Until its union with Buda and Obuda in 1872 Pest was an independent town, but for a long time its development was hampered as it was overshadowed by the neighboring royal town. Nevertheless, for a long time Pest had close links with Buda. The Romans maintained a "castrum contra Aquincum" at Marcius 15 tér, the purpose of which was to protect the
Danube crossing. The Hungarian rulers who resided in Buda visited Pest from time to time to attend services in what is now the Inner City Parish Church. By the 15th C Pest had become prosperous. At this time the town was surrounded by fortifications which followed the course of the present Inner Ring.
It was in the 19th C that Pest became most prosperous as the home of craftsmen, traders and merchants; this is evidenced by the numerous fine buildings which are still standing today. At that time the principal focus of population shifted from the Buda to the Pest side of the river. As early as 1830 there were well over 60,000 people here, the majority of them living in the rapidly growing suburbs. The inner city of Pest forms the central business district of the Hungarian capital. Pest is the seat of the most important organs of government and state and leading cultural institutions (universities, museums, churches, etc.)
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