The “Pearl of the Danube” is called one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The birth of Budapest took place in 1873 due to the unification of the cities of Pest, Obuda, Buda. In ancient times, settlements of Aquinc, Kontraquinc developed in their place. Now 8 openwork bridges across the swift Danube connect parts of the wonderful city, which has preserved numerous historical monuments. Despite the fact that in the XIII century it was completely destroyed by the Mongol-Tatar conquerors. The rich heritage includes architectural wealth, a miracle created by nature: in the form of 120 thermal springs with healing mineral water. Based on them, 15 water complexes were created, ensuring the status of the city as a resort. At any time of the year, numerous museums, galleries, theaters offer interesting events. During a trip here, you want to see everything, but this is impossible.

Church of St. Matthias

The Gothic masterpiece is located on one of the most beautiful squares in the city. The cathedral is part of the architectural complex of the Buda Palace and is located between the Fisherman's Bastion and Holy Trinity Square. This church hosted the coronation ceremonies of the monarchs from the Habsburg dynasty. There were legends about it, and even the Turks did not destroy the unique building (they painted over the frescoes), erected in the 13th century.

The multi-colored roof, the original architecture, built on a harmonious combination of Gothic and Art Nouveau, the gate on the main facade, the rose window and the famous Matthias Bell Tower create an attractive appearance of the church. Nearby is a miniature model for the blind. Inside, the church is decorated with rich stained-glass windows reflecting scenes from the Bible, carved wood decorations.
Two elements built around 1260 have survived: the columns at Bela's tower. On their tops, figures of monks and demonic animals are visible. Below is an ancient baptistery, a baptismal font. Chapels, sarcophagi of King Bela III, his wife, St. Stephen are installed on the northern wall. Under this chapel is a gallery that houses the Museum of Religious Art.

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Fishing bastion

The famous landmark of the country looks like a square surrounded by a gallery. Its length is 10 m, width 8 m. There are 7 conical towers along the gallery. They are the symbol of the tribes that founded Hungary. The construction of the Fisherman's Bastion (a beautiful snow-white building) was designed by the architect Frigyes Schulek from 1899 to 1905. The bastion never served as a defensive structure. From an architectural point of view, it was created as a backdrop for the Matthias Church, but then it became a popular attraction in itself.

Previously, fish were traded in the Holy Trinity Square. Around it was a fortress wall, which served as protection for fishermen in the Middle Ages. The new bastion appeared during the reconstruction of the Royal Palace in honor of the millennium of Hungary. From the observation deck of the Fisherman's Bastion, tourists can expect beautiful views of the river, Pest (especially from the main tower of Hiradash). During the construction of the bastion, some secrets hidden under the Buda Hill were discovered: tunnels, passages.

Guests of the city are invited to visit the underground chapel of St. Michael. It houses a 3D cinema that shows interesting films about the history of Hungary. It is convenient to get to the Fisherman's Bastion by buses 16, 16A, 116. Make your way back along the stone stairs leading almost to the Danube.

Royal Palace

The historical center of the city was formed in the XIII century. Beginning with King Bela IV of Hungary, the royal residence was located in the Buda Castle, towering on the right bank of the Danube. The castle was repeatedly destroyed, restored and continued to be a witness to historical events in the country. The last reconstruction was carried out from the end of the IXX to the beginning of the XX century. The new palace has become one of the most beautiful buildings in the country. After the departure of the Habsburgs in 1920, it became the residence of Horthy Miklós.

Now the facade of the majestic architectural structure stretches along the Danube embankment for 300 m. In the evenings, it sparkles with thousands of lights that are reflected in its stormy waters. On the territory of the palace there is a library, a museum of the history of Budapest, the National Gallery, which contains a rich collection of unique works by artists of the country. There are also numerous statues, fountains, gates, and other elements of the decoration of the palace.

Next to them, legends come to life that came from ancient times: associated with the appearance of the bronze bird turul, the statue of the commander of Savoy, etc. Annual festivals and holidays (crafts, beer, wine) are held near the castle. It is proposed to come to the top of the hill by bus routes and by the Shiklo funicular.

Buda labyrinth

This is the name of the caves of Budapest, accessible to tourists. The route along them is not a cunning labyrinth: it is a looped tourist path with several dead ends and signs to return to the main route. The last restoration of the labyrinth took place in 2013. The creation of unique caves, catacombs at a depth of 16 km in the city center (under the Royal Palace and residential area) belongs to natural forces. Archaeologists have confirmed the existence of natural underground over 500 years ago.

Gradually, they were equipped for housing, under wine cellars, prisons, a military hospital. New halls, passages, underground vaults appeared. The total length of the labyrinth is 1200 m. Individual places are available for visiting. They are a modern version of the museum with installations reflecting the historical events of the country, its mythology. Wax figures in ancient clothes, rock paintings, furnishings from different times.

Prison shackles, a stone coffin, a tombstone marked “Dracula”, etc. All exhibits are contemporary works. There are no historical artifacts in the labyrinth. The labyrinth is illuminated with green light lamps, similar to kerosene sources. There are places where it is always dark. For the safety of travel, special ropes are laid along the walls and vaults of the caves. The entrance to the caves is located in the basement of house 9 on Úri utca street.

Elizabeth Bridge

The modern suspension bridge was built on the site of a beautiful structure named after Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria (known as Sisi). Its grand opening took place in October 1903. Until 1926, the bridge was considered the longest single-span bridge in the world. It had 4 lanes and two sidewalks. Since 1914, trams have been running on the bridge. In 1934, the beautiful chain bridge was completely blown up by the retreating German troops. The new bridge was built according to the requirements of modern technologies and materials. It became a suspension bridge for road transport.

He reconnected the two banks of the Danube in November 1964. The bridge is almost 379 m long and about 28 m wide. It is 10 m wider than the previous structure, but much lighter. There are 6 lanes for cars on the asphalt concrete pavement, two sidewalks with a width of 4.75 each. The bridge has strong metal railings with a simple pattern. It is clearly visible from the top of Gellert Hill. The project of a specialist from Japan was used to illuminate the bridge. During national holidays, it lights up with the colors of the Hungarian flag.

Mount Gellert

The picturesque hill was the center of Buda's winemaking in the 18th century. Numerous vineyards adorned its slopes, and calvaria lurked at the very top. Ritual processions of residents were made here during the holidays in honor of the Resurrection of Christ. The area was named after the Catholic Saint Gerard Sagredo Gellért, who was executed by pagans. He was thrown down the mountain into the water in a barrel of nails. According to ancient legends, witches flocked here for the Sabbath. After the unsuccessful uprising of 1850 was suppressed, the government decided to create a defensive fortress-citadel on the top of the mountain.

It became one of the first sights of the country. Not far from the walls of the citadel rises a huge 40-meter Statue of Liberty: the figure of a woman with a palm branch on her raised hands. Now this composition (the figure of the warrior-liberator was removed from the ensemble in the early 90s) is dedicated to the heroes of the Hungarian people. The mountain rises above the city. From a height of 235 meters, the most beautiful views of the two banks of the Danube open up.

Gellert Baths

The famous hill is famous not only for its historical past, beautiful landscape, unique viewing platforms, but also for valuable underground storerooms. The famous healing springs are hidden here, on the basis of which one of the 13 active baths of the city was built. The building, erected in the Art Nouveau style at the beginning of the 20th century, resembles a fairy-tale palace. It is very easy to imagine yourself as a king, resting in the jets of healing streams.

There is a legend that once a hermit lived here in a cave, healing from many diseases. Antique stucco, a dome, interior decoration with stained-glass windows complete these magical dreams. The atmosphere of luxury reigns in any hall of the bath. Anyone who wants to dive into it is allowed. Practically all existing types of medical services operate in the bath.

There is a Finnish sauna, steam baths, women's and men's thermal departments. In summer, there are 13 pools in the bath (10 are under the roof) with water of different temperatures (5 in winter). For aqua aerobics in the summer, an open-air wave pool was built and decorated in a Turkish style. There is a sitting pool with a depth of about 1 meter and filled with water from T 36 Address: Kelenhegyi út 4.

Freedom Bridge

This is the name of the new Franz Josef Bridge. It connected Customs and Jury Squares. The former bridge is considered an example when the project, all stages of manufacturing were made by the specialists of their country. At this time, the era of iron structures began. Technologies have made it possible to create steel and iron from blast-furnace iron for elements of bridges of any type (chain, hanging, arched). In place of wooden structures came frame structures made of reliable iron. They made it possible to realize the dream of the architects: to create an economical, beautiful, simple ensemble.

The powerful bridge frame was manufactured at the plant of the Royal Hungarian Railways. After the explosion of the central part of the building in 1945, the bridge was completely restored. His second birth took place in August 1946. It was the first restored bridge after the war. The next reconstruction of the architectural structure ended in 2009. Now the bridge is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Europe. It is decorated with original cast iron. Figures of the mythical turula bird, the crown of the first ruler of the country, are fixed on high supports.

Central market

The decision to build a large convenient wound for residents appeared almost immediately after the birth of the city. Numerous small markets did not meet the needs of the population. At the same time, in 1897, 4 more large places for trade were opened along with it. The building of the central market was erected in accordance with the project of the Hungarian architect Samuil Pec.

Modern designs with original openwork elements, created according to the latest engineering ideas, made it possible to create a unique image of the building. The Neo-Gothic building with beautiful corner towers and colorful ceramic tiles quickly became a local landmark. A wide range of goods attracted residents and guests of the city for shopping. Any product located on two floors is offered to buy here.

For a short rest, lunch, it is proposed to use the services of a cafe, restaurant. The market is located at the end of Vaci Street, next to the Freedom Bridge. Works 6 days a week. Day off on Monday. Arriving at the central market is easy by public transport. The largest number of visitors is observed in the morning hours of Saturday.

Vaci Street

In the northern part of the street there are large shopping centers of branded porcelain. Small souvenir shops, galleries are located on the southern section of the street. During the walk, it is proposed to visit the Istvan Csok Gallery with offers to purchase samples of painting, icon painting, and sculpture. Not far from the gallery is the Libri bookstore. It presents the largest collection of works of the country in a foreign language.

Lajos Kossuth Square

On the eastern side of the facade of the Parliament building is a large square named after the statesman of Hungary. Monuments to Lajos Kossuth and Ferenczi Rakoczy adorn the square. Previously, this place was a place for unloading ships, and the area was called Stadtischer Auswind Platz. At the end of the 19th century, they began to strengthen the banks of the Danube at the expense of an ordinary garbage dump. The place received the dissonant name of Tömőtér Square.

It changed to Parliament Square after the construction of the building in the period 1898-1927. Since 1927, the place has been called by its modern name. At that time, a complex of administrative buildings was formed around: the Palace of Justice, the building of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ethnographic Museum. The complex shape of the square (it includes three rectangles offset from each other) goes around the Parliament building.

In the central part there is the memorial ensemble of Lajos Kossuth, designed by the sculptor Janos Horvath. An equestrian statue of the Prince of Transylvania, the leader of the 1711 uprising, Francis II Rakosi, appeared in 1936. Its pedestal is decorated with the inscription “With God for the Fatherland and Freedom.” When descending to the river, it is suggested to see the figure of the poet Jozsef Antalou, looking at the Danube. The sculpture was created by Laszlo Marton in 1980.

Shoes on the Danube

Monuments to the fallen Jewish population can be seen in many cities around the world. This memorial is one of the “Most poignant monuments in the world.” Finding it is quite easy: it is located on the embankment next to the Parliament building. The enigmatic row of shoes overlooking the Danube makes you stop, shut up and shudder at the memory of the unusual brutality of the war.

People were brought to the embankment and executed in an unusual way. Another pariah of residents was tied in chains of 60 people and shot at the first person. As they fell, they dragged the others with them. At the same time, all the doomed took off their shoes and left their shoes on the banks of the Danube. 60 pairs of men's, women's and children‘s shoes made of stone stretched out along the embankment as if alive.
As if they were removed for a minute, and the owner is about to come ashore. Nearby stands a stone bench with inscriptions in three languages: Hebrew, Hungarian, English. The monument was erected in 2005. Along the cruel chain of shoes, lamps are always lit, flowers lie. There are several monuments to the victims of the Holocaust in the city. The tree (a weeping willow symbolizing grief) is next to the synagogue. On it are 700 metal sheets with the names of the dead.

Hungarian parliament building

The decision to erect a building on the territory of Pest was made in 1843. The historical events of the country made it possible to implement the conceived idea in 1903. The place for construction was chosen on the east coast of the Danube between the ancient bridges of Szechenyi, Margaret. The majestic neo-Gothic architectural structure with elements of oriental architecture is clearly visible from many points in the city. The Parliament is considered the largest building in Hungary. It has 10 small courtyards, 29 stairs, 691 diverse rooms. The central dome ends at a height of about 27 m.

Its diameter is 20 m. On both sides there are rooms for parliament meetings and conferences. The interior of the interior halls is decorated in the style of the Middle Ages: mosaic panels, stained-glass windows, a lot of gilding, and sculptures. There are 16 of them only among the domed hall (these are figures of kings, rulers of the country). Since 2000, historical artifacts have been kept here: the orb, the crown of St. Stephen, the scepter. There is a small museum inside. In front of the building there is a guard of honor, dressed in historical uniforms.

Freedom Square

In the green zone of a large square, it is pleasant to relax after hiking, admire the buildings of ancient architectural design, listen to stories about the historical events of the country. Svoboda Square appeared at the end of the 19th century. Previously, there were barracks, garrisons of Austrian military units, prisons for political prisoners. At this place, Lajos Battyani (the leader of the uprising against the Austrians) was executed.

In 1926, on the site of the demolished barracks, the Eternal Flame was lit in honor of their feat. After the Second World War, a monument in honor of the soldiers-liberators from the USSR appeared nearby. On the occasion of the end of the Cold War and the country's independence, a monument to Ronald Reagan was erected on the square. Of greatest interest is the memorial dedicated to the victims of the Nazis.

The sculptural group includes the figure of the archangel Gabriel with a formidable black raven. At the foot of the ensemble are written the names of the cities where thousands of Jews died. There are always fresh flowers, photographs, personal belongings of the dead. The square has a rectangular shape with a solemn, beautiful architectural ensemble of historical buildings of the 20th century. In the building of the National Bank, guests of the capital are invited to see the exposition of old banknotes, coins and order any as a keepsake.

Hungarian State Opera House

The emergence of Budapest is associated with the merging of three cities, their cultures, histories and traditions. One of them was opera performances that have been held in Hungary for over 200 years. They took place in the houses of aristocrats. Therefore, the proposal of outstanding composers to create an opera theater is not surprising. In 1884, the famous theater (it was called the Royal Opera House), created by the country's specialists, was opened. The first operas performed in the presence of Emperor Franz Josef were the Hungarian operas Laszlo Hunyadi, Bank Ban, part of the German opera Lohengrin by Wagner.

The first work in the Hungarian language was the opera The Barber of Seville, performed in 1844. Musical masterpieces by Verdi, Mozart, Wagner, Rossini sounded under the arches of the theater. They were performed by famous singers Audrey, Ellinger, singers Derine, Grunge, Holloshi. In different periods, the role of the conductor was performed by Berlioz, Richter, Rubinstein, Wagner. The development of the country's ballet performances is associated with the first production of the ballet “The Wooden Prince” by Bartok at the theater.

Now the performances of the ballet group of the theater are known in many countries of the world. Since 1853, the theater orchestra has become an independent symphony orchestra under the name “Budapest Philharmonic Society”. After a major reconstruction in 1984, visiting the magnificent masterpiece of Hungarian architecture (Neo-Renaissance style with Baroque elements), listening to great and talented performers is possible only by pre-booking tickets.

Palaces of Clotilde

In the historical center of the city, not far from the Erzhbet bridge, there are two residential buildings of original architecture. Now the premises for living are equipped on the upper floors of buildings. Below are cafes, shops, boutiques, the Budapest Gallery. “Stone twins” for Clotilde (daughter-in-law of Archduke Joseph) appeared in 1902. They guard the entrance to the bridge and are built in the Rococo style with pointed spiers pointing high into the sky. The facades of the buildings are decorated with oblong windows, carved arches, numerous bas-reliefs with figures of Hungarian historical figures.

The buildings are exactly the same. The author of the project was the architects Kalman Girgel and Florish Korb. The main purpose of the buildings was to use them as tenement houses, bringing profit to the family. The owners have never lived in them. For the first time in Europe, elevators were installed in the buildings, which came into vogue as a technical innovation. The buildings harmoniously complement the architectural composition of Sabadshaito Street. They were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Rudash Bath

The famous bath, built during the Turkish rule. The Ottomans built the luxurious Rudash Baths at the foot of Mount Gellert with special baths for the pasha. They are still working. Under the multifaceted glass dome, you can not only bask in the warm thermal water, but also watch a beautiful panoramic view of the Danube and its surroundings.

Over the 500 years of its existence, the baths have been restored, supplemented, while maintaining the original spirit of Turkish procedures. They were originally used by men. Since 1936, women were allowed to visit the baths on certain days (even after the reconstruction of 2005, the days of the day for visiting men were preserved). The modern Rudash complex consists of a bathhouse, a swimming pool, and a wellness area.

It is formed from six thermal pools of different depths and temperatures. The complex includes a sauna, steam room. The water used improves the functioning of the respiratory organs, lowers blood pressure, treats rheumatism, joints, restores the microflora of the stomach. Water contains a large percentage of calcium, sodium, magnesium, etc. She was given the status of therapeutic radioactive water. Visiting the Rudash bath is offered to people who do not have restrictions on certain diseases.