 n May 2002 we made a trip to Budapest in Hungary,
we were mulling over a number of potential destinations, including Amsterdam,
Prague, Moscow and Barcelona; but in the end, we chose Budapest, and were quite
glad that we did. We had a terrific time in Budapest, and was pleasantly
surprised by the amount of sightseeing available. The Fisherman's Bastion is
definitely a little different to most other sights that we have seen throughout
Europe, it is certainly unique. Also, there is definitely something about City's
that are based around a major river, they all have that extra b it of an edge
over the city's without. It gives you that extra sightseeing option, of having a
river cruise, and in summer, it gives you that refreshing seaside feeling!
Hungary is a link
between Eastern and Western Europe. New investment is revitalizing the country,
and grand old Budapest is slowly being restored. It's the country's cultural,
political, intellectual, and commercial heart and it teems with cafés,
restaurants, markets, and bars.
Magyar Állami
Operház - Hungarian State Opera House
Miklós Ybl's crowning achievement is the neo-Renaissance Opera House, built
between 1875 and 1884. Badly damaged during the siege of 1944-1945, it was
restored for its 1984 centenary. Two buxom marble sphinxes guard the driveway;
the main entrance is flanked by Alajos Strobl's "romantic-realist" limestone
statues of Liszt and of another 19th-century Hungarian composer, Ferenc Erkel,
the father of Hungarian opera (his patriotic opera Bánk bán is still performed
for national celebrations).
Inside, the spectacle begins even before the performance does. You glide up
grand staircases and through wood-paneled corridors and gilt lime-green salons
into a glittering jewel box of an auditorium. Its four tiers of boxes are held
up by helmeted sphinxes beneath a frescoed ceiling by Károly Lotz. Lower down
there are frescoes everywhere, with intertwined motifs of Apollo and Dionysus.
In its early years, the Budapest Opera was conducted by Gustav Mahler (from 1888
to 1891) and, after World War II, by Otto Klemperer.
The Chain Bridge &
Royal Palace
Budapest offers
breathtaking Old World grandeur and thriving cultural life. Situated on both
banks of the Danube River, the city unites the colourful hills of Buda and the
wide, businesslike boulevards of Pest. Much of the charm of a visit to Budapest
lies in unexpected glimpses into shadowy courtyards and in long vistas down
sunlit cobbled streets. Although some 30,000 buildings were destroyed during
World War II and in the 1956 Revolution, the past lingers on in the often
crumbling architectural details of the antique structures that remain.
Hungary is famous
for its medicinal spas, and Budapest alone has some 14 historic working baths.
They attract everyone from ailing patients to tourists, all of whom want to soak
in the relaxing waters and experience some therapeutic treatments.
There's plenty to do in Budapest, but some visitors travel southwest to explore
the spa resorts, vineyards, and quaint villages that dot the area around Lake
Balaton - the largest lake in Central Europe. Others take side-trips north, to
the romantic and historic towns along the Danube. Yet for the 20% of the
nation's population who live in Budapest, anywhere else is simply vidék ("the
country").
Robert & Korina on
the Danube
Országház -
Parliament
The most visible symbol of Budapest's left bank is the huge neo-Gothic
Parliament. Mirrored in the Danube much the way Britain's Parliament is
reflected by the Thames, it lies midway between the Margaret and Chain bridges
and can be reached by the M2 subway (Kossuth tér station) and waterfront Tram 2.
A fine example of historicizing, eclectic fin-de-sičcle architecture, it was
designed by the Hungarian architect Ímre Steindl and built by a thousand workers
between 1885 and 1902. The grace and dignity of its long facade and 24 slender
towers, with spacious arcades and high windows balancing its vast central dome,
lend this living landmark a refreshingly baroque spatial effect. The exterior is
lined with 90 statues of great figures in Hungarian history; the corbels are
ornamented by 242 allegorical statues. Inside are 691 rooms, 10 courtyards, and
29 staircases; some 88 pounds of gold were used for the staircases and halls.
These halls are also a gallery of late-19th-century Hungarian art, with frescoes
and canvases depicting Hungarian history, starting with Mihály Munkácsy's large
painting of the Magyar Conquest of 896.
Robert & Korina,
with the Danube & the Parliament
Since early 2000
Parliament's most sacred treasure has not been the Hungarian legislature but the
newly exhibited Szent Korona (Holy Crown), which reposes with other royal relics
under the cupola. The crown sits like a golden soufflé above a Byzantine band of
holy scenes in enamel and pearls and other gems. It seems to date from the 12th
century, so it could not be the crown that Pope Sylvester II presented to St.
Stephen in the year 1000, when he was crowned the first king of Hungary.
Nevertheless, it is known as the Crown of St. Stephen and has been regarded -
even by Communist governments - as the legal symbol of Hungarian sovereignty and
unbroken statehood. In 1945 the fleeing Hungarian army handed over the crown and
its accompanying regalia to the Americans rather than have them fall into Soviet
hands. They were restored to Hungary in 1978.
Another Museum...
The Church of St.
Anne & Korina outside the Hungarian National Museum
Church of St. Anne (Szent
Anna Templom)
Guide books on Budapest are typically unrestrained in their praise for St
Anne's. In truth, it's not difficult to see why. Located on the south side of
Batthyhány tér, this fine Baroque building (Kristóf Hamon, Máté Nepauer
1740-1762) is a wholly captivating place of worship. Over the years the church
has withstood the ravages of earthquakes, floods, two World Wars and the
construction of the nearby metro line and station. It's elegant
well-proportioned exterior is matched inside by the high altar statues of the
Virgin Mary and St Anne. Statues of angels and cherubs embellish the supporting
altars, with a wonderful oval domed ceiling fresco by Pál Molnar completing the
effect.
Just north from
Kálvin tér on Múzeum krt. stands the Hungarian National Museum. Built to the
design of Mihály Pollack between 1837 and 1847, the museum's area covers over
8000 square metres and is the largest in Hungary. It was from the steps of this
building on March 15, 1848 that the famous Hungarian poet Sándor Petöfi is said
to have recited his revolutionary Nemzeti dal (National Song) as a call to arms
against the Habsburg monarchy. Although the uprising failed, the date remains a
celebrated national holiday. Permanent exhibitions include the Hungarian
Coronation Insignia, the History of Hungary from St. Stephen to the Millennium
and the History of Hungary in the 20th century.
The Fisherman's
Bastion (Halaszbastya) on Castle Hill on the Buda side
Overlooking the
Danube is the equestrian statue of Eugene of Savoy, commander of the army that
liberated Hungary from Turkish rule in 1686. The story goes that the statue,
which was originally commissioned by the townsfolk of Zenta, lay unfinished
until Alajos Hauszmann (who had been given the task of enlarging the palace)
persuaded King-Emperor Franz Joseph to raise funds to secure its future along
this part of the Castle wall.
Completed in 1905 on
the site of a former fish market - this is where the name comes from. It has
never served a defensive purpose, it is an excellent lookout place. The floodlit
row of bastions offer a panoramic view onto the other bank of the Danube. The
cityscape opening up from there, including the Fishermen's Bastion, has been
part of UNESCO's World Heritage since 1988. The crypt of the ancient St. Michael
Cemetery Chapel (the first written record dates from 1443) was opened to the
public in 1997.
The great wall of
Buda...
Robert & Korina
overlooking Pest, from Castle Hill
Vienna Gate, from
the Bastion to the Palace...
Mátyás Templom
- Matthias Church
The ornate white
steeple of the Matthias Church is the highest point on Castle Hill. It was added
in the 15th century, above a 13th-century Gothic chapel. Officially the Buda
Church of Our Lady, it has been known as the Matthias Church since the 15th
century, in remembrance of the so-called "just king," who greatly added to and
embellished it during his reign. Many of these changes were lost when the Turks
converted it into a Mosque. The intricate white stonework, mosaic roof
decorations, and some of its geometric patterned columns seem to suggest
Byzantine, yet it was substantially rebuilt again in the neo-baroque style, 87
years after the Turkish defeat in 1686. One fortunate survivor of all the
changes was perhaps the finest example of Gothic stone carving in Hungary, the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, visible above the door on the side of the
church that faces the Danube.
Matthias Church and
the view from it over Budapest
Around Trinity
Square
This square is the
current centrepiece of the Castle District featuring a monumental Holy Trinity
statue, the discreetly reserved old Buda City Hall, and the world famous
Matthias Church. The best restaurants and shops in the area are also nearby. The
cellars of the Hungarian Culture Foundation accommodate the House of Hungarian
Wines.
Turul Statue (Turul
Szobor)
Just next to the
upper terminal of the Budavári Sikló is the magnificent Turul Statue. This
mythical Hungarian eagle, cast in bronze with wings outstretched, is said to
have sired Álmos the father of Árpád, who led the Magyar conquest of the
Carpathian Basin in the 9th century.
Királyi Palota
- Castle / Palace
A palace was built
on this spot in the 13th century for the kings of Hungary and then reconstructed
under the supervision of King Matthias during the 15th century. That in turn was
demolished during the Turkish siege of Budapest in 1686. The Hapsburg empress
Maria Theresa directed the building of a new palace in the 1700s. It was damaged
during an unsuccessful attack by revolutionaries in 1849, but the Hapsburgs set
about building again, completing work in 1905. Then, near the end of the
Soviets' seven-week siege in February 1945, the entire Castle Hill district of
palaces, mansions, and churches was reduced to rubble. Decades passed before
reconstruction and whatever restoration was possible were completed.
Archaeologists were able to recover both the original defensive walls and royal
chambers, due in part to still surviving plans and texts from the reigns of Holy
Roman Emperor Sisigimund and King Matthias.
Freed from mounds of
rubble, the foundation walls and medieval castle walls were completed, and the
ramparts surrounding the medieval royal residence were re-created as close to
their original shape and size as possible. If you want an idea of the Hungarian
home-life of Franz Josef and Sissi, however, you'll have to visit the baroque
Gódóllo Palace. The Royal Palace today is used as a cultural centre and museum
complex.
The Royal Palace's
baroque southern wing (Wing E) contains the Budapesti Történeti Múzeum (Budapest
History Museum), displaying a fascinating permanent exhibit of modern Budapest
history from Buda's liberation from the Turks in 1686 through the 1970s. Viewing
the vintage 19th- and 20th-century photos and videos of the castle, the
Széchenyi Lánchíd, and other Budapest monuments - and seeing them as the
backdrop to the horrors of World War II and the 1956 Revolution - helps to put
your later sightseeing in context; while you're browsing, peek out one of the
windows overlooking the Danube and Pest and let it start seeping in.
The old castle at
the palace
Gellért Hill & the
Funicular (Sikló)
Liberation Monument, Citadel, St. Gellért Monument. The hill (that some believe
used to be the meeting place of witches) today offers the most beautiful
panoramic view of the city. The hill was named after Bishop Gellért (Gerald)
renowned for propagating Christianity in Hungary. Tradition has it that he was
sealed up in a barrel and thrown into the river Danube from the hill by
insurgent pagan Magyars rebelling against Christendom after the death of our
first king St. Stephen. The terraces of the Citadel built on the hilltop offer
the best view of the city, and telescopes help one to catch all the details. It
was built by the Austrians after the repression of the 1848-1849 War of
Independence to provide military control over the town. Liberation Monument, the
statue of a woman visible from almost any point in town, was erected in 1947 to
commemorate liberation from Nazi occupation. (The statue of the Soviet soldier
which was removed from the monument in 1992 can be seen in the Statue Park
Museum.) Firework rockets marking August 20 every year are launched from this
point on Gellért Hill.
By far the most
tranquil way of ascending Castle Hill to the Royal Palace is the Sikló.
Originally opened in 1870, its main function was in providing cheap transport
for local workers. Fortune has, however, not always favoured the two little
cable cars. Wrecked by German shelling in 1945, the Sikló was left in a state of
disrepair until being fully restored in 1986. Today's replica carriages, which
use electricity rather than steam power, complete the steep ascent to Szent
György tér in just under one minute. The comparative quiet inside the cars
contrasts strikingly with the view across the Danube to bustling downtown Pest.
Take a walk across!
The famous Danube
River will be below you as you walk across the Chain Bridge.
As you reach mid-span you can get great views of both Buda and Pest including
the Castle Hill District, Fisherman's Bastion, and Parliament.
On a clear day, you will just love this!
Liberty Bridge
The bridge was
inaugurated in 1896 as part of the monumental series of ceremonies organized to
commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the arrival of the Magyars in the
Carpathian Basin. The third bridge on the river, it was originally named after
Francis Joseph: the Emperor himself ceremonially fixed the last rivet on the
bridge. Unable to escape its fate, this bridge was also blown up during the war,
but was later rebuilt.
Margit-sziget
(Margaret Island)
More than 2˝ km (1˝ miles) long and covering nearly 200 acres, this island park
is ideal for strolling, jogging, sunbathing, or just loafing. In good weather,
it draws a multitudinous cross-section of the city's population out to its
gardens and sporting facilities. The outdoor pool complex of the Palatinus Baths
(toward the Buda side), built in 1921, can attract tens of thousands of people
on a summer day. Nearby are a tennis stadium, a youth athletic center,
boathouses, sports grounds, and, most impressive of all, the Nemzeti Sportuszoda
(National Sports Swimming Pool), designed by the architect Alfred Hajós (while
still in his teens, Hajós won two gold medals in swimming at the first modern
Olympic Games, held in Athens in 1896). In addition, walkers, joggers,
bicyclists, and rollerbladers do laps around the island's perimeter and up and
down the main road.
The Parliament at
dusk
Budapest at sunset
An evening beside
the Danube
Hosök tere (Heroes’
Square) and Millenniumi Emlékmű (Millennium Monument)
Heroes’ Square was built in 1896, to celebrate the millennial anniversary of the
Magyar conquest. Here the Archangel Gabriel at the top of a 36m (118ft) column
(winner of the Grand Prix at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900) is
half-encircled by statues of the seven victorious Magyar tribal chiefs on
horseback and Hungary’s most honoured rulers, from King Stephen to Kossuth.
Heroes Square with
its impressive Millennial Monument, an ornate colonnade with statues depicting
real and legendary Hungarian heroes. Adjacent to the square, the Fine Arts
Museum houses one of Europe's largest collections of Spanish art, in addition to
Italian, Flemish and French masters.
The statues at the
Millennial Monument in Heroes Square, Budapest's Trafalgar Square with
Transylvanian-born warriors, kings and princes
The City Park
Széchenyi Baths and
Swimming Pool
It is one of
Europe`s largest bath complexes. The atmosphere of Roman bathing culture may be
felt in its light, spacious pool halls, while Greek bathing culture is reflected
in the tub baths, but traces of Nordic traditions may also be found in the heat
chambers, saunas and dipping pools. This first spa of Pest owes its existence to
the well dug by Vilmos Zsigmondy in 1879. The present bath building was
constructed in 1913. The swimming pool was built in 1927, but it was only open
from May till September until the 1960ies, when, in 1963, it was made suitable
for winter swimming as well. Since then it has been open throughout the year.
The two `public bath` units were established also in 1927, today housing the
mixed baths and the complex physiotherapy units (day hospital).
Robert & korina at
Vajdahunyad Castle
More of the
castle...
Vajdahunyad Castle
Probably the most fascinating edifice in the City Park. The castle was
originally built of timber and cardboard for the World Exhibition organized in
1896 to mark the thousandth anniversary of the arrival of the Magyars in the
Carpathian Basin. Its aim was to give the visitor an insight into Hungary's
architectural past. Every section of the edifice is different, featuring a
small-scale reproduction of various buildings in the country representing
different historical and architectural styles. The castle is a true
representation of a thousand years of Hungarian architecture in one single
monument, and was such a success at the exhibition that it had to be rebuilt
later in brick and stone. Today Vajdahunyad Castle is the home of the Hungarian
Agricultural Museum.
The castle lake or
moat
The Funfair & Zoo in
the City Park
The Zoo, which is
also a historical monument, recalls the atmosphere of the years around the
beginning of the 20th century. One of the oldest zoos in the world, it is home
to 500 species of animal and 4000 types of plant.
The Puskás Ferenc
Stadium in Budapest, situated in the City Park
Major athletics
meetings and football matches are held at the Puskás Ferenc Stadion (formerly
the Népstadion) - Budapest's 68,000 all seater arena
The most popular
spectator sport in Hungary is football, with Budapest providing most of the
nation's popular teams, although none of them play at the the Puskás Ferenc Stadion;
it is for the national team only. The standard of domestic football is moderate,
while the international team failed (yet again) to reach the Euro 2004
Championships in Portugal.
Sadly, Hungary hasn't really had a world class team since the golden team (aranycsapat)
of the 1950s, which many hold to be the greatest footballing side ever. The
team's domination of the world stage at this time, through players such as
Ferenc Puskás, Jószef Boszik, Sándor Kocsis and Nándor Hidegkuti.
A view to the new
Budapest Arena
The Budapest Arena
was still under construction when we visited, but was completed in March 2003,
it has been built on the site of the former Sportcsarnok, which was damaged by a
Christmas fire back in 1999. As the focus of Hungary's sports and entertainment
activities, this new 13,000-seat facility has an important role in Budapest's
cultural calendar. An adjacent ice sports training hall ensures year-round
usage. The arena is designed to accommodate ice hockey and indoor athletics with
the inclusion of a 200m track.
The 13,000-seat
Budapest Arena has been built to host the 2004 International Amateur Athletics
Federation (IAAF) Indoor Championships in Budapest, Hungary that will take place
5-7 March 2004.
I have been trying
to find out why the `Olympic Rings` are adorned at the stadium, as Hungary and
in particular Budapest, have never held the Olympics, but unfortunately I have
been unable to find the reason why, so far! If anyone knows the reason why?, can
they please inform me.
St. Stephen's
Basilica (V. Szent István tér) & The Great Synagogue (Nagy Zsinagóga)
St. Stephen's
Basilica (V. Szent István tér)
Construction of the
largest church of the capital (seating 8,500 persons) was beset by vicissitudes.
No sooner did the groundwork begin when the War of Independence broke out in
1848, then construction was resumed in 1851, followed by the immediate death of
the two architects, and even the dome collapsed during the works. The church
with a Greek cross plan was finally consecrated in 1905. With the river Danube
in the vicinity, huge foundations and three underground levels had to be laid
under the church, resulting in an underground "house" almost as large as on the
surface. It took 60 years and two architectural époques - Classicism and
Eclecticism - to build the Basilica. Special works of art present the life of
King St. Stephen - in whose name the basilica was dedicated - founder of the
Hungarian State and Christian Church in Hungary. A grandiose cupola dominates
the edifice offering visitors a good view of the city from its rim. From the
unique 360-degree circular lookout you can admire Budapest from a height of 65
meters. A modern and secure elevator will take you most of the way up, from
where you climb to the circular lookout on a spiral staircase.
Great
Synagogue (Nagy Zsinagóga)
Seating 3,000,
Europe's largest synagogue was designed by Ludwig Förs and built between 1844
and 1859 in a Byzantine-Moorish style described as "consciously archaic
Romantic-Eastern." Desecrated by German and Hungarian Nazis, it was
painstakingly reconstructed with donations from all over the world; its doors
reopened in the fall of 1996. While used for regular services during much of the
year, it is generally not used in midwinter, as the space is too large to heat;
between December and February, visiting hours are erratic. In the courtyard
behind the synagogue, a weeping willow made of metal honours the victims of the
Holocaust. Liszt and Saint-Saëns are among the great musicians who have played
the synagogue's grand organ.
The chain bridge
alight at night
Széchenyi Lánchid
Chain Bridge / Tunnel Downtown Pest
This is the oldest and most beautiful of the seven road bridges that span the
Danube in Budapest. Before it was built, the river could be crossed only by
ferry or by a pontoon bridge that had to be removed when ice blocks began
floating downstream in winter. It was constructed at the initiative of the great
Hungarian reformer and philanthropist Count István Széchenyi, using an 1839
design by the French civil engineer William Tierney Clark. This classical,
almost poetically graceful and symmetrical suspension bridge was finished by his
Scottish namesake, Adam Clark, who also built the 383-yard tunnel under Castle
Hill, thus connecting the Danube quay with the rest of Buda. After it was
destroyed by the Nazis, the bridge was rebuilt in its original form (though
slightly widened for traffic) and was reopened in 1949, on the centenary of its
inauguration. At the Buda end of the bridge is Clark Ádám tér (Adam Clark
Square), where you can zip up to Castle Hill on the sometimes crowded Sikló
funicular. District I, linking Clark Ádám tér with Roosevelt tér.
All lit up - The
Parliament & Palace at night
  
Korina
Robert & Korina in
front of the Chain Bridge & Palace
Robert & korina with
the stunning Fisherman's Bastion for a backdrop
Bridging the gap...
Bastion!
Fisherman's Bastion
(Halaszbastya), Budapest
Built during the
19th century for the Hungarian Millennium celebrations, this mock bastion
features pointed towers and turrets, reminiscent of the fairytale castles in
Disney World.
Fisherman’s Bastion
(Halásbásztya), located next to Matthias Church, is a handsome complex of little
white turrets, galleries, arcades and steps. Its seven tent-like turrets
symbolise seven Magyar tribes, which settled down on the Danube River in the 9th
century. Built for defence purposes, the Fisherman’s Bastion today is one of
Budapest’s landmarks. Perched on a steep cliff facing the Danube River, it
offers commanding views over the river and Pest.
Each of the chiefs
of the tribes has his own statue, and the steps leading down to the city are
dotted with figures, such as St. George and the Dragon.
The
spectacular, sophisticatedly proportioned building rich in detail with elegant
white lime stone formations is an imposing structure towering over the Danube
and beautifully compliments the imposing panorama of the Castle District. Two
series of steps wind their way above the river and blend in with the spectacular
series of archways, which are embellished with wall statues, towers, lookout
points and water-shooters. Schulek's historical work in the Romance-Romanesque
style also contains Norman and Gothic elements. This almost stagy sight which
was born wholly of the imagination but its beauty so nicely blends in with the
countless architectural styles of the Castle District imbued with unparalleled
importance.
Robert & korina on
the steps to the Bastion
Studying the Plaque
of the Chain Bridge...
A slightly misty-rious
Budapest
For interactive maps and further details on Budapest
Click Here!
All photographs were taken in
Budapest - Hungary from the 18th to 21st of May 2002
|
