Sights and Sounds of Budapest

Budapest is a city once again at the heart of Europe, a booming cultural metropolis where history and the contemporary blend with cosmopolitan flair. With architectural wealth and natural beauty that can rival any city on the continent, Budapest ranks next to Paris, Rome and Prague as one of the great European capitals. It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the 'must-sees' and 'must-dos' in Budapest. Budapest is a "walking city" and there are plenty of walking tours that will allow you to see many of the city's attractions at once, such as the Castle Hill Walking Tour, or the Jewish Quarter Tour. If you don't want to make the trek you can always make use of the city's excellent transportation system. Although it’s easy to discover Budapest on your own there are also plenty of guided tours available that will help you to explore the many faces of the city. Budapest has re energized it self so much since the  war, the cafes, the places to see, the cuisine. If these myriad reasons aren’t enough to get you on the next Budapest-bound flight, don’t forget that the Hungarian capital is also a spa town, and a great place to relax in hot sulphur baths or to get massaged beneath art deco murals in grand hotels. Hungarian itself may be impenetrably foreign, but even if you don’t speak a word you’ll soon feel at home here.

 

The Royal Palace / Buda Castle

Known as Budavári Palota in Budapest, is a 13th century palace and has survived many wars. This was the residence of Hungarian kings in Budapest. Within the palace's partially reconstructed walls lies a vast museum complex that includes the Budapest History Museum (also known as Castle Museum) and the Hungarian National Gallery. The Castle Museum traces the city's history from Buda's liberation from the Turks in 1686 to the 1970s. It presents the history of Budapest on 4 floors from the beginnings until the end of the Communist era. The Hungarian National Gallery is situated at the core of the palace and its encyclopaedic collection of Hungarian art from the 10th century to the present day provides a valuable insight into the Hungarian national identity. The exhibitions are divided into 6 sections from medieval gothic statues through renaissance and baroque arts to contemporary artistic works.

 

Central Synagogue

Known as Dohány Zsinagóga. Europe's largest synagogue (and the world's second largest) was designed by Lajos Föster, in a Byzantine-Moorish style, and completed in 1859. Desecrated by German and Hungarian Nazis, its two Moorish domes gleam afresh after a 10-year restoration project financed by the Hungarian government and Tony Curtis' Emmanuel Foundation. Some 724,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered in the Holocaust and their lives are remembered in the Jewish History Museum, annexed to the synagogue, and at Imre Varga's memorial to the side of the synagogue. The Holocaust Memorial was erected in 1989 above the mass graves in the honour and memory of Hungarian Jewish martyrs.

 

Heroes' Square and Millennium Monument

Known in Budapest as Hősök Tere and Millenniumi Emlékmű. Situated at the end of Andrassy Avenue, Heroes' Square is one of the most-visited attractions in Budapest, both by visitors and locals. The centrepiece of the square is the Millennium Monument, built in 1896 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Magyar conquest. Inside the niches of the two semi-circles that make up the monument you'll find statues of famous men of Hungarian history. Soaring above the monument, you'll see the Millennial Column, standing 118-feet-tall and topped with a statue of the Archangel Gabriel, meant to be a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church. In front of the column is the Monument of National Heroes, also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, a tribute to Hungary's nameless heroes of war.

 

Matthias Church

Located in the heart of the Castle District, Matthias Church was built in the 13th century and was Budapest's first parish church. However, the original church structure changed many times as it was constantly being renovated and refashioned in the popular architectural style of each era. Throughout the centuries, the church has remained a preferred site for celebratory events, such as royal weddings and coronations. The Zsolnay pyrogranite tiles of Matthias Church are as colourful and richly patterned as snakeskin. When the Turks occupied the Castle District in 1541, the church was turned into a mosque and the walls painted with extracts from the Koran. In the 20th century, the church was used as a kitchen by occupying German forces, and later as stables by the Russians.

 

Fishermen's Bastion

Behind the sanctuary of the Matthias Church, the Fishermen's Bastion offers a splendid view of the Danube and Pest. At the end of the 19th century, Frigyes Schulek designed a graceful system of stairs running from the Danube to the hilltop, and the current structure, which has been embellished with turrets, arcades, curved stairs and statues, was intended to be the end point. Schulek imagined the bastion section defended by the fishermen's guild, hence the name. The white-stoned Fisherman’s Bastion is described as a combination of neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque - full of turrets, projections, parapets, and climbing stairways. Most visitors consider the view from Fisherman’s Bastion to be one of the best in the city.

 

Hotel Gellért and Thermal Baths

Many regard the thermal baths attached to Hotel Gellért as the finest in the city. A bathhouse has stood on the site since the 1500s, when its waters were valued for their medicinal qualities by the Turks, but the current art nouveau building dates from the turn of last century. Bathing in its soothing waters, surrounded by flower motifs, columns and delicate wall designs, is one of Budapest's highlights, but even if you're not up for a dip, stop by to drink in the glorious foyer. A huge array of treatments and massages are offered, so read the display board carefully before approaching the normally grumpy staff.

 

Margaret Island

Originally known as Rabbits Island, Budapest's Margaret Island has always played an important role in the city's history. Wedged in a loop of the River Danube and linked by Árpád híd and Margit híd to Buda and Pest, the 2km (1.5-mile) Margaret Island is one of the calmest and greenest spots in Budapest. No cars are allowed or needed - the island from Margit híd to Árpád híd can be crossed on foot in 20 minutes. In summer, Margaret Island is bursting with people heading for a swim at the Hajós Alfréd swimming pool or Palatinus pool. The elegant Art Nouveau tower, protected as a UNESCO monument, is used as a watchtower and exhibition area.

 

Parliament

Also known as Országház. Imre Steindl's design for Budapest's parliament, inspired by London's Houses of Parliament, won first prize in a competition to celebrate the 1,000th year of the Hungarian nation. Work commenced in 1885 and was finally completed in 1902. The main style of the building is neo-gothic with renaissance influences, but the base ground plan is Baroque. A strong Byzantine influence is noticeable in the interior of the building, especially in the marvelously decorated staircase hall. The monumental Parliament gives a good counterweight to the Buda Castle on the opposite bank of the river Danube.

 

Chain Bridge

Called Széchenyi Lánchíd in Hungary. Nine bridges link Buda to Pest but the Chain Bridge is the first and most famous, with its solid arches and lion statues. Completed in 1848, the bridge was inaugurated in 1849, allowing for the integration of Buda, Pest and Óbuda in 1872. After suffering considerable damage at the hands of the Nazis, the bridge was repaired and re-inaugurated in 1949. The bridge ignited the economic revival that would lead to Budapest's golden century and it was one of the factors that made the provincial towns of Pest and Buda into a fast-growing metropolitan. In 1989 people demonstrated on the chain bridge for freedom and independence. Since then, the bridge has become a symbol of Hungarian liberty.

 

Szent István Bazilika or St Stephen's Basilica

St Stephen's Basilica, Budapest's largest church, was designed by József Hild and begun in 1851, although not consecrated until 1905. A storm destroyed the original dome in 1868 and much of the building required rebuilding. The Basilica also suffered damage during WWII. The building seats 8,500 and is currently undergoing restoration, which began in 1980 and is set to continue for the foreseeable future. Inside, Gyula Benczúr's painting of Szent István offering the Hungarian crown to the Virgin Mary symbolises the alliance between Hungary and Western Europe. The basilica's tower offers excellent views of the city. Many of Hungary's most well-known sculptors and painters have contributed to the decoration of the inside of St Stephen's. Travellers to Budapest nearly always include a stop at St Stephen's on their itinerary, especially those visitors who are particularly interested in ecclesiastic architecture. During the summer, evening organ concerts are presented quite frequently and are quite a treat for the classical music aficionado.