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Budapest City Guide....

         ◊  Buda

         ◊  Pest

         ◊  Cultural Avenue & World Heritage

         ◊  Baths

Buda....

Castle District.... Is the city's leading tourist attraction and is a must for every visitor.

Royal Palace.... Without a doubt the centrepiece of the Castle District that over looks and dominates the city's sky line. A post war reconstruction, it was under the reign of King Mátyás (1458-1490) that the Royal Palace saw its peak. The Royal Palace has been damaged or destroyed a number of times during its colourful history, due mainly to its strategic position on the Várhegy, Castle Hill.  After World War II it took 30 years to restore the Palace and the District to the way you see it today.

Matthias Church.... Named after Good King Matthias, who ordered its construction and was married twice there. Parts of the structure still date from the 13th century. In many respects, the 700 year history of the church serves as a symbol of the city's rich, yet often tragic history. Inside the church you can find a number of sacred relics and medieval stone carvings, along with replicas of the Hungarian royal crown and coronation jewels.

Fisherman's Bastion.... Proudly guarded by a statue of St. Stephen, this neo-Romanesque vantage points offers several fantastic views of the Danube and Pest. It has seven turrets, one for each of the original Hungarian tribes. It's decorative white rampart and flowing staircases stretch alongside the eastern front of the Matthias Church. According to tradition, the area directly behind the church housed a local fish market during medieval times - hence the name of the Bastion.

Caves & Labyrinths.... In the Buda hills there are many caves and labyrinths which have been used many times in the city's past as a hideout and are still being discovered today. Some of these are open to the public all year round. The largest is the labyrinth network that is accessed from inside the Castle district - well worth a visit!

Gellért Hill & Cave Church.... It is easy to ascend to the top via many paths leading up from the river. Once you are there you can enjoy the spectacular views of the city - especially at night. There are many souvenir shops and cafes to sit and enjoy the views after a long, exhausing walk up. Inside Gellért Hill - on the southern side, near to the Gellért Hotel and Szabadság Bridge - is the Cave Church, which is run by monks of the Hungarian Paulite order.

Citadella & Liberty Statue.... On top of Gellért Hill, watching over the city is the Liberty Statue along side the Citadella, where you can enjoy a 360° view around the city. The citadella has been used for many purposes, functioning as a jail, or as a significant military object during WWII. One of the city’s main symbols, the Liberty Statue, is the statue of a woman lifting an olive branch above her head. By the time of its completion in 1947, it had become a memorial to the Russian soldiers who fell in the 1944-45 siege of Budapest.

Pest....

St. Stephen's Basilica.... The city's main cathedral which is host to the country's most sacred treasure, the mummified holy right hand of St. Stephen, Hungary's first king. Building work started in 1845 but due to the death of 2 of the 3 architects that over saw the project, the war of independence and the complete collapse of the dome it was never completed until its consecration in 1905. The Basilica received severe damage from allied bombing in World War II, restoration work only started in the 1980s.

Parliament.... Situated on the bank of the River Danube and inspired in design by the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London. The location was chosen to counter the dominance of the Royal Palace on the Castle Hill and is currently the third largest Parliament building in the world. The vast size of the building seems unnecessary today but at the time of being built Hungary was part of the Habsburg Empire. There are 691 rooms, the total distance of all the staircases measures 20km. The central dome reaches 96m high, there are 27 entrance gates, 152 statues and pictures and all the decorations needed 40kg of 22/23 karat gold. The Hungarian Holy Crown is housed inside the parliament and on view to the public.

Andrássy út.... A 2.5km beautiful tree lined boulevard, built between 1872-1885 with the first continental metro line running underneath. Along this route you will pass the Opera House, Terror Museum and Liszt Ferenc tér with all its cafés, bars and restaurants. At the end of your journey along the boulevard you will arrive at Heroes Square and behind the City Park.

Opera House.... Built in 1884 to mark the Hungarian Millennium the Opera House was designed by Miklos Ybl in a neo-renaissance style. The Opera House and the performances that are produced have become renowned the world over. At the time of being built the Budapest Opera House was the most modern building of its kind decorated with 7 kg of gold and one of Karoly Lotz's breathtaking frescoes depicting Olympus and the Greek gods on the ceiling.

Heroes Square.... A spectacular monument and "main gate" to the City Park. In the centre stands 35 metre high column with the archangel Gabriel holding the crown of St. Stephen staring down Andrássy út, surrounding the column on horses are the seven leaders of the Magyar tribes, who first arrived in the Carpathian Basin. Set back to the rear of the square is the statues of 14 Hungarian kings and heroes. Heroes Square has witnessed some key events in modern Hungarian history, including a ceremony to mark the re-burial of Imre Nagy, the leader of the 1956 revolution.

City Park.... Is host to many leisure and family orientated attractions and is still a great favourite weekend outing for local families. Amenities include the famous Széchényi Baths, Zoo, Amusement Park, Cirus, Transport Museum and in the Vajdahunyad Castle the Agriculture Museum and an ice rink in winter. Gundel restaurant, the most famous in town is also located here.

Váci utca.... The main pedestrianised street which starts at Szabadsag Bridge opposite the Grand Hall Market and runs parallel with the river and ends at Vörösmarty tér with the luxurious Gerbeaud Coffee House. Along the way you will have the chance to pick up all your souvenirs of your time in Budapest and pass many restaurants offering traditional Hungarian cuisine.

Cultural Avenue & World Heritage.... In 2002 the UNESCO World Heritage committee enhanced the capital's standing among the already existening eight World Heritage locations in Hungary (Hollókő, Budapest, Pannonhalma, Hortobágy, Pécs, Tokaj, Aggtelek, Lake Fertő). This means that now Andrássy Avenue and its historical environs join the Castle district and Danube embankment as holders of the prestigious World Heritage award.

Baths.... Budapest is the spa capital of Europe. There are over a hundred thermal springs, that rise up from Buda's lime stone bedrock and have long inspired culture of bathing. Budapest is fortunate to have some of the world's finest Turkish baths. Not only do they boast original architecture, but offer a unique bathing experience. Bathing in Buda reached its peak under the Ottomans in the 16th and 17th centuries.

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