Budapest - sightseeing
The Royal Palace
The Royal Palace complex is located on the southern part of Castle Hill, and is protected by Unesco as part of the world’s cultural heritage. The original medieval building was destroyed by the Turkish invaders, and re-built as a Baroque palace by the empress Maria-Theresa. It was again devastated during the Second World War, and re-built in 1945, turning it into the home of a series of important cultural institutions, such as the Hungarian National Gallery, the National Széchényi Library, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Budapest History Museum.
Matthias Church (MATYAS TEMPLOM)
This cathedral owes its name to the eponymous king, who financed its building. It is probably the most beautiful and evocative church of Budapest. The first nucleus of the church was built between the 13th and the 14th century, but it was constantly retouched in different styles. When the Turks occupied Buda in 1541 they turned it into a mosque, and helped preserve its frescos by whitewashing them. Around 1896 it was re-built in Neogothic style by the architect Frigyes Schulek, who was also in charge of renovating the Royal Palace. He had a lot of smaller buildings that were around the church demolished, in order to increase its size. The frescos inside are the works of the most important Hungarian artists of their times, and the inside of the church has great acoustics, which make it ideal for classical music concerts.
The Synagogue
Located in Pest, in VII. Dohány u. 2-8, it is the world’s second largest Synagogue, and Europe’s first, with seating for 3000. Built in the middle of the 19th century for the Jewish community of Pest, which consisted of over 30,000 people, its exterior is ornately beautiful, and the huge inner hall, shining with golden reflexes, rests on cast iron pillars and arches, which was a total novelty for religious buildings at the time. It hosts a Jewish Museum, and several concerts, due to its excellent acoustics.
The Saint Stephen Basilica (SZENT ISTVÁN BAZILIKA)
The largest church of Budapest, its building took a very long time due to a series of unlucky events: no sooner were the foundations set in 1848 than the War of Independence started; when construction was resumed in 1951, both the architects who had designed it died; during construction, the dome collapsed once. It was finally consecrated in 1905. It has a Greek cross plan, and given its proximity to the Danube, the foundations had to be made almost as deep as the church is tall (which is no less than 90 metres). The outside of the church is massive, if not particularly beautiful. From the rim of the dome you can have a 360° view of the city from 65 metres. The interior is beautiful and richly decorated, and hosts the relic of the right hand of Saint Stephen, the mythical king and founder of Hungary. On the 20th of August there’s a big celebration of the saint, with a procession.
The Parliament
A huge Gothic building on the Danube, it has become the symbol of Budapest and is one of the biggest national assemblies of the world. Seen from outside, it looks more like a Basilica than a secular building. It was built between 1884 and 1902 with a project by the architect Imre Steindl, and is a mixture of Neogothic style on the outside, with myriads of small turrets and spikes, and of Renaissance and Baroque themes on the inside. The interior was structured in two symmetric wings, one for each House of the pre-communist Hungarian parliament, totalling over 600 rooms. It is now the residence of the prime minister (northern wing) and the president of Hungary (southern wing), as well as hosting conferences and international meetings. Since the year 2000, the Saint Stephen crown and all of the crown jewels are exhibited here.
Art nouveau in Budapest
Budapest is characterized by a unique architectural style which is peculiar to Hungary: it is known as Hungarian Art Nouveau, and is a local variation of the style that took Europe by storm at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a mixture of the general traits of Art Nouveau and traditional Hungarian folk decorative motifs, with an added oriental flavour. It is particularly evident in the ceramic tiles which cover the façades of several buildings. Amongst the finest examples of Hungarian Art Nouveau are the following buildings:
The Gresham Palace (GRESHAM PALOTA) - Located in V, Roosvelt tér 5-6, the seat of the Gresham insurance company (founded in 1907) is one of the finest examples of the "art nouveau" architecture that is frequent in Budapest. It is now a luxury hotel.
The former Post Office Savings Bank (POSTA TAKARÉKPÉNZTÁR) - Located in V. Hold utca 4. Now the part of the National Bank building.
The Museum of Applied Arts - In IX. Ülloi út 33-37, it was built in 1872; it is Europe’s third oldest applied arts museum after London’s South Kensington (today the Victoria and Albert Museum) and the Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie in Vienna. It hosts a permanent Arts and Crafts exhibition.
The Geological Museum of Hungary - In XIV. Stefánia út 14, it is particularly beautiful.
The Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music - Located in VI. Liszt Ferenc tér 8, it features two concert halls, the biggest of which, hosting an audience of 1200, is a jewel in interior decoration. Definitely worth a visit even if you don’t like classical music.
Heroes’ Square (HÖSÖK TERE)
It is the most majestic square in the Hungarian capital, and a memorial of one thousand years of presence of the Hungarian people in Europe. Every part of the square features a representation of a part of the history of Hungary. It is surrounded by two half-circle colonnades which have at their focal point an obelisk with a statue of the Archangel Gabriel on top. According to a local legend, Gabriel appeared in a dream to the first Hungarian king Saint Stephen, and gave him the holy crown which is held in one hand by the angel’s statue. At the obelisk’s pedestal stand the seven statues of the legendary chieftains who led the Hungarians during the long migration which brought them to the region which is now Hungary. The colonnades host a series of statues of important personalities of the history of Hungary. The square is closed at two sides by two beautiful buildings, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Art, which complete the monumental complex.
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