July 16 to 22, 2005
Early in the morning on July 16th, we caught a train to take us from Prague, Czech Republic to Budapest, Hungary. It was a pleasant six-plus hour ride through the beautiful countryside. We arrived at the Nyugati Palyaudvar Railroad Station which was built by the Gustave Eiffel Company in 1877 – just 12 years before the Eiffel Tower opened.
We stayed at the lovely Corinthia Budapest Hotel and explored the capital city as much as we could in five days. We walked everywhere, took trams, and rode the Metro subway. The famous Chain Bridge, Szechenyi Lanchid, was closed to traffic on holiday Sunday and open to pedestrians, so we walked across:
Budapest is actually made up of three unified cities: Buda and Óbuda on the west bank of the Danube River and Pest on the east bank. Here’s a view from the bridge looking west:
The Chain Bridge, built in 1849, was the first permanent bridge across the Danube. It was a symbol of advancement, national awakening, and linking East and West.
View from the bridge looking east toward Pest:
We rode the Buda Castle Hill Funicular up to the top. Built in 1869, it is the 2nd oldest funicular in the world, after the one in Lyon France:
We walked to the Matthias Church to take photos and see the beautiful tile roof. The Gothic style church was constructed in the latter part of the 13th century and restored in the 19th century. This was the location of the coronation of two Hungarian kings:
The Fisherman’s Bastion looks like a medieval monument but was actually built in the early 1900s as a panoramic viewing platform across the Danube River. It is named after the Guild of Fishermen who were responsible for defending that part of the city walls during the Middle Ages. The seven towers represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled the region.
Riding the trams was a fun, quick, and efficient way to travel around Budapest:
St. Stephen’s Basilica is located on the Pest side of the city. We went up to the base of the dome for spectacular views of Budapest.
The Hungarian Parliament Building is a gorgeous building inside and out. We enjoyed a guided tour of the magnificent gilded interior chambers.
The woman below was modeling lovely handmade embroidered fabrics and accessories.
The great Central Market Hall was a fun place to visit! We went back several times and bought real Hungarian paprika.
The Budapest Metro is the oldest electrified underground railway system in Europe. Line M1 was completed in 1896. Today historic trains run along 4.4 kilometers in the central part of the city, making stops at eleven renovated stations. The rest of the Metro system is modern.
Many visitors consider Budapest to be among the most beautiful cities in Europe and much of the city has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
There were a great variety of architectural styles. I have included several photos of noteworthy buildings which I saw as we walked around. The Anker Palace is a commercial building completed in 1908.
We had to have coffee and a sweet at the famous historic Gerbeaud Cafe on Vörösmarty Square. The cafe was established in 1858 and is purported to be one of Europe’s finest coffee and pastry shops. We shared Dobos and Eszterhazy cakes. Yummm….
The Gellert Hotel, which was originally built between 1912 – 1918 in art nouveau style, is the home of the famous Gellert Bath and Spa:
Heroes’ Square, at the end of Andrássy Avenue, depicts the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars. They are believed to have led the Hungarian people from central Asia to what is currently the nation of Hungary. On top of the central pillar is the Archangel Gabriel holding the Hungarian crown:
The Hungarian National Museum, founded in 1802, is the museum of the history, art, and archaeology of Hungary:
The art nouveau design Gresham Palace is a Four Seasons Hotel today:
City Park includes sports facilities, swimming baths, a boating lake, the Budapest Municipal Zoo and Botanical Gardens, the Budapest Circus, and the Vajdahunyad Castle. During the winter, the lake is transformed into a huge ice rink:
The Hungarian State Opera House was first opened in 1884 by a commission from Emperor Franz Joseph. The 1200 seat auditorium is considered to be one of the best in the world for operatic performances. Unfortunately, there were no performances during our time in Budapest. Outside is a statue of the composer, Ferenc Liszt.
We enjoyed our days in Budapest exploring the city, sampling tasty food, and learning about Hungarian culture.
