for the next time I comment Y"},"category":false,"taxonomy":{"active":false,"name":"category"}},"markup":{"custom_html":true,"wpp-start":"","wpp-end":"<\/ul>","title-start":"","title-end":"<\/h2>","post-html":"{thumb} {title} {stats}<\/span>{excerpt}<\/p><\/li>"},"theme":{"name":""}} You have successfully joined our subscriber list © 2025 DailyNewsHungary | All rights reserved The following is an adapted version of an article written by Emese Hulej originally published in Magyar Krónika This is how the Busójárás (‘Walk of the Busós’) rooted in a 17th-century tradition and included in the list of Hungarikums since 2012 This tradition of saying farewell to winter which is on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage and a Hungarikum has managed to keep its authenticity and has not fallen victim to tourism and it is no exaggeration to say that they prepare for it all year round No wonder that every year more than 2,000 busós take to the streets of Mohács Becoming a busó for a few days is much more than just being dressed up exactly the same as between online and offline experiences everyone uses this freedom for different purposes changing his mask year after year if he has to it is a state of altered consciousness approaching mysticism Among the rich folk traditions of the Catholic Croats from the southern Slavic territories It is their way of chasing winter away and ‘Among the rich folk traditions of the Catholic Croats from the southern Slavic territories The fur is fastened to the coat with a belt or a rope a flask of spirit drink is usually kept in the haversack it is still freezing cold for the son of man The main ornament and crowning glory of every busó is their wooden mask carved from red willow or linden by the masters who often take over the mask-making baton from their fathers or grandfathers though their mouths are carved into wide smiles but there is a technical reason for that as the drill has to be inserted somewhere to work out the gap between the teeth A hole is drilled for the nostrils and of course but the busós usually only have tunnel vision The mask is topped with the horns of Racka sheep which are today attached with screws used for plasterboard The process of putting on the horns is followed by leathering but the point is that it must be well tailored to cover whatever it is needed to cover it is no wonder that the Busójárás is a multi-day event The procession is also attended by Šokac girls and women dressed in black lace masks and beautiful costumes An important episode of these days is floating the coffin of winter—after all The Busójárás has been listed as a Hungarikum since 2012 visit Mohács between 27 February and 4 March Click here to read the original article. Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker HomeDestinations Interests Top Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Hungary The 500-year-old traditions with bonfires and parades of fearsome monsters unfold on the bank of the Danube making one of the strangest and most unforgettable events in Hungary but some are unique to specific regions or villages celebrated in the small town of Mohács during the final week before Lent Originating from the Šokci people of Mohács this internationally renowned custom marks the symbolic "burial" of winter Busójárás attracts visitors from all over the world eager to experience this vibrant display of Hungarian cultural heritage The Busójárás tradition is rooted in vibrant rituals where participants wear monstrous masks to conceal their identities and roam the streets with cowbells and noisemakers often accompanied by Jankels—assistants in ragged clothing—and Sépbusós girls or men in folk costumes with veiled faces who help coordinate the groups The celebration includes competitions for the most creative and traditional appearances and folk music performed by tambourine and bagpipe bands Busós cross the Danube and participate in a grand parade launching a symbolic coffin of winter and lighting the largest bonfire of the event while locals continue celebrating through Tuesday with another bonfire to bid farewell to winter and welcome spring is believed to have originated from the Sokacs of Balkan descent who brought the custom when they settled in Mohács While one legend ties it to the 16th-century expulsion of the Turks when villagers used masks and noise to scare them away it symbolizes driving out winter and welcoming spring Busós went door-to-door with their noisy processions receiving food and drink in exchange for their good wishes featuring over 100 events across 24 locations—including parades of costumed ‘busós,’ masked children and folk performances—kicks off on Thursday when the costumed groups parade and light a massive bonfire in Széchenyi Square Hungary’s largest winter farewell and spring-welcoming folk tradition will be held from February 27 to March 4 this year The event will feature more than 2,600 participants and 73 busó groups The festival starts on Thursday morning with the “Young and Old Wear Masks” programme at the local youth centre, where kindergarten and primary school children join in. At noon, a folk art and craft fair opens in the city centre. Just before 3 PM, the first carnival parade of the Busó Festival begins at Sokackör followed by masked children—such as the ‘jankelék,’ known for their rag costumes and ash or sawdust throwing—and smaller busós taking over the city streets Folk dance and busó groups perform in the main square introducing traditional Busó tools and accessories an art exhibition titled “Mohács Souls: Crossing the Danube” by Viktória Villányi opens at the Kanizsai Dorottya Museum while the Glasovi band performs in the marketplace in the evening a children’s drawing contest exhibition opens in the morning followed by a folk singing competition and meetings with folk artists Exhibitions of carved Busó masks and folk crafts take place at Kossuth Theatre while folk dance groups and bands perform on Széchenyi and Deák Squares Saturday’s schedule includes a workshop on making traditional Sokac costumes and open-air cooking displays entertain the crowds Programmes for families and children include a theatrical performance at Kossuth Theatre a lecture on the history of the Busó Festival by ethnographer Tünde Minorics and an interactive exhibit with the Sebaj Busó group Visitors can join mask-making experiences at the ‘MesterPont,’ sample South Slavic cuisine in the Serbian churchyard and witness a traditional Busó wedding reenactment by the Botos Busó group The evening concludes with a concert by the Poklade band in Deák Square the most spectacular events take place on Carnival Sunday costumed busós cross the Danube by boat at noon launch the symbolic ‘carnival coffin’ into the water and light a massive bonfire in the city’s main square with visitors getting a glimpse into the “Winter Chasers” busó group’s preparations on Vörösmarty Street attendees can familiarise themselves with the ‘Danube Crossing’ and ‘Big Bang’ busó groups culminating in free-spirited carnival celebrations and concerts in the evening Monday’s events include an interactive carnival session for children while busós continue the tradition of house-to-house visits in Kóló Square and surrounding streets ahead of the traditional ‘carnival funeral,’ a Busó-themed craft house opens in the Busó courtyard the grand Busó parade sets off from Kóló Square to Széchenyi Square where open-air carnival celebrations begin The festival concludes with the lighting of the city’s giant bonfire Organisers expect about 100,000 visitors over the six-day event with 40,000 attendees anticipated on Saturday and Sunday alone Large crowds are also expected on Tuesday for the festival’s grand finale along the Danube Due to ongoing infrastructure projects in the city Visitors are advised to plan their trips in advance and Those arriving by car via the motorway are recommended to use the Nagynyárád exit on the M6 instead of the Mohács exit visitors can reach the city more conveniently from the south parking on the Újmohács side and using a ferry or passenger boat to enter the heart of the festivities The famous carnival tradition brought to Mohács by the Sokac ethnic group is first mentioned in a 1783 record they later returned to ambush the superstitious Turks spring-welcoming festival has remained unchanged for centuries with adult participants donning shaggy Busó coats and carrying signature accessories like satchels UNESCO recognised the Busó Festival as Hungary’s first element on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity For detailed event schedules, directions, and practical information, visit www.mohacsibusojaras.hu or follow updates on the festival’s Facebook page To read or share this article in Hungarian, click here: Helló Magyar guillePagano/shutterstock.com_104148136031 July 2024newsOcorian appoints new Bermuda MD Ocorian has appointed Tania Mohacs as managing director Bermuda as it continues to build its presence in key markets is also global head of countries at Ocorian and was previously group chief commercial officer She is a member of the group executive committee she was a director at TMF Group and has more than 15 years' experience in the trust funds and corporate services sector gained from senior management roles focused on driving growth and transformational change She started her career at Goldman Sachs in London She is responsible for leading the Bermuda business and management team with a focus on driving growth Ocorian said that this appointment strengthens its management team as Damian Resnik moves his focus to client service delivery said: “Appointing Tania as managing director Bermuda follows success in a range of roles at Ocorian and underlines our focus as a business on working closely with clients to understand their ambitions and to unlock new value We are very grateful to Damian Resnik for the work that he has done in Bermuda and are delighted that Tania’s appointment gives him more flexibility to focus on our key clients.” Mohacs added: “My experience at Ocorian has given me a thorough understanding of our range of global corporate I look forward to supporting our teams in Bermuda to continue to deliver the services that our clients need as we grow and expand our global business.” Did you get value from this story? Sign up to our free daily newsletters and get stories like this sent straight to your inbox the specialist global provider of fund administration trust and regulatory and compliance services has appointed Tania Mohacs as managing director is also global head of Countries at Ocorian and was previously group chief commercial officer Ms Mohacs is responsible for leading the Bermuda business and management team with a focus on driving growth The company said the appointment strengthened Ocorian’s management team as Damian Resnik moved his focus to client service delivery follows success in a range of roles at Ocorian and underlines our focus as a business on working closely with clients to understand their ambitions and to unlock new value “We are very grateful to Damian Resnik for the work that he has done in Bermuda and are delighted that Tania’s appointment gives him more flexibility to focus on our key clients.” Ms Mohacs added: “My experience at Ocorian has given me a thorough understanding of our range of global corporate “I look forward to supporting our teams in Bermuda to continue to deliver the services that our clients need as we grow and expand our global business.” You must be Registered or to post comment or to vote Which of the Throne Speech promises is the Government best equipped to deliver on View Results The explosives-loaded World War II era Nazi shipwrecks have emerged in the River Danube due to severe drought conditions in Eastern Europe The historic drop in water levels in July and August revealed the wrecks near Serbia’s river port town of Prahovo and Hungary’s Danube-Drava National Park near Mohacs scuttled by Nazi Germany’s Black Sea fleet in 1944 as they retreated from approaching Soviet forces which dropped to 1.5 meters in Hungary’s Mohacs and 1.17 meters in Budapest earlier this week some of which still have their original turrets might risk river traffic during low water levels the wrecks of four warships dating back to before 1950 were discovered adding that they still don’t know what it is exactly Sztellik was concerned about parts of the shipwreck disappearing as people showed interest in it The drought has had a major impact on the region The European climate service company Copernicus reported that Eastern Europe is facing extreme drought conditions While the Danube’s water level in Budapest is 1.17 meters it remains higher than the all-time low of 0.4 meters reached in October 2018 The water level at Mohacs will rise to about three meters by the weekend The drought has also had an impact in Poland where the Vistula River has reached a record low This has exposed sandbanks in Warsaw and left the water so shallow that a moose was spotted walking across it in the countryside Disclaimer : The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct we make no representations or warranties of any kind suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of Do you have info to share with us ? Suggest a correction Marine Insight News Network is a premier source for up-to-date and insightful coverage of the maritime industry Marine Insight News Network prides itself on delivering accurate Signup today and get maritime ebooks submitted to your inbox directly. © 2010 - 2025 Marine Insight — All Rights Reserved We respect your privacy and take protecting it very seriously the Mohács Busó Festival 2025 has once again sent winter packing in spectacular style Hungary’s most famous carnival wrapped up today with its traditional bonfire and costumed parades as thousands of busós took to the streets for one last round of revelry Visitors and locals alike gathered together to witness the last dances and joyous chaos of this one-of-a-kind event As the echoes of tambura music fade and the final embers of the bonfire die down, Mohács bids farewell to this year’s celebrations, already looking forward to next year’s festivities. The Mohács Busó Festival continues to be a vibrant part of Hungary’s rich cultural heritage drawing tens of thousands of visitors eager to experience its magical blend of history For those who couldn’t attend or simply wish to relive the spectacle our exclusive photo gallery captures the most breathtaking moments from this year’s event Construction and Transportation Minister János Lázár met with Mohács (S Hungary) city leaders to discuss developments on Thursday At a press conference with Mayor Gábor Pávkovics after the meeting Lázár said the M6 motorway would be extended to Mohács by 2026 and the city’s bridge spanning the Danube would be completed by the summer of 2028 along with a 19m connection between the bridge and the 51 primary road at a cost of HUF 390 billion (EUR ) a dual carriageway will be built between Baja Lázár said railway developments were also being weighed in the interest of turning Mohács into a logistics hub He added that HUF 10bn had been earmarked for a memorial at the site of the Battle of Mohács in time to mark the 500th anniversary on August 29 Lázár also visited Baja, where he met with Mayor Bernadett Bari He said Baja and Mohács could become a commercial centre and a transport hub for people and goods We’ve rounded up the top Hungary news from today: Construction on the Mohács Danube Bridge is set to commence in mid-October following the official opening of the site at the end of September The project, overseen by Duna Aszfalt Ltd will involve the construction of a 756-metre-long bridge between Mohács and Újmohács This will be Hungary’s southernmost bridge across the Danube The project also includes the development of 28.8 kilometres of main roads the construction of 13 reinforced concrete bridges A two-lane road will be built on the lowland side while a four-lane road will be constructed on the Transdanubian side including archaeological excavations and demining with major construction activities slated to start in early 2024 According to MagyarÉpítők preparations began in August when the contract between the Ministry of Construction and Transport and the contractor came into effect such as land acquisition and securing necessary permits which provided independent structural engineering services there will be a strong focus on employing modern technologies and enhancing energy efficiency both of which are crucial for the project’s long-term sustainability The project aims to improve transport links between the two sides of the Danube and provide modern infrastructure to support the region’s development This investment will not only stimulate the local economy but also contribute significantly to modernising the transport network in the region You can read more details about the Mohács bridge here: Hungary to build new Danube bridge with a budget of EUR 1 billion Read also: New Danube bridge in Hungary inaugurated – PHOTOS We’ve rounded up the top Hungary news from today: you may read about the oldest Buda Castle church tower new Budapest free beaches and a Budapest Ryanair route cancellation among others The report on the implementation of the Convention, due by States Parties every 6 years, includes a section on the elements inscribed on the Representative List. Read more on periodic reports Hungary Inscribed in 2009 (4.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity The Busó festivities at Mohács in southern Hungary are a six-day carnival in late February to mark the end of winter frightening-looking costumed people (traditionally men) wearing wooden masks and big woolly cloaks a display of the art of mask carvers and other craftspeople the arrival of more than 500 busós in rowboats on the Danube for a march through the city alongside horse-drawn or motorized fantasy vehicles the burning of a coffin symbolizing winter on a bonfire in the central square The tradition originated with the Croatian minority in Mohács but today the busó is a general emblem of the city and a commemoration of the great events of its history the carnival is an expression of belonging to a city It plays an important social role by offering a chance for self-expression in a communal setting The arts underlying the festivities are preserved by self-organized groups of busós of all cultural backgrounds many of whom pass on the techniques of mask carving and ritual celebration to younger generations Password forgotten? tourists flock to Mohács in southern Hungary to attend the Busó festival or busójárás in Hungarian and say farewell to winter This year the festivities are held between 16 and 21 February Legends connect the origin of the festival to historical times when Hungary was occupied by the Ottoman Empire a South Slavic ethnic group inhabiting the city of Mohács in thse years had to flee to the swamps surrounding the town from the occupiers the locals decided to fight back the Ottoman Turks Legend has it that following the prophecy of an old Šokac man who appeared to the residents in the campfire local men dressed up in frightening cloths and prepared noisy tools Under the leadership of a masked knight who came to them during a stormy night they crossed the river and chased the Turks out of their hometown The Ottomans ran horrified from what they had seen and believed that they had been attacked by demons Historical research does not support these folk tales; the city was freed from Ottoman rule in 1687 and the Šokci settled in the region only ten years later The more likely origin of the tradition at Mohács is that the Šokci brought a similar celebration with them from their original homeland in the Balkans and as they integrated into Hungarian society their festival grew into what it is today—the Busó Festival or Busójárás The celebration was consolidated as a local tradition quite fast as by the 18th century there were already records about its existence the busós (who walk around in the town in masks Women are known as the ‘beautiful busós’; they dress in the traditional Šokac festive attire and cover their faces with decorative masks The test for becoming a busó involves some physical challenges—busó-candidates hook their middle fingers together and the one who manages to pull the other away can become a busó Testing the physical strength of the busós is important as the masks and garments they wear weigh well over 20 kilos it is his duty to preserve the secrecy of the other busós’s identity—no one should know who are behind the masks The costumes the busós wear during the week of the festival is historically accurate: it is still the way they looked like a hundred year ago too hold a clapper and a wooden mace in their hands The most iconic part of their attire is the mask which is carved from willow and which used to be painted with animal blood the busós would go from house to house giving good wishes blessings and performing magical spells for the households that rewarded them with food and drinks. whose role is to keep the crowd (especially children) away from the busós The jankeles usually chase children away by hitting them with a sack full of rags The tradition of the jankeles goes back to the 1890s when a Viennese merchant Grün Jankele was selling used clothes at the Busójárás It made the merchant so angry that he threw his sack full of used cloths at the children so from the following year on people from Mohács dressed up in torn integrating the previous year’s scene into the Busójárás ceremony Every year a group of busós crosses the Danube River by boat and meet with another group of busós at the Kóló square they march to the main square of the town where the main festival celebrations take place and where the new busós are inaugurated The role of the bonfire is to burn a carnival coffin With the busós dancing around the burning coffin so that the busós can welcome the imminent spring Welcoming spring also means cherishing fertility—the festival displays the importance of fertility by the sometimes very explicit dance moves of the busós This is why keeping the busós identity secret was important: ‘traditional morals’ are suspended for the duration of the festival and chase pretty young women without the fear of repercussions during the celebrations as a celebration of fertility. Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective Costumes are highly recommended at every spot Some believe that the reason behind the Mohács defeat is the Hungarian nobility not being united at the time of the battle arrived at the scene deliberately late with his troops But many historians are of the opinion that none of these factors would have mattered anyway since at the time the Ottoman army was one of the largest most advanced and most powerful in the world practically impossible to defeat with the Hungarian forces that were inferior both in numbers and military technology The events leading up to the battle are multiple and complex The political and economic climate in Europe took a turn after the discovery of America since it shifted the most important trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean This development and the large amount of precious metals coming from the New World resulted in Hungarian gold and silver mines losing importance in European trade Vladislas II of Bohemia ascended the throne whose nickname Vladislas Dobrze (meaning all right in Czech) encapsulated his compliant and vacillating reign under which the Hungarian kingdom fell in disarray just two years after a major peasant revolt in 1514 The ruthless suppression of the revolt led to the further deterioration of the peasants’ social and economic position and to the further strengthening of the magnates who defied the king Hungary still remained one of the leading powers in Central Europe sent a delegation to Istanbul in order to create an alliance with the Ottoman forces asking their support against the Habsburg empire Sultan Suleiman accepted the offer and joined forces with the French forming an alliance that lasted for more than 300 years the Turkish armies started to march against Vienna in the summer of 1526 This means that while the Ottomans had been involved in an active war against Hungary for decades their main target at the time was not Hungary The Hungarian forces could have avoided the battle if they had allowed the Turks to march through the country King Louis refused to comply with the Ottoman demand Following the death of Matthias Corvinus in 1490 Vladislas II of Bohemia and Hungary sat on the Hungarian throne The new king had to face tough circumstances while trying to establish his rule since the nobles of Hungary were attempting to weaken – and partly overtake – the central authority The income of the state started to plummet and the barons and bishops started to regain the powers lost under the rule of Matthias the southern regions of Hungary were subject to continuous attacks from the Turkish forces the Ottoman Empire had sufficient resources to continue pressuring and attacking Hungarian territories As an answer to the Turkish aggression in 1512 János Szapolyai attacked territories in Wallachia and Serbia He returned with a large amount of loot and hostages Pope Leo X announced a crusade in the July of 1513 against the Turks A forces conscription of the already discontented peasants started refused to disband and turned on their landlords This developed into the so-called Dózsa Rebellion Shortly after the battle of Temesvár in 1516 and a year later he captured Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade) The Hungarian army had 24,800 soldiers and 85 cannons at the time of the Battle of Mohács Parts of the army were made up of mercenaries from Germany and Czechia Historical records said the Turkish forces consisted of about 60,000 units researchers believe that figure is an exaggeration with new data suggesting that the entirety of the Turkish army was about 70,000 troops the Turks outnumbered the Hungarians by at least threefold. the two armies faced each other at some seven kilometres from the town of Mohács on a clearing The battleground was chosen by the Hungarian forces since some of the troops had been assembling and waiting for Suleiman’s army at the spot for weeks Many of the Hungarian military leaders advised that the battle should be avoided or they should wait for the army of Szapolyai who at the time boasted some 25,000 troops and was on his way to the scene it was decided that the battle should be fought right then and there retreat was practically not an option any more Another consideration may have been that the Turkish forces should be taken on as far from Buda Hungarian forces began their offensive by launching a charge led by their cavalry possibly due to the wrong placement of the cannons which as a result could not provide supporting artillery the outcome of the battle was basically already decided and almost all of its nobility and high clergy he fell into the river Csele and tragically drowned (although some have suggested he may habe been murderd on orders of Szapolyai.) The battle of Mohács and its consequences are one of the darkest chapters of Hungarian history Hungary faced 150 years of Turkish occupation and lost its sovereignty for centuries a memorial park and museum was created around the the battlefield where every year a commemoration is held to remember the battle’s anniversary Many will agree that one of the most important lessons to be learned from the Mohács tragedy is that Hungary must be always prepared to rely on itself not on others – especially in times of wars Hungarian scientists located the area of the Battle of Mohacs considered one of the most important victories of the Ottoman Empire in Europe as it resulted in Hungary falling under Ottoman domination between the Ottoman army under the command of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent and the Hungarian army led by King Louis II a Hungarian geographer-historian and the head of a project initiated by the Social Sciences Research Center of Hungary's University of Pecs The Battle of Mohacs had great importance in the history of Hungary saying the Hungarians that lived in the Carpathian Basin for about a thousand years Pap said the conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Hungarian Kingdom started in the Balkans under the rule of Hungarian King Sigismund at the end of the 14th century and there was a period of war for about 300 years The Hungarian-Turkish common history covers six centuries with half of it peaceful and the other half comprising conflicts adding that some major conflicts such as the Nicopolis (Nigbolu) and Varna battles took place during the first 300 years Pap also pointed out that there is no discussion that the Battle of Mohacs took place in a region close to the joint border of Hungary with Serbia and Croatia today while there is still debate on the exact location of the battle “The Battle of Mohacs took place somewhere south of the city of Mohac in present-day Hungary but there was a century-long historical debate in Hungary about its exact location,” he added Pap added that according to the notes of Pastor Istvan Brodaric who was in the Christian army during the war the janissaries -- the most important division of the Ottoman army -- were located in front of a village called Foldvar and that 150 cannons owned by the Ottoman army were lined up there Pap said the residents returned to the village after the war it was determined that the village was inhabited until 1703 “It was thought that the war was fought in the Satorhely region of the city of Mohacs but the investigations revealed that this place was created in the 1700s,” he said 16 theories have been put forward about the battlefield being in the east and even in a part of Croatia,” he added Pap noted that according to the results of their research the village of Foldvar is near the Borza-Major area and the geophysical investigations they carried out showed the traces of a large medieval settlement in the region “The discovery of the village of Foldvar is a serious event Archaeological excavations are required in the area We even found a map pointing to the location of this village,” he said This manuscript map is available in the Hungarian National Szechenyi Library We know with certainty that this village was not destroyed in 1526 “Those who fled the village before the war later returned there is also information that this village paid taxes probably due to the war between Serbs and Hungarians like some other villages in the area,” he explained The area on the banks of the Danube is a vast arable land today but it was a swamp completely covered with water at the time of the war noting that both the Turkish and Hungarian armies were able to reach the region by crossing the swamps That location was the only suitable area for the war to be waged in the village The following is an article written by Zita Meszleny it doesn’t really matter who is behind the costume Although this year’s Busójárás is just about over it is worth reading Magyar Krónika’s report about four masks linked forever by the same city and passion My godfather carves masks—he learned it from an old master and next year it will be twenty years since I became one I was three years old when I got my first tiny mask If we get together with friends and someone slips the word ‘Busójárás’ into the conversation it’s guaranteed to be the only topic for hours I don’t think there’s another tradition in the world that people can talk and argue about so much we’re all immediately caught up in nostalgia and say to each other: ‘Listen I also collect old masks—I have about forty of them in my room a busó is a real busó only if he is as traditional as possible: if his original knobby or embroidered Šokac stockings from Sárköz My tongueless sandal is more than 50 years old and my mask was made in the early eighties by master Mátyás Kalkán I even have a mask that is a hundred years old and search for the hidden corners of the internet for real treasures a busó is only authentic if he does not reveal his real identity and if you cannot guess who is behind his mask which is why I change my costume every year the poklade and the Carnival period are about renewal and transformation It’s one of the best things here in Mohács It is a bigger holiday for me than Christmas; in fact I look forward to Christmas because I know that it means that the Busójárás is so close My great-grandfather is the first person in our family chronicles to be a busó all the peasants made their costumes from what they had: if they kept sheep His son also made a mask with a deer antler on it—I found it myself the full moon was shining through the small window but I saw the mask immediately—it was like in a novel I took it to the light and saw that it was quite worn but I’m very attached to that piece because of the family line There is some kind of power in the mask to do things you wouldn’t dare to do otherwise Just as you cannot tell what a Hungarian driver is like—as some are clumsy It’s up to the individual what he does with the opportunity and freedom the mask offers I think that what makes this event truly valuable is temperance Although it’s wonderful to have a festival every year and that those three days are all about the busós it’s lucky that it only happens once a year always knows the boundaries and the culture that has created them Me and my friends are careful to be authentic and always come up with something new to fit in with the past but I have also been making masks since I was twelve My brother and I used to fight over who would wear the only mask in the family—I got fed up with that and started carving one for myself I learned the craft self-taught; I saw how masks were made in photo series and tried to follow it I have bags of masks—one of my favourites is the ‘blind’ one and I built a little frame story around it—that’s why I needed a special mask which funnily enough I can see better in than the plain kind The masks of today are much bigger than the old ones but what I create is always based on tradition I believe that it is best for the Busójárás if there is a healthy balance between tourism and tradition you can feel it immediately if you have been part of the Carnival for decades At the moment I feel that the busó community must be encouraged to tip the scales rather towards tradition it’s not that easy as about two thousand people are dressing up as busós every year and the festival does not mean the same thing to everyone a tradition which we should definitely keep alive It’s a time when the busós go from house to house the sense of belonging necessary for authenticity and it’s another question of how much of it should be shown at all is that we must address these issues and treat respect the legacy we have inherited from our forebears with respect Even though none of my immediate family members was a busó I always watched the old men dressing up and had a great desire to be one of them Then my cousin took me to the Busójárás when I was nine I even carved masks over ten years ago because I wondered what it would be like to wear a piece I made myself there are fewer and fewer of us who really try to keep the old charm of the festival a person who takes off his mask is not one of us because one of the reasons for the costume is to make sure that no one knows who is behind it but a clown showing himself off to tourists and it’s getting harder and harder to hold on to these things when many people treat us only as a tourist attraction A constant topic of our everyday conversations Every hour of every year is a story that could be told for days we can keep this family feeling to ourselves we can organize our days in such a way that we can keep the Carnival to ourselves and avoid the hustle and bustle But there is never a pre-arranged scenario where we start to play music—all happens spontaneously We feel like it’s going to work out however it works out The only thing that lifts us then is to get together and talk about what happened and how This is something that people who are not from Mohács cannot fully understand It’s a tradition that I can only be part of because I am from Mohács but I have these adventures in my life that I can tell my grandchildren about Click here to read the original article UNESCO inscribed the Hungarian string orchestra tradition into the international list of representative elements of intangible cultural heritage The certificate of inscription was presented on Wednesday 26 July during the folk music gala concert leading up to the 198th Anna Ball in Balatonfüred The first Anna Ball was held on 26 July 1825 the young Anna Krisztina met her future husband who later became a martyr of the 1848–49 Hungarian Revolution in Arad since 2003 an annual award has been presented to a person who has contributed significantly to the culture and intellectual life of Balatonfüred State Secretary for Culture and Innovation Magdolna Závogyán emphasised that the purpose of the list is to collect and showcase the communal knowledge passed down from generation to generation Hungary submitted the Hungarian string orchestra tradition as an independent nomination and it has become the latest Hungarian element of intangible cultural heritage to be added to the international list Závogyán said that this is a great recognition for the country and all those who consider the representation of ancient values through string instruments as their passion whether they are performers or leaders of any cultural institution The state secretary expressed her joy that an increasing number of children and young people are choosing the profession and lifestyle of musicians it is essential for the public education system and the cultural institution network to pay special attention to preserving this heritage All of this ensures the continuity of the tradition and the transmission of ancient knowledge Mayor of Balatonfüred István Bóka recalled that since 2013 the municipality of the lakeside town has been working together with the House of Traditions in preserving folk music traditions through competitions and gala concerts The Hungarian string orchestra tradition was inscribed into UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage during the organisation’s 17th session held in Rabat in December 2022 After the official certificate was handed over Artistic Director of the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble Pál István Szalonna expressed that musicians received their legacy from musicians who sometimes offered them humanity these traditions are passed on to the younger generations Alíz Dévényi was chosen as the belle of the 198th Anna Ball on Saturday night She expressed her love for the atmosphere of the ball and her desire to pursue photography in the future is from Balatonfüred and has been studying at a Budapest secondary school for four years while also competing in ballroom dancing is currently attending a secondary school in London and aims to become a doctor while also competitively playing tennis the belle of the Anna Ball received a modernised Herend vase with a Victoria pattern while the court ladies received Rothschild- and Apponyi-patterned vases to take home The end-of-winter masked carnival Busó festivities a registered UNESCO cultural heritage event At the festival held between Feb 8 and 13 this year wearing traditional wooden masks and sheepskin costumes Programmes include an anniversary gathering of bagpipers Spectacles will end with the burning of the coffin of winter on Shrove Tuesday in the city’s main square Busó procession is a folk custom of the local Croatian minority The event recalls a legend of the ethnic group seeking refuge from the Turkish occupiers on the island of Mohács on the opposite side of the Danube and forced the superstitious soldiers of the enemy into a panicked escape Busó procession was listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009 and described as “a general emblem of the city and a commemoration of the great events of its history” It is expected to attract 110,000 spectators over the six days this year including 40,000-45,000 on Saturday and Sunday are available on the www.mohacsibusojaras.hu website This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page More than 850 million Forints were spent on new equipment and to reconstruct the central venues of the Busójárás at Mohács Deák Square that serves as a catering point has been rebuilt into a proper event venue. The square has got a 400 m2 pool which is transformed into the auditorium space during festivities The axis of the square has become the space for sellers Almost 10,000 m2 of the surface of the areas have been paved and promenades have been built with a lot of greenery planted The public lighting has been modernised and the area has got new street furniture Deák Square and Hősök Park can now function as a public park throughout the year The park’s artworks have been restored and transferred to new locations Hungarian sculptor Trischler Ferenc’s new work was installed on the eastern side of the square Technical developments have been implemented and an interactive exhibition was established to meet today’s demands new equipment was purchased; a 40 m2 LED-wall the developments fit in their programme of renewing public spaces The Szepessy Park with 2.5 hectares of green area that was opened last year Special and never done works started at the graveyard of Mohács where the heroes of the tragic battle against the Turkish Empire were buried anthropologists and historians not only would like to do scientific researches but to reveal unknown details about the fallen soldiers like their age height and even reconstruct their faces with the most modern technology Origo reported that the first archaeological works at Mohács started in the 1960s and in the 70s experts found more graveyards of the fallen Hungarian heroes the time was not enough to fully open the graves and the project was shut down to further research which did not happen in the last forty-five years Mohács and its memorial place is an important and popular tourist destination of Hungary The time has come to open the graves again because of the availability of the most modern technology even the smallest piece found can tell endless stories about the battle of Mohács The project aims to pay the final respect for the soldiers and to open an interactive and unique exhibition for the visitors allowing them to learn more about Hungarian history The project is unique on the whole European Continent experts also would like to make an anthropologic one happened By examining the remained bones of the Hungarian heroes social status and even what kind of health diseases they had Out of the remained skull pieces they would also like to reconstruct the soldiers’ face digitally another aspect of the research is to determine the soldiers’ ancestors and even tell their exact names Works already began but only on the surface The team would like to finish with the project until 2025 to reveal the story behind the most significant event in Hungarian history Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia officiated the solemn rite of the proclamation of Archimandrite Damaskin (Grabez) for Bishop of Mohacs in the old Cathedral of Holy Archangel Michael in Belgrade on September 18 Besides the primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the rite of the proclamation also participated: Jovan Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje; and Their Graces Bishops: Lukijan of Buda retired Vasilije of Zvornik-Tuzla and retired Georgije of Canada After accepting the will and decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops before the present assembly of the Holy Church vicar of the Bishop of Backa at this year’s session the proclaimed Bishop Damaskin officiated the Vesper service On the occasion of the feast of the Church of Saint George the Great Martyr in Knjaževac On the eve of the conclave that will begin on Wednesday to elect a new Pope The annual graduation ceremony of the Patriarchal Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy (PTOTA) was held at the Cultural Centre of.. Archbishop Makarios of Australia will be conferred the title of Honorary Doctor by both the Department of Theology and.. The Vatican announced on Monday that all telephone communication within its territory will be suspended during the upcoming conclave.. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew delivered the keynote address at the International Scientific Conference “Restarting from Nicaea:.. (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [] cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt callback: cb } ); } } }})(); © 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia officiated the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy and the solemn rite of the consecration of the elected and proclaimed Archimandrite Damaskin (Grabez) into the rank of Bishop of Mohacs Vicar of Bishop of Backa in the Cathedral church of Saint Sava in the Vracar district on September 19 The Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church was concelebrated by Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje; Bishops Lukijan of Buda Metodije of Dioclea and elected Bishop of Budimlje-Niksic retired Georgije of Canada and retired Konstantin of Middle Europe Besides the family and friends of Bishop Damaskin numerous priests and monks from several dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church the solemn act of consecration was attended by the President of the Provincial Government of Vojvodina Igor Mirovic; Minister of Innovation and Technological Development Nenad Popovic Director of the Office for Cooperation with Traditional Churches and Religious Communities of the Republic of Serbia Vladimir Roganovic representatives of traditional churches and religious communities representatives of the Serbian Armed Forces members of the diplomatic corps and prominent cultural and public figures of life in Serbia The Battle of Mohács in 1526 could have actually been fought on September 8 instead of August 29 as it was previously believed the Historical Geography professor at the University of Pécs who is the leading researcher of the Suleiman Tomb complex near Szigetvár Norbert Pap, the leader of the research group which also examined the site of the Battle of Mohács, said to Origo that August 29 is one of the best-known dates in Hungarian history The memory of the battle of Mohács was intertwined with the day of the beheading of St John the Baptist and thus became the day of mourning for the Hungarian nation that lost its king and leaders Symbols were built on it: the 200-year anniversary memorial site of the battle the Battlefield Memorial Chapel (Csatatéri Emlékkápolna) if we convert the time of written sources dated according to the Julian calendar used during the battle to the Gregorian calendar the chronological location of the Battle of Mohács is determined by tradition When telling the historical events of the 15-16th centuries or Jewish calendar – is depicted as one of its holy days sometimes calendars had to be reformed to remain usable for everyday life and religious practice and also to be able to adapt to astronomical phenomena the 10-day slip to the spring point of the Julian calendar which was used in the contemporary Christian world as well as other important astronomical events The calculation of important religious holidays and the planning and organisation of agriculture have also become much more straightforward and each has its own religious significance and symbolic meaning the calendar reforms carried out to organise the agricultural works have separated the sacral and secular (accurately measured) time Norbert Pap emphasised that if we changed the day of remembrance it would completely disrupt the memory of Mohács which has a 500-year-old nation-building tradition September 8 is the Nativity of Mary and does not have any significance related to the Battle of Mohács “The birthday of the Virgin Mary is a celebratory day and could not be further from the tragic day of August 29 in Hungarian history,” he added this national day of mourning is therefore still on August 29 was on September 8 has major implications about the circumstances of the clash and the campaign of 1526 itself The professor said that the chronology of specific events on the day of the battle are different on September 8 than on August 29 It has major significance in their historical study as Ottoman sources describe the events of the Battle of Mohács in connection with Muslim prayers which in turn are linked to astronomical (the Sun’s cycle) phenomena In order to be able to reconstruct the events of the Battle of Mohács more accurately the local time measured on the plain of Mohács on the day of the clash has to be calculated as per September 8 in the Gregorian calendar when studying the movements of both the Hungarian and Ottoman armies it may be worth considering the 10-day difference between August 29 and September 8 The time when the crop ripens and the harvest takes place is important when researching the events of the campaign as it was only after the harvesting work in the fields was done that the Hungarian troops were sent to the camp at Mohács When examining the conditions of the armies and its preparations it is worth taking into account the fact that the 10-day slip in the Julian calendar means a significant difference in the vegetation cycle and the organisation of agricultural work Another circumstance worth mentioning is that due to the cold period November was a winter month in the 16th century The Ottomans withdrew from Hungary as the weather turned cold Demeter’s Day according to the Julian calendar did not take place in the middle of autumn as it would be today but back then it was the very end of autumn That is why the difference between the two calendars and its potential implications for the weather should be taken into account when researching the decisions of the military leadership of both parties it is not only true for the events in 1526 The recent find was reported by Norbert Pap and his research colleagues Péter Gyenizse and Gábor Szalai in the journal Balkán Füzetek (Balkan Papers) The leadership of Mohács decided that in February 2022 it is also necessary to curb the pandemic situation there was no busójárás because of the coronavirus pandemic The website of the city of Mohács reported that Mohács will hold busójárás between February 24 and March 1 Mayor Gábor Pávkovics believes that “the epidemic situation will be significantly curbed And the vast majority of people will get adequate protection for their own and others’ health by getting vaccinated.” Mohács holds the folk festivities in more than 30 locations with 80 programs the organisers aim to create an event in as large an area as possible The usual parade is planned to be divided at a point in the city centre and the procession would continue on three different routes This can reduce congestion and thus help protect against the coronavirus The first mention of busójárás came from a note in 1783 Our ancestors fled the Turkish occupation to Mohács Island Hungarians scared the superstitious Turks in scary clothes UNESCO added busójárás to the World Heritage List in 2009 The traditional elements of busójárás have been unchanged for a long time, writes turizmus.com They want to say goodbye to the winter season and welcome spring Tradition is tied to the ‘sokac’ people there has been a country house in Mohács that presents the traditions everyday life and folk art of the ‘sokac’ people Hungary’s most famous carnival is currently taking place in the city of Mohács (Southern Hungary) while about 80-100 thousand visitors are visiting the city during these days held every year at the end of February and to until Shrove Tuesday At this time of the year people are on the streets dancing and singing and making a street-procession many of which people are dressed in frightening According to hvg.hu’s report this year a record-high number of 1600 people are going to be dressed up as a Busó the 6-day-long festival includes 80 programs in 35 locations within the city Coffin-burning (which symbolises the ‘death’ of winter) dancing performances and mask-making lessons from the best mask-carvers of Hungary The very first memo of a busó-walking ceremony is from 1783, and it is originated from the ‘sokác’ ethnic group (or Šokci in Croatian) Legend has it that during the time of the Turkish occupation the ‘sokác’ ethnic group were trying to find hideaways from the Turkish soldiers When they found Mohács Island as a hiding place the sokác dressed up in masks and disguise to scare the superstitious Turkish away from the island and supposedly this is the precise origin of the busó-walking in Mohács [button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/buso-festival-drove-away-winter-photo-gallery/” type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Photo gallery: Buso festival in 2018[/button] thousands of people gather together to watch the spectacular and world-famous Busós marching on the streets of Mohács The preparations for this year’s event have already started the carnival season has always been the time to drive away winter with noisy razzle-dazzle It was believed that in the last days of winter the Sun weakened and bad ghosts came to life People tried to chase them away with noise and marry-making It is believed that the tradition of the sokác people of Mohács (busós) was first mentioned in 1783 The story recalls how their witty ancestors escaped to the Island of Mohács from the Turkish occupation They put on costumes and returned on the river to surprise the superstitious Turks who were appalled at the sight of the scary masquerade and fled from the city Sokszínű Vidék reported that this year the streets of Mohács will not escape from Busós who dress up in traditional costumes wearing frightening coloured masks to scare away winter and to have fun with the visitors The Busójárás has been a part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2009 and became an official Hungarikum in 2012 Although the actual event starts in a month organisers already began to make the necessary preparations for the six-day-long event visitors can choose from almost 80 different programs and activities while watching approximately 1,400 Busós marching on the streets meeting with Busós and their special pieces of equipment and several other activities at the churches and museums of Mohács costumed people wearing wooden masks and woolly cloaks The Buso festivities at Mohacs in southern Hungary are a six-day carnival in February to mark the end of winter wearing wooden masks and big woolly cloaks The folk tradition was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 costumed person wearing a wooden mask and a woolly cloak The proposed new Danube bridge at Mohács is slated to be a monumental investment marking one of the largest infrastructure projects to date the assessment of tenders received for the associated public procurement procedure has been made public Here are all the details you need to know about the new one-of-a-kind bridge and the person behind its construction Telex reports that the contract was awarded to the cheapest tenderer which submitted a tender of HUF 294.96 billion (EUR 750.36 million) the road construction company of László Szíjj is consistently successful in public procurement the signing of the contract is still pending According to the 2023 list of the richest Hungarians Szíjj is the sixth wealthiest in the country His assets are estimated to be roughly HUF 280 billion (EUR 712 million) He is also the proud owner of the luxury yacht Lady MRD such as Lőrinc Mészáros and FM Péter Szijjártó have also previously visited the swanky yacht You may think that HUF 280 billion (EUR 712 million) is too much to spend on a new Danube bridge. However, according to Világgazdaság the project is not solely about the construction of the bridge itself Building a road network connected to the bridge is also on the agenda and included in the tender The long-debated construction of a bridge over the Danube at Mohács recently garnered a renewed commitment from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán The primary objective of this new Danube bridge is to bolster local transportation and seamlessly integrate Mohács into the national road network by linking Road 51 with the M6 motorway This infrastructure is also crucial for enhancing connectivity between regional industrial centres The proposed new Danube bridge at Mohács not only promises to enhance local transportation but also serves as a crucial artery for freight traffic from southern and southeastern neighbouring countries, diverting significant truck flows from the Baja Bridge, located 30 km to the north. Alongside the new bridge over the Danube there are plans for related road network enhancements and port development potentially transforming Mohács into a major logistics hub The construction of the new Danube bridge at Mohács is scheduled to take 50 months with the bridge structure potentially finished by 2026 This timing coincides with the “Mohács 500” programme marking the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács The commemoration will feature extensive cultural investments, a new Danube bridge, a motorway extension and a new museum. This event is planned as a significant remembrance, contrasting with the subdued 400th anniversary due to the Treaty of Trianon repercussions post-World War I. You can watch the visual plan HERE Numerous bids have been received for the forthcoming construction of the Danube bridge The tender deadline for the Danube bridge and the associated road network in Mohács lapsed on Thursday, yielding several bids. The evaluation process for the contractor selection is expected to conclude in spring, as reported by bama.hu Member of Parliament for the region and Ministerial Commissioner for the Mohács 500 programme conveyed that increased bid submissions enhance competition due to stringent rules governing public procurement he refrained from disclosing further details Hargitai noted that the contractor selection evaluation should wrap up in spring, allowing construction of the Danube bridge to follow swiftly after completing the Kalocsa bridge by mid-next year The paper has looked into the call for tenders and found the decision typically takes 60 days from the tender submission deadline Given the substantial scale of this project reaching into the hundreds of billions of euros the decision on the contracting company is anticipated by March 2024 The evaluation criteria consists of a broad spectrum including the firms’ suitability and their staff We understand that the investment is anticipated to be financed from domestic budgetary resources so its launch is independent of potential funds from Brussel adding that the tender is structured in three phases: constructing the connecting road network on the island and urban sides Work is set to start simultaneously at each site with the contractor allotted fifty months from contract signing to completion The 57 motorway section from the M6 motorway to the “Mohács” roundabout will transform into a dual carriageway with a tight 21-month timeframe for completion The northern edge construction near the battlefield commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács in 2026 The current 2×1-lane 57 will be converted into a 2×2-lane divided carriageway from the new town roundabout to the M6 motorway A two-lane turbo roundabout will be incorporated with a 2.7 km dual carriageway from Mohács border to the bridge Construction will extend from the existing municipal road to the project’s completion As previously noted, Tisza’s new bridge construction is scheduled to commence in 2025, detailed in this video here The end-of-winter Busó festival in Mohács, in southern Hungary is one of Europe’s biggest and most well-known traditionalist events Parliamentary Speaker Laszló Kövér said in the festival’s main event in Mohács on Sunday Kövér noted that the 250-year-old tradition has been on UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2009 “Our ancestors on this planet did not want to be prisoners of the strangeness, evil and darkness threatening their homes, so they dressed up as Busós in frightening costumes and banished everything that was a threat to them,” the house speaker said [box type=”info”] It is believed that the tradition of the sokác people of Mohács was first mentioned in 1783 Köver called on “today’s Busós” to “banish everything bad that threatens Hungary Europe and the well-intentioned people of the world” Hungary's Busojaras festival has been held for hundreds of years with the intent to scare winter away The Tuesday before Lent is a festival day the world over Participants wear monstrous shearling costumes with hand-carved masks for a six-day festival in February (MORE: Photos of the 2016 Nomad Games) fooling their enemies into thinking they were demons and the costumes became symbolic of scaring winter itself (MORE: Winter's Affects on America's Wars) But don't let the devilish attire fool you. It's a time for merrymaking, feasting and bonfires. Spiced wine, costume contests and a boat procession along the Danube are traditional occurences during Busojaras Participants burn an effigy of winter in a large bonfire (MORE: Californa Deserts Experience a Super Bloom) "As a Buso, you cannot be recognizable," Aron Rozsahegyi, a member of the masked revellers you feel this sense of freedom and the force of history rising within you." We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview Hungary's Busojaras festival has been held for hundreds of years with the intent to scare winter away Participants wear monstrous shearling costumes with hand-carved masks for a six-day festival in February. (MORE: Photos of the 2016 Nomad Games) (MORE: Winter's Affects on America's Wars) But don't let the devilish attire fool you. It's a time for merrymaking, feasting and bonfires. Spiced wine, costume contests and a boat procession along the Danube are traditional occurences during Busojaras Participants burn an effigy of winter in a large bonfire. (MORE: Californa Deserts Experience a Super Bloom) \\\"As a Buso, you cannot be recognizable,\\\" Aron Rozsahegyi, a member of the masked revellers told the New York Times. \\\"Fully dressed you feel this sense of freedom and the force of history rising within you.\\\" the Busojárás in 2021 will be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic The mayor acknowledged the current situation and agreed with busó groups’ leaders that it would be irresponsible to organise the event as it can attract up to 10,000 people and would pose a great health risk due to the high potential of transmitting virus infections He also added that no event of any kind will be held in Mohács and asks tourists not to plan any trips to Mohács during the period This is unfortunate news as one of Hungary’s largest traditional festivals had to be cancelled, and for many people in Mohács, the festival and the tourism connected to the Busójárás was a major source of income. It is even more depressing as, last year, the renewing of Mohács has just finished which would have raised the festival’s standard and would have provided a much better experience for visitors Since you cannot see this beautiful Hungarian folk tradition you can at least read about the background of the Busójárás and the festivities surrounding it The Busójárás at Mohács has been a part of UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2009 and has been a Hungarikum since 2012 It’s a six-day carnival marking and celebrating the end of winter which attracts great crowds to Mohács and the surrounding area Although this year’s festival got cancelled, you can check out our article about last year’s Busójárás with lots of pictures, so you can see why it is such a beloved event to witness. Before reading the article, you can also test how much you already know about this Hungarian tradition with this quiz According to Origo a spring greeting and a fertility holiday found in many folk traditions It is just as close to the carnival of Rio and Venice as it is to the African peoples’ customs wear scary masks carved from willow painted vivid colours and wear leather boots and try to scare away winter by making noise with different improvised instruments According to one of the legends surrounding the origin of the Busójárás people scared away the superstitious Turkish soldiers by wearing masks locals retreated there on secret roads known only to them the Turks found out and wanted to occupy the island The leader of the people of Mohács had an idea attached horns on their heads and made as much noise as possible Another hypothesis seems to be more in line with the truth who originally came somewhere from the Balkans (there is an ongoing debate from where exactly) might have brought their own customs with themselves from their former homeland These traditions might have practically merged with and then formed together with Hungarian traditions the first written evidence of which comes from the 18th century they returned to the main square and danced around a huge bonfire But the people in Mohács also celebrated on Tuesday They set up another bonfire and put a coffin over it and they welcomed spring with their dancing The Busójárás of Mohács is the most famous carnival of Hungary. The six-day-long event is started on February 20th and attracted thousands of people interested in about 80 programs According to Hungarian traditions, the carnival season has always been the time to drive away winter with noisy razzle-dazzle. People tried to chase the ghosts away with noise and marry-making, or by burning a witch figure. Yesterday (heyday) busós rowed across the Danube a total of 1,750 people in masks will chase away winter in Mohács at the annual Busújárás 50,000-60,000 are expected to attend the event The Busójárás of Mohács is the most famous carnival of Hungary. The six-day-long event is starting today, February 20th, and is awaiting people interested with about 80 programs, including dances, exhibitions, and gastronomy, wrote Sokszínűvidék 1,750 busós of 64 busó groups will put on their costume and entertain the attendees The carnival will also host the Lajos Schneider Folk Song Singing and Folk Music Talent Competition There will be plenty of programs for the little ones as well such as putting on stage Puss in Boots at the Kossuth movie theatre while the Dorottya Kanizsai Museum will hold arts and crafts programs Read also2020 Busójárás in Mohács starts today!Read also2020 Busójárás in Mohács starts today! An exhibition by those making masks and accessories will open on February 21st. The weekend will offer the most programs, with concerts by Alma people will be able to try and taste delicious meals The most important elements of the tradition have not changed People will put on wooden masks and busó fur coats and wait for spring and chase away the cold winter months with loud cowbells and clappers The first known recording of the carnival was in 1783 went to hide from the Turks on the island of Mohács put on disguises and went back over the Danube to scare the Turks away with their horrifying masks More info about the exact programs and the event can be found on www.mohacsibusojaras.hu and on their Facebook page 29 August 2015 mark the 489th anniversary of the Battle of Mohács Watching this animated re-enactment of the battle is one way to pay a special tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for Hungary in 1526 and thereafter The Battle of Mohács was fought on 29 August 1526 near Mohács and was a decisive event for the history of Europe for the following centuries forces of the Kingdom of Hungary led by Ludwig II were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Suleiman the Magnificent The Ottoman victory led to the partition of Hungary for several centuries between the Ottoman Empire The death of Ludwig II as he was fleeing from the battlefield marked the end of the Jagiellon dynasty in Hungary and Bohemia it is generally accepted that Archbishop Tomori and ten thousand infantrymen also lost their lives in the battle The battlefield became an official national historical memorial site in 1976 The re-enactment video was made in memory of a famous Hungarian military-historian