What is a Hungarikum?

Who decides what is a Hungarikum?

The concept of Hungarikum started from a wish to recognize, record, and categorize cultural elements that are distinct to Hungary so they can be protected, promoted, and handed down to the generations to come. For that purpose, the Hungarikum Act was created in 2012, which defines how something can get recognized as a Hungarikum.

If something is considered to have cultural value, it can be recommended for inclusion in the Repository of Values – first on the local level, then on the county level. If something cannot be tied to a specific town or region, it can be recommended directly to the relevant ministry. Once something is added to the Repository of Values, it may be considered by the Hungarikum Committee for recognition.

Hungarikum categories

Currently, there are 100 Hungarikums listed in the collection of Hungarikums, organized into 8 categories. You can learn more about them on the official website of Hungarikums, but below you can see a selection of the most well-known or interesting ones.

1. Agriculture and food industry

A wide variety of plants, animals, and food (mostly Hungary-specific ingredients).

• Pálinka: a type of distilled spirit that can be made from a variety of ingredients. The saying goes that if something can ferment, it can be made into Pálinka.
• Egri Bikavér, or “Bull’s Blood” red wine from Eger
• Tokaji aszú, the wine of kings and the king of wines: a sweet wine from the Tokaj wine region, prepared by a special process when they allow the Noble Rot to affect the grapes used
• Chimney cakes
• Paprika: specific Hungarian varieties of red pepper that can be sweet or hot; they are usually dried and ground, and then used as a spice.
• Spritzer: a “cocktail” of soda-water and wine (white or rosé)
• Hungarian hunting and shepherd dogs, including Komondor, Kuvasz, Puli, Pumi, Mudi, Hungarian Vizsla, Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla, Transylvanian Hound, and Hungarian Agár
• Hungarian grey cattle

2. Built environment

This category has just one element, the village of Torockó, located in Transylvania, current Romania. It is the oldest countryside architectural complex in the Carpathian Basin that has a uniform style, as the houses of the village all date back to the late 19^th century.

3. Cultural heritage

Cultural heritage comprises of various practices and customs, art, as well as regions that are valued highly.

• 100 member Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra
• Falconry and horseback archery
• The Anna Ball of Balatonfüred: a summer dance and a meeting place for artists, politicians, and public figures
• The “Mohácsi busójárás”, a masked end-of-winter tradition
• Various Budapest sights, such as the banks of the Danube, Buda Castle, and Andrássy Avenue
• Protected landscapes, like those of Lake Fertő, Hortobágy, Hollókő, or the Tokaj wine region
• Porcelain, lace, embroidery, and other folk art from various regions
• The animated series of Hungarian Folk Tales
• Hungarian folk songs and instruments such as the dulcimer (“cimbalom”: a table with strings hit by two soft hammers) or the “tárogató” (a woodwind instrument similar to an oboe)
• The Kodály method for teaching music to children

4. Health and lifestyle

Achievements in medicine and practices that let people live a healthier life:

• Béres drops: a food supplement to prevent disease and support recovery
• Hévíz: the largest hot water lake in Europe with medicinal effects
• The Hungarian district nurse service: a healthcare service focusing on new mothers and small children, providing education and support

5. Industrial and technical solutions

Hungarian inventions with a much wider impact.

• The “Kocsi” carriage: carriages made in the Hungarian village of Kocs from the 15^th century became widely popular throughout Europe – so much so that even the English word “coach” is initially derived from it
• The oeuvre of János Neumann, especially in physics as well as information and computer technology
• KÜRT data recovery: an ingenious method to recover data from “destroyed” magnetic data storage
• Zsolnay porcelain: the factory is known not only from its artful objects, but also its innovations in ceramics, such as discovering the eosin process that gives articles an iridescent glaze

6. Natural environment

Natural formations and phenomena that are unique to Hungary.

• The caves of Aggtelek and the surrounding karst: the spectacular caves with unique dripstone formations also have biological, paleontological and archaeological significance
• The hive-stones and the stone culture of Bükkalja
• The swarming of the long-tailed (but very short-lived) mayfly

7. Sport

Unique styles and achievements in various sports.

• Classical Hungarian saber fencing: a special Hungarian type of fencing
• Teqball: a football-based sport played on a specially-curved table; invented in Hungary in 2012, it already has federations in 150 countries around the world.
• The oeuvre of Ferenc Puskás, one of the best football players of all times

8. Tourism and hospitality

While the category mostly includes food, the focus is in fact on the experience (and as such, other attractions might be added later).

• Goulash soup
• The fish soups of Baja and the Tisza
• The mutton stew of Karcag
• Lángos: a fried flatbread, often topped with garlic, sour cream, and cheese – or other ingredients
• Dobos cake: a sponge cake with many layers of chocolate filling and a hard caramel topping, named after its creator, József C. Dobos
• Pozsonyi kifli or Pressburger Kipfel: a sweet crescent-shaped pastry filled with a paste of walnuts or poppy seeds
• The heritage of the Gundel family: their restaurant in the City Park of Budapest composed and popularized various innovative dishes since the late 19^th century, many of which have become staple dishes of Hungarian cuisine, such as the Somló Style Sponge Cake or the Újházi Chicken Soup.

A crash course in Hungarian culture

Hungarikums include concepts and things that are well-known and appreciated by Hungarians. Whether you are interested in food, music, sights, or inventions, taking a deep dive into Hungarikums lets you get closer to Hungarian culture – and if you have Hungarian ancestors, your Hungarian heritage.

Additionally, if you have Hungarian relatives, you might be eligible for Hungarian citizenship. A Hungarian passport allows visa-free access to 180+ countries and preferential travel options in the EU, so you can really say it opens the world. This is something that is available to you too if you apply for Hungarian citizenship based on ancestry. Check out our free online test to see if you are eligible.

Helpers Hungary has 20+ years of experience supporting foreigners in Hungary, and a team dedicated to providing assistance with citizenship applications. Whether you need help in getting started or throughout the entire application process, our expert team will be happy to answer your questions.

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